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sutter really is a xenophobe


Beetlebum

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so a few weeks ago or maybe months at this point i called sutter a xenophobe for taking the c away from elias. anyway i found this on hfboards.

In the latest issue of Pro Hockey, a European NHL magazine there's a good article about Patrik Elias and the things he went through this year. He talks about the rough start, losing the captaincy, the rocky relationship with Sutter and also some other interesting things about his life (including Gomez). The article is written by a Czech reporter, Karel Knap.

Below are a couple of his comments from the article, translated by me (of course). So if something doesn't make sense, the excuse is that English is not my native tongue.

About the rough start on the season, his offensive struggles and starting off on the wrong foot with coach Sutter:

Quote:

"My dad turns on the TV every morning back home in the Cz.Rep. When he sees that my name is not on the scoreboard he asks me if I was scratched or benched."

Quote:

"A new coach has every right to choose his own leader, but he didn't explain anything to me. He didn't even talk to me about it before he told the reporters. I found out from the reporters and that's just not right."

Sutter later also criticised him publicly, something Elias wasn't too happy about.

Quote:

"This was during a period when the whole team struggled and I didn't feel like I deserved it (the cristicism). I am my toughest critic and I like contsructive criticism, but that wasn't cool. Even if I wasn't scoring much I still did a lot of good things on the ice. Being a good hockeyplayer is not only about scoring.

Elias talks about how well he prepared for this season and came into camp in the best shape ever. He usually has slow starts and this year he wanted to have a good start, but it never happened.

Quote:

"I was playing with a lot of different people every game, it's hard to build chemistry with people that way. When I'm struggling I need support, I usually need more icetime to get going. Not less.."

Martin Brodeur on Patrik Elias living in the shadow of former players:

Quote:

"Even if Patty has been one of the most talented players in the league for years he still somehow found himself in the shadow of guys like Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Alexander Mogilny and Bobby Holik all the time. Few realised and appreciated his work ethic and dedication to our system. Many players have to sacrifice a lot in New Jersey, Patty did that."

There is a in interesting piece about Sutter and his negative attitude towards Europeans. Domink Hasek was interviewed in this article and this is what he had to say about Sutter:

Quote:

"No European player was good enough for him. Over and over again we got to hear how he, a true Canadian, was the only one working really hard. According to him no one else cared enough and that the Europeans didn't care at all. He treated me like an enemy. At the time I didn't understand everything, but I found out that he loved making up mean and bad jokes about us (Europeans)."

Patty and Sutter did have a long conversation one day on the ice after a practice and have been getting along a lot better since.

Quote:

"We talked for a while out there. I wanted to find out why he had treated me the way he did. Why he took the "C" away from me. Why he wasn't using me in crucial moments in games and why I never got any explanations from him. A coach should try to bring out the best in his players, not the worst..."

After that it has been better and Elias has been a much better player since. They realised that they are both fighting for the same goals, winning hockey games for the New Jersey Devils.

On the change from LW to C:

Quote:

"I'm surprised how smooth the transition has been. I'm having a lot of fun out there and I've always been at my best when I've been having fun. Things are great now. I feel now that the coach has started to trust me more and is giving me more icetime. That's all I'm asking for."

Patrik Elias about:

Hep A

"Every time when I'm ill and miss a game or two people start asking me about the Hep. I hate that. Last year I needed more time to recover from the flu or a regular cold, but the tests I took this past summer showed that I'm completely healthy now."

The salary

"This year I'm the highest paid Devil with my $7.5 million, and they let me hear about it sometimes. Our GM Lou Lamoriello never hesitates to remind me about my salary when I'm not playing well. He doesn't say it right out, but I usually get it. But I'm just trying to enjoy playing hockey. After all, it's just a game!"

Prudential Center

"Our new arena is beautiful. It also has a practice rink included with training rooms, gym and all the best. On gamedays we are in our main lockerroom, so we can feel the pressure and prepare for the game as soon as we get to the rink in the morning. We have a good record here and we hope we can win the Stanley Cup in this bulding. Most of the fans also love the Prudential Center. At first there were some question marks about the security in Newark, which has had some issues with crime. But the police department is doing a fantastic job."

Scott Gomez

"Scottie signed with the Rangers this past summer, but I can't say that I miss him much. Sure, we had some good moments on the ice together, he was great with the puck and he could pass. But we have many other good players, especially the younger ones, like Parise and Zajac. I enjoy playing with them."

Petra, his wife

I'm so happy when I'm with her! This year she's spending more time with me here than in the Cz.Rep for the first time. Every hockey related problem becomes so much smaller when I realise that I have her. We're planning for the future. We'd love to build a family soon. Petra is a patriot, she loves Prague. That's why we'll probably move back to the Czech Republic when my career is over."

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i read this a few weeks ago. i'm shocked it took you this long to parrot this for your continued feelings of hatred towards sutter.

the "xenophobic" comments are from a bitter hasek making refrence to PLAYING with sutter 15 years ago.

sutter needed to come in and show the inmates that he was running the show and the parade of coaches stopped with him.

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Good read, nice contribution Beetle.

I don't think any of this really supports any negative Sutter opinions - so I don't see the reason for the title.

A better title would have been something like "From the Mouth of Elias"

Thanks for sharing it.

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Good read, nice contribution Beetle.

I don't think any of this really supports any negative Sutter opinions - so I don't see the reason for the title.

A better title would have been something like "From the Mouth of Elias"

Thanks for sharing it.

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Two things that got me riled up:

First, Hasek is an a$$hole. He thinks everyone hates him and treats everyone that way. It's no wonder that few people respect him.

Second, I gained a lot of respect for Elias (I had quite a bit for him already) when he said ""Scottie signed with the Rangers this past summer, but I can't say that I miss him much." He hates traitors, too, and as a fan I love players that feel the same as I do.

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Two things that got me riled up:

First, Hasek is an a$$hole. He thinks everyone hates him and treats everyone that way. It's no wonder that few people respect him.

Second, I gained a lot of respect for Elias (I had quite a bit for him already) when he said ""Scottie signed with the Rangers this past summer, but I can't say that I miss him much." He hates traitors, too, and as a fan I love players that feel the same as I do.

Edited by Devil Dan 56
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I don't think that what Hasek remembers from playing with Sutter 15 years ago refelcts how Sutter may react to people now. The league - and the people dealing with it - have had to change. Fetisov was interviewed during Sunday's game and he talked about the difference between when he came into the league and when he started coaching in NJ.

However, Elias' comments on Sutter's lack of communication with him aren't a sign of zenophobia, they are a sign that he wasn't communicating the reasons for his decisions to Elias and it wasn't the way he should have approached Elias. Every player is different and other approches work better with Elias, who will do almost anything you ask him to do, but he'd just like to be given a short explaination. In fact, he didn't really communicate decisions to any of his players, if you remember, he would just shuffle lines, players would be benched, he would scream at the whole team and we'd wonder, is he over-reacting, even though the team clearly does turn into the inmates running the asylum if you don't kick them, hard, often.

It appears that as the season went on, Sutter realized that he needed to unbend a little and try to communicate more. Maybe Langenbrunner or one of the coaches told him there was an issue. But, lack of communication doesn't necessarily mean zenophobia. It just means lack of communication.

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I really like Patty this season. I feel like I'm finally starting to understand him. Honestly he's so talented I never knew if he was working. I always knew he was working but I couldn't see how he felt - or even if he HAD to work that hard to produce. With the Arnott thing - Sykora was all up and down trying to figure his place out and all but patty just quietly did his job, you know? He'd always quietly gotten it done - but like I have said I never saw his impact on other players. I hate to say that's a big thing with me but it IS. I mean - I think I like Gomez because he's a set up man -- that just appeals to me. :noclue: It's wrong of me but I sort of like a guy who doesn't exactly respect another guys space - as long as it's in an honest helpful way. There is a time to tell it like it is and I like to see that. Marty irks me because he has a way of telling it like it is but then qualifying it - that makes it almost seem mean spirited.

Anyhow -- MAN! this year he's working his ass off and it shows. Trying new things - stepping out of his comfort zone - maybe finding a new one.

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Eh,,,

How the fvck's Sutter being a xenophobe? Coming from Hasek? The guy that was still sleeping 5minutes before a game in the Allstars tourney in Europe back in 2004-2005 , (In Marty's book.) To force out Marty to play the game when he wasn't suppose to? Sorry, but coming from Hasek view on sutter, I can't trust it. I heard tons of stories about his comportement while he was in Buffalo. Strange ones.

Go stick out with your Єklund (2.3% accurate) (2.3% accurate) rumours, wait, the deadline passed :!

Edited by TravisZajac
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Second, I gained a lot of respect for Elias (I had quite a bit for him already) when he said ""Scottie signed with the Rangers this past summer, but I can't say that I miss him much." He hates traitors, too, and as a fan I love players that feel the same as I do.

As much as I liked Elias' comment, I also remember how close he was to signing with the Rags in 2006 (the no trade clause was what made him stay in New Jersey...). So I wouldn't be too much excited about him "hating the traitors".

But, of course, everybody has difficult moments in life, losing his faith etc. :D The most important thing is he didn't sign and resisted that evil temptation, no matter what really encouraged him to make that decision. ;)

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