Statement regarding tweets

I felt the need to write a blog regarding some tweets I made in an exchange with a scout who will remain nameless on my blog. The tweets were regarding the play of Haydn Fleury. I will explain my reason for the tweets below.

First of all I would like to offer Haydn an apology for the content of the tweets, which I know he was privy to last night. While I will stand behind my statements, this is not the full story of how I regard Haydn as a player with the Red Deer Rebels or as a draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes.

While I am not a scout, or a person who is actually in the media, I do watch an awful lot of hockey. I do believe that Haydn has APPEARED lazy in the defensive end, and has not been what I would expect of a Power Play quarterback. These are my opinions and while you or anyone else may not agree, these are my own thoughts. I will go on to say that Haydn is an excellent skater and can set the tone of a hockey game when he chooses, I just wish he would choose it more often. I don't claim to know how he is in the dressing room or his team mates but the team must feel he is worthy of the "A" on his sweater. I don't make those choices nor will I question the choice of the team.

Haydn has played well enough in his career to earn invitations and play for Canada's national team, be selected 7th overall to the Carolina Hurricanes, ahead of his team mate, Conner Bleackley in the same draft. Clearly he is a gifted athlete. I don't know how it feels to be sent back from an NHL Camp, which I am sure has put pressure on himself to achieve better.

Out of all of this I have learned that twitter may not be the best place to discuss players, I don't want anyone on the team to think anything differently of me because of things I have observed as a fan of the Rebels and of the game. Hopefully Haydn understands that while I don't personally always enjoy the way he plays the game, I know he is a good player and from what I can tell a really great person. Best of luck to you the rest of this season Haydn and the Rebels, as well as your future with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Sincerely,
Paul Figler