After Yzerman Gaffe, Vinny Forced to Serve One Game Suspension

Much was made of the Mike Cammalleri slash on Islanders’ rookie Nino Niederreiter. There has been a lot of back and forth whether or not Niederreiter had it coming for a blindside hit, or if it should just be a lesson learned for the rookie: don’t mess with a veteran.

After the incident, it was presumed Cammalleri would miss some time, especially when the NHL levied the Canadiens’ winger with a one game suspension.  As it turns out, that’s not the case.

Lightning GM Steve Yzerman has errantly negotiated the suspension away from the Canadiens for a 6^th round pick in 2013 draft. Due to a bizarre clause in the NHL rule book, the misplaced suspension must be served by team captain Vinny Lecavalier.  Of the mistake, Yzerman had this to say:

“I take full responsibility for this. I’ve got alerts set on my phone to notify me anytime the Canadiens get something new.  I saw Mike Cammalleri’s name, and well, it’s true what they say, old habits are hard to break.  When Pierre (Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier) said he’d give it to us for just a 6^th rounder, I jumped at it. Only then did I realize what it actually was.”

Gauthier was, well, grateful to say the least:

“After everything those mother (expletive)s have taken from us, that (expletive)head Yzerman owes me a draft pick every year for the rest of his life. Not sorry in the least.”

Perhaps the most telling reaction, however, was that of Lecavalier’s:

“As soon as I, uh, heard about the trade, uh, ya know, I, uh, knew I’d be out a game. I wasn’t surprised in the, uh, least. My um, my name has been mentioned in every other damn rumor about us and um, ya know, Montreal.  It’s, uh, a fitting end, really.”