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Pat Quinn to Sheldon Souray: ‘Get the hell out’

Jarome Iginla, Sheldon Souray

Edmonton Oilers’ Sheldon Souray, left, fights with Calgary Flames’ Jarome Iginla during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010. Calgary won 6-1. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Larry MacDougal)

AP

Is it me, or does everyone hate Sheldon Souray right now? Crusty old Pat Quinn had some candid words for the oft-injured defenseman’s trade request. Here are some choice quotes from the Edmonton Sun.

“It’s been no secret here. He’s made it clear for a long time (that he wants a trade),” said Quinn, who spoke with the discontented defenceman on Monday.

“I’m one of those guys that if you don’t want to play here, don’t screw around, get the hell out.”

“We have a hard enough time trying to build team framework. I always believed you should be able to look around that room and look into a teammate’s eyes and say ‘I’m giving it my best and I want you to do the same. That’s how a team builds trust.”

The criticism didn’t stop there. Edmonton Journal’s John MacKinnon also provided some not-especially-nice but probably fair criticism for the hard-shooting defenseman’s request.

In a great burst of toxically self-serving redunancy, Oilers injured defenceman Sheldon Souray chirped in from the sidelines on Sunday, saying he wants to be traded from the last-place team.

This demand was apparently for the benefit of those who actually thought Souray was sincere earlier this season when he magnanimously suggested that if management needed to unload his $5.4 million salary, well he’d waive his no-trade clause. He even helpfully provided the Oilers with a list of teams he’d agree to be traded to. How thoughtful.

Ouch. MacKinnon has a point, though. Who would really want Souray, considering his age, price tag and injury problems? The answer might be “quite a few teams,” but it doesn’t help the Oilers chances that the hockey world is now aware of the messy divorce (
oops, bad choice of words). Who might want Souray? I don’t know, maybe the Dallas Stars or ... any team who might want to spend far too much money for a quick with a wicked slapshot?

I think the real question is: what’s the best bad pun-based nickname for Souray? Maybe Sheldon Sour-ay? Sheldon Sore-ay? Sorely? Sorry? Life often presents us with some awfully difficult questions.