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Shawn Thornton seems upset about the Winter Classic being canceled

Robyn Regehr, Shawn Thornton

Boston Bruins’ Shawn Thornton (22) and Buffalo Sabres’ Robyn Regehr (24) fight in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, April 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

AP

Bruins tough guy Shawn Thornton is never a guy afraid to pull his punches both with his fists and his words.

As Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com heard, Thornton is upset about the lockout and the annual Winter Classic being canceled. You might say he’s got an ax to grind with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

“We’re all disappointed that it had to come to the Winter Classic being cancelled. I know that personally I just want to get back to work,” Thornton said. “But (Bettman) makes $8 million a year, doesn’t he? You expect he would have 250 grand kicking around in an ash tray somewhere to keep the Winter Classic alive.”

Ouch.

Obviously the cancellation of the Winter Classic goes a bit deeper than just money. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said “we simply are out of time” regarding the event and there’s plenty of truth to that in spite of the game being two months away.

That won’t stop Thornton from getting a frustrated shot in while he can though.