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Brouwer accuses Caps teammates Hamrlik and Neuvirth of “selling us out”

Washington Capitals v Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, FL - DECEMBER 5: Troy Brouwer #20 of the Washington Capitals warms up prior to the game against the Florida Panthers on December 5, 2011 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Capitals 5-4. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

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This godforsaken NHL lockout is tearing the Washington Capitals apart.

OK, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but Caps forward Troy Brouwer did have some harsh words for teammates Roman Hamrlik and Michal Neuvirth after the former questioned the leadership of NHLPA chief Donald Fehr and the latter suggested the work stoppage was “about several superstars with big contracts.”

On Thursday, Brouwer told the Washington Post that it was hard to hear Hamrlik and Nuevirth question the union’s direction as neither player has even been to a meeting or on a conference call.

Brouwer also wonders how the pair’s remarks will affect the way he sees them as teammates.

“For me, I think those guys selling us out, being selfish like that and making those comments…” he said. “Me being on their team, how am I going to trust them as a teammate from now on? Because you know they’re not going to support players in the big scheme of things when you go and you play on the team with them; it’s going to be tough to want to back those guys from now on.”

Meanwhile, Caps defenseman Karl Alzner wasn’t quite so apoplectic.

“The first thought that came into my head is knowing Roman and knowing what he’s like,” Alzner told the Calgary Herald. “I just had to laugh. Roman’s the kind of guy that just takes it as it comes. He says what’s on his mind. Whether he thinks it through all the time is another story. He just says it. If he doesn’t like practice, he lets you know. If he doesn’t like what you did in the game, he lets you know. I think it’s just frustration setting in.”