Kukla's Korner Hockey
Players React To Hitchcock Firing
by Paul on 02/04/10 at 08:42 AM ET
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from Tom Reed of the Columbus Dispatch,
“I’m pretty much in shock,” Umberger said. “It’s a really tough thing to swallow. Hitch has done so much for my career. As a player, you feel like you let him down.”
Several players agreed and said they also are to blame for the team’s poor showing a season after reaching the playoffs for the first time.
Hitchcock’s demanding style and penchant for overloading players, especially young ones, with information likely contributed to his ouster. Some players appeared overwhelmed by the endless meetings and mixed messages.
Prized prospect Nikita Filatov returned to Russia in November, citing differences with Hitchcock. Youngsters such as Brassard and Voracek, goalless in the past 24 games, looked to be regressing. But Brassard was one of several players interviewed last night who had praise for Hitchcock.
“I respect that he tried to help me and all the young guys,” Brassard said. “He was really patient with us. Some guys will say he was not right for the young players, and he was hard on us. He knew what we were about to face, and he was getting us to be NHL players.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Columbus Blue Jackets | KK Hockey | Permalink
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