Page 93 of How We End
I waved off Anders’s concern.“This has nothing to do with Wyatt.Don’t put this on her.”I limped into the locker room to see Cole also being pulled out.
“Now what?”Cole grumbled, slipping on a shirt.I followed the younger defenseman into the office.
I was surprised to see GM McGrath standing next to Murry.
“Sit down.”Murry pointed to two chairs.“Tonight’s game was a fucking mess.Four minors in the o-zone.One during a goddamn power play.”Murry didn’t bother to hide his irritation as he turned to me.“Hooking, Julian?You got called for hooking.That’s a rookie penalty, not a penalty for a player of your caliber.And Cole.A high stick on a power play.Ten feet from the goddamn goal with a goalie out of place on a power play, and you decidethatwas the time for a high stick.And don’t even get me started on the fighting.You two singlehandedly took any momentum we could find and flushed it down the fucking toilet.”
“Both those calls were shitty,” I pointed out.Because they were.If we were in the playoffs, the refs would have let them go.“The only reason Cole got called was because Marshall had his face in the way.It was a freak accident.”
“Marshall had to have stitches.And the hooking?”Murry yelled.“Or the tripping?Were those ‘shitty’ calls?”
“Tate was on a breakaway.”I either took a minor or Tate could have scored.To anyone in the stands or on the bench, we were two players fighting over the puck.But the refs were out to prove something tonight.To prove they hated the Coyotes.
“Enough!”McGrath shouted.“You two cost us the game.You’re both a liability.”
“Really?”I crossed my arms over my chest.“What am I sitting at for points right now?What’s my plus or minus?”
“What are your penalty minutes?”McGrath threw back.
“You first.”
“Julian,” Murry said, exhaling.“These minor penalties have to stop.The fighting has to stop.You both need to start playing a cleaner game.”
“Or you’ll be facing some hefty fines,” McGrath bit out.“The NHL doesn’t want the reputation of being a violent sport.And blood on the ice makes it look like a violent sport.They are on our asses about player safety.The commissioner wants a safer sport.”
“Then maybe the commissioner should go watch basketball.”Hockey was a physical sport, and we knew that.Everyone in that locker room had a scar, a missing tooth, or a busted bone to prove they had paid the price to be on the ice.I had all three.
“Jesus fucking Christ.You think this is a joke.You have three majors, Silver.One more and you’ll be out for four games.”McGrath pointed at me.“We are paying you a lot of money to not sit in the fucking penalty box.And so help me god, you get your ass suspended before the playoffs again, and you can kiss your career goodbye.”
“Is that a promise?”I shouted back at him.
“Yes!”McGrath yelled.“No team is going to want to deal with you.You were suspended for six games, Silver.Six fucking games last season!Not only was that a franchise record, but it cost us the wildcard spot.”McGrath stabbed a finger in Murry’s direction.“You said he changed.You said he cleaned up his fucking act.He has three majors, and it’s only January,” he yelled at Murry before turning to me.“For thirty minutes you have been in the locker room because you couldn’t keep your fucking mouth shut and your nose clean.We should have kicked you off the team for that.”
“Brian,” Murry warned.
“Do it!”I shouted back at him.The players’ association and my agent would have a field day with that.“You brought the two of us here because your centers were getting the shit beat out of them.Walker was out for ten games because of a hit from Novak.This team had the worst power play in the league, and your o-zone time was shit.You needed me more than I needed this team.”
“That hit on Hanson was an accident.Novak made a public apology.”McGrath crossed his arms over his chest.
“Because the league made him.You think that fucking asshat Novak cares he ruined Walker’s career?You can’t be that?—”
“Silver,” Coach Murry warned.
“What?”I threw my hands up.Novak knew what he was doing.He took the four-game suspension, and we lost our top center for an entire season.“You agree with this?”I couldn’t believe it.Murry had wanted Cole because he would keep Anders protected.He wanted me because I could skate hard and fast.I could take the hits and put pucks in the net.
“He has no choice.I’ve spoken with the owners.They agree.If you two can’t play a clean game, you’re gone.Do.You.Understand.”McGrath bent to look me in the eye.“The trade deadline is around the corner, and neither of you is safe.”McGrath straightened.
Cole shifted in his chair.He had been the most penalized player in the AHL.That was why McGrath agreed to sign him.
“Julian.Cole.It’s the league.They are cracking down,” Murry said.
“The league?I haven’t seen the league cracking down on Shaw or Host.”This had nothing to do with the league.I hadn’t seen any changes, nor had my agent warned me.This was a way to pay me less.I could guarantee this would come up during the contract negotiations.McGrath would probably have a PowerPoint and handouts with every little thing I had ever done wrong clearly written out.And each one of those would have a dollar amount attached to them.McGrath would try to make me pay them for the right to play.
“Oh, they will, believe me,” McGrath snapped.“If they don’t, LA and Florida will face hefty fines.Fines we will assess to you.”
“You can’t do that.”I shot out of my chair, regretting it as my hip screamed in protest.I gripped the back of the chair.
“Brian, I got this, okay?”Murry held up his hand.“Cole, do you have any questions?”Murry asked the younger defenseman.
