EXCLUSIVE: SUG-DONE
Enforcer Brandon Sugden released this morning
I just received a text from Brandon Sugden:
“I just got let go today. Just want to say thank you for the help getting me here and for all of the fans for their support. Don’t know what I’m gonna do or where I’m going to play, but thanks again.”
The Sugden release does not comes as a surprise, especially on the heels of Mitch Fritz playing back-to-back games and Scott Gordon saying on “NY Hockey This Week” that he’s considering having an enforcer on the roster and Fritz was making a strong case.
No doubt two years playing in the LNH affected Sugden’s ability to keep up his skating in the new NHL. Fighting might be big again in the game, but skating never left it. Sugden will get a handful of American League offers, no question. Whether he will accept any of them is uncertain.
Say this for Sugden’s character. In the last few days, he likely knew his long-shot dream was becoming longer. Yet there he was on the ice the other day, working not just with another tough guy like Tim Jackman but also Frans Nielsen and Jeff Tambellini and others on the art of hockey self-defense. That’s called being a good teammate for as long as you’re on the team.
Just as Sugden has nothing but good things to say about the chance the Islanders gave him, you won’t hear anything but respect from the Islanders for Sugden. Well-played by everyone.
33 Responses to “EXCLUSIVE: SUG-DONE
Enforcer Brandon Sugden released this morning”
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Thats a shame as it was a kind of an inspirational story but Pro sport is a business and you can’t mix business and emotion - I guess a lot of us can relate to this kind of disapointment
ahhh that’s to bad! I wish him all the best! I was just reading in Newsday the NHL Preview “Stuck in the Shadows” If anyone hasn’t read it yet, do so. It was an interesting read, full of little facts.
No, not a surprise considering yesterday’s comments. It’s always tough. Good luck to him and his dad.
Sad news, he’d be a great enforcer for this team. Good luck to ya , Brandon!
Good luck Brandon! At least he was given a shot.
Sal
bummer. hope fritz can throw down.
NO I WANTED HIM OVER FRITZ! FRITZ CAN BARELY SKATE AND SUGDEN WAS BETTER THEN HIM IN SKATING AND CRASHING THE NET!!! its weird cuz i dreamt this
fritz is big and tough but sugden is tougher.
Yeah, i’m sure a majority of us feel the same way. Although I didnt see they play live, i heard that Sugar was a) a better fighter, b) a better skater. Oh well, Fritz can get the job done for sure. Good luck to you Brian, good luck to your father and all of your future endeavors!!
brian??? do u mean Brandon/ but yeah i saw him play against NJD and thats where i saw them play
i meant thats how i know sugden is better then fritz in skating
We’re going to suck anyway, why not give us fans a tough guy to fall in love with who has a great story.
Fritz is a better skater and is tougher. The guy is 6′7 260+ Sugden got cut because he hasn’t played in a real league in a couple of years and you thought he was going to make the team?
You guys will love Fritz trust me. The guy is an animal!!!!!
good luck in the future sugar
yeah, brendan** excuse me. haha
were not saying we don like fritz. were saying we like sugar better. he can skate better.fritz is reported as either 6′7 242 or 6′8 258/ not 260+
or 6′7 250
6′7 258 is just about the same as 260. Fritz is a better skater and fighter and that’s why he will stick in some capacity. End of story…
Once again a really dumb move to alienate the die hard fans! Keep firing and releasing any player the fans might be interested in. Believe me you need are suport, it is evident in the lack of fan turn out at the season ticket holders picnic today that your lossing us slowly!
He was perfect! We watch as the Isles got beat time after time Fritz is no Sugdon.
When will they RELEASE Garth!!!
Sorry for the typos!
Frustration took over.
You have to be kidding me Cline? One of the stupidest posts I’ve seen.
So the isles kept Fritz over Sugden because Sugden is a better fighter and skater then Fritz???? Yeah that makes a lot of sense. Some people just have to complain about everything. Go watch the rags then. Who needs you!!!!
Fritz is a better skater and fighter than Sugden. Granted Fritz is not the smoothest skater, but that is partially because he is so big, so he doesn’t look smooth. The biggest asset over Sugden though is his smarts and knowing when to fight, etc. Sudgen is a great fighter, but he is a bit of a loose cannon and is just looking for a fight all of the time. Fritz is a better choice for the team.
Thank You.
jax you have one supporter against everyone else. how can you say fritz is better then sugden at fighting. take a look at youtube. end of story. were you at the game against the devils at home. sugden is better than fritz in skating
Well..
It appaears that the Islander Gm and Coach has choosen Fritz.
I think as a feel good story, you could not help in rooting for Sugden to make the club in role as enforcer.
Yet I being one who rallied behind him as the first choice…
also realize with the lack of time spent checking out camp & practice we (the Fan) are not privy to scout & compare sugden & fritz. (thats gotta change somehow)
That being said, theres a reason why they pay the gm’s-coaches-scouts the money they do at the NHL level..
(not always well spent)
just look @the rags, and how much money they squander each year
Never the less guys Like Snow, Gordon, chabot, morrow, Gallant, Jankowski… etc,
This group has the exp it takes to make the right call.
My heart may have rooted for Sugden, yet its my head that tells me The Organization probably made the right call.
So we move forward & eagerly await the anticipated match-up against colton orr!
(from what i have seen on utube fritz beat him once in the ahl)
Its here where we can begin to stimulate the Club & the fan base!!(The Pride thing)
GO Get It Done Fritz my boy, we are all behind ya!
Last little point for those who pay attention to newsday for coverage we should all be “outraged”…
What “classless” & “Biased” piece of “Propaganda” written by johnette…
(dont call me John i’m a girl)
For What Chris and some other’s have suggested about Newsday attempt to Give The Islanders more & equal coverage then our friends the rags?
To me they made sure today they let us Know whos in control of that paper the one and only,Jim Dolan, who obviously has given the job of head mouth piece to this wench!
I’m sorry I have read newsday for years, yet thius was the worst piece of rhetoric /slander, hidden in sarcasm i have ever read… What a joke!
I mean c’mon..
Her references to baseball where left field as well (pun intended)…
how in the world does she compare the Pirate to the Islanders in overall History of accomplishments?
This Lady made a “buffon” out of her self today!
Howard is obviously a “wanna be”,
Hockey hack that knowes nothing of the Organization she wrote about…
As for
Newsday’s Hockey alliegance & Coverage promising us of fair and responsible view points ??
I guess we know we new this was coming!!
(newsday is not an Islander paper Dolan owns it now)….
Hey, at least we still have here our last bastion of hope for real Islander Fans! (NYI Point Blank)so far Great Chris!
“Newsday”….
should be deeply embarrased tonight.
That was nothing short of a stern- Springer type attack delievered today.. more like a national enquirer
op ed .. (not that they even have one)..
Yet if they did howard has found a place to help pay for her retirment years:)
Hey Newsday, You Reflect your owner to the “T”…… T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E!!
Last Point on Newsday..
(sorry guys this boiled my blood today)
There is an obvious lack of “commitment”,”class”, “dedication” @Newsday….
when it comes to the profession of journalism & the responsibilites that those who work in the field should have to the general public!
How could this happen in a supposed main stream publication??
(oops forgot its Dolans paper now)….
Johnette…
(Stick with baseball wanna be Hockey Hack)
P.S.
“Valiant Effort”Good luck in your future endeavor’s B.Sugden!!
A Hockey player & above that a “Man”,
who has moved past the troubled times he had in his younger adult life.
Brian Sugeden to me has become a Solid family man, Good guy to have in a community.
In General a “class act” in regards handled to how he handled himself through this whole deal!!
(thats worth then any scrap on the ice)
Go Ny Islanders 2008-09
the point eluded to on…
“That’s Gotta Change”
I was speaking on our team in future seasons…..
We need to somehow find a way to televise pre season games live..
Where theres a will theres a way!
It could be a 1,000 to 1 I don’t care. The guy was playing semi-pro hockey for the last two years and you think the Isles should have kept him? Semi-Pro!!!!!! I hope everything works out for him personally but the whole invite was pure media related. The guy never had a shot at making the team. You say check out you tube and I only see a couple of Fritz fights and a bunch of Sugden fights so what’s your point? Sugden has more fights on youtube so he is tougher? Orr a top 5 heavyweight in the league was getting tossed around the ice by fritz in that you tube fight. Sugden was a brawler no doubt but there is a reason he was playing semi-pro hockey and fritz was playing professional hockey. Yeah but I guess the Isles are idiots for not keeping the beer league player.
Hey guys just looked it over again,
please excuse
excuse some of the typos that made it through.
As well apology to Brandon.. for the brian .. (brain freeze)…
hey if they payed me the big bucks,
buffoon would be spelled correctly.
as well as some of the botched editing job on portions of it…
My hope is you guys understand most of it.
I’m still wondering how our home town paper is allowed to just walk all over
The Team That plays here?
D-O-L-A-N is a Puke! I guess my question was rhetorical!
(a monopolizing one at that)
Real Quick question For CB..
What did you think about that article she wrote?
If there is some kind of code amongst the media, in regards to not commenting on fellow colleagues work?
I guess I understand.. yet again to me that was a totally classless piece of literature!!
Lets Go Isles 2008-09!! tailgating like a rock star this saturday see you guys there;)
Well i cant say that the Organization made the right call that includes Snow and Gordon. Sugden should have made the team due to his skating ability alone! Fritz who i saw in the exabition game SUCKED! So great Move Gordon and Snow, you have kept your Track record in pristine conditon!
its not that hes tougher for having more fights it was who he took on and won. fritz fought barnaby and orr and won. fritz is tough but hes not the same as he used to be. sugden is a beast. there both tugh ass nails but sugden is tougher and a better skater. let it go.
Thank you, Kevin.
Finally a fan with some player knowledge.