CIZIKAS: 1 YEAR PROBATION FOR MANSLAUGHTER
2009 draft pick Casey Cizikas talks to Point Blank
1:20 pm - Casey Cizikas, a 2009 Islanders draft pick charged with manslaughter for a rugby game incident that led to the accidental death of an opponent, was given a sentence of one year probation and 100 hours of community service this morning in court in Brampton, Ontario.
The 18-year old Cizikas, a 2009 Islanders fourth round pick and center for the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, was indicted on manslaughter charges for his role in the death of 15-year old Manny Castillo. The facts of the case have been muddled through two years of incorrect media reports and by conflicting testimony in the court case.
In a rugby game in Mississauga in 2007, Cizikas tackled Castillo. Some testimony described the tackle as “part of the play,” some as a rough tackle that was not part of the play. Cizikas said he was in a headlock and used self-defense. Some witnesses said Cizikas used a pile-driver move to drive Castillo into the ground.
Castillo died two days later. Contrary to many news accounts, Castillo’s death was not a result of a spinal cord injury but rather a head injury. It was also noted by physicians that two weeks prior to the battle with Cizikas, Castillo suffered a major concussion. One doctor testified that Castillo’s concussion was so severe, he should have been held out of competition with physical contact for a full year.
Standing above all the conflicting testimony was an overwhelmingly compassionate gesture by the Castillo family. Since they believed Manny’s death was an accident, the family asked that Cizikas be spared punishment. However, because the tackle led to a death, their request could not be met. Cizikas was found by Judge Bruce Duncan to have used “unnecessary force” and charged with manslaughter. At today’s hearing, Manuel Castillo - Manny’s father - gave an emotional impact statement that called for fighting in youth hockey to be abolished, but again did not blame Cizikas for his son’s death.
With today’s sentencing, Cizikas can continue his pursuit of his NHL dream, beginning with his participation in the Islanders’ Prospect Camp later this week at Iceworks in Syosset and training camp in September in Saskatoon.
One scout we contacted after the draft said Cizikas is a player of “early second-round” skill and tenacity levels who ended up the first pick of the fourth round because of “an obvious, understandable lack of focus at times.” He played well head-to-head against Matt Duchene in the OHL playoffs this season and has been a member of U-17 and U-18 Canadian national teams, anchoring lines with players such as Zach Kassian and Ryan O’Reilly.
NHL Central Scouting chief E.J. McGuire discussed Casey’s abilities with Mike Brophy of Sportsnet. “There are nights when he controls the game and then there are other nights you watch him and you say to yourself, ‘Come on kid, grab the puck and go with it.’ He has (Patrick) Kane-like skill and size isn’t an issue, but he needs to work on his consistency. Maybe that will come with time and maturity. You worry about what happened hanging over his head and wonder how big that dark cloud is. On the other hand, with what he has had to deal with, maybe it will make him more resilient.”
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A Note to our Readers: Under Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act, for two years Cizikas has gone unidentified in media reports north of the border. Nevertheless, everyone in Ontario knew his story. Every scout in the NHL was aware of his situation. His story was debated on hockey message boards, including several Islanders sites.
An excited but humbled Cizikas gave Point Blank an interview the day after he was drafted by the Islanders. Although this blog is not bound by Canada’s youth law, we decided to honor it in respect to Cizikas and his family until the sentencing. Eight days later, and with Cizikas now receiving probation and community service, here is a transcript of our call.
Casey, what was your reaction when you were heard you were taken in the fourth round by the Islanders?
Lots of emotions. Ecstatic. It was like the sun came out. A weight off my shoulder. All of those cliches. So much gratitude for the Islanders for showing faith in me. Incredible emotion seeing how much it meant to my mom and dad, who have been there for me through everything. My father was so happy. Mom was crying. It’s impossible to really sum it up.
I know you didn’t attend the draft. Where were you when you got the news?
I was at driving school.
You didn’t skip it for draft day?
No. Since I wasn’t going to be at the draft, I wanted to keep my regular routine. I told my driving teacher before class that I might get a very important phone call, and if I did I would have to leave for the rest of the day. He was very understanding.
The call came about mid-way through class. It was my agent. He told me the news and then I spoke to (assistant GM) Ryan Jankowski. I have no idea what he said to me because I was so emotional. I hope he calls again so I don’t miss anything about development camp.
Because of the indictment, did you think you would be drafted?
I thought I would go at some point on Saturday. I just had no idea when and to who.
Had the Islanders spent much time talking to you?
Not much more than anyone else. I wasn’t invited by the NHL to the Draft Combine, so I didn’t get to meet with them there. I remember an Islanders scout meeting with a lot of guys on our team and handing out a questionnaire early in the season.
That was probably the psych test. You must have done well.
I guess so. I take those seriously. I hope it helped. The first time I thought it could be the Islanders was the week of the draft. My agent said they were asking a lot of questions about me.
Did the court proceedings over the last year affect your play?
In a way, I have to say so, although I hate using it as an excuse. I had a good rookie year at St. Mike’s. Last season, I got hit from behind in a preseason game against Owen Sound and missed the next five and a half weeks. It took me a while to get going. It was a rough year. But I say all that, and you have to understand that I know the situation I’m in and I’m fortunate to have hockey in my life.
Is the hockey rink where you’re happiest these days?
Coming to the rink every day means everything to me. Being with my friends, my coaches. It releases my stress, at least for a few hours.
When you’re focused and at your best, what kind of player are you?
I think I can play like Mike Richards of the Flyers. I model my play after him. I believe I can be that kind of player someday.
What has the support of (St. Mike’s coach) Dave Cameron been like?
Outstanding. He’s a special person. In the time since the incident happened, he has always been at my side. His family is in PEI (Prince Edward Island) and I know he has lost time with them because he has been looking out for me. I will never forget what he has done. My agent has also been a big part of my hockey family. I owe them so much.
What did it mean to have the support of the Castillo family?
Oh…that’s…they are special people. I don’t even know what to say about them. It was a terrible, terrible accident. They have never, not once, pointed fingers. It’s hard for me to talk about them…(Cizikas gets choked up and we take a brief break). They know how I feel.
So how does being drafted by the Islanders change life for you?
It’s a big step. It means a team has gone out of their way to show they have faith in me. Now I have a goal with an NHL team, a team I feel I can trust. The New York Islanders are behind me, they have made that clear. I have an NHL team that believes in me. You know what that means after everything has happened?
I’m going to do everything I can to show their faith in me was not wasted. I think I work pretty hard, but now I’m going to work twice as hard to become an Islander and pay them back for their loyalty.
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94 Responses to “CIZIKAS: 1 YEAR PROBATION FOR MANSLAUGHTER
2009 draft pick Casey Cizikas talks to Point Blank”
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Nice blog, CB.
looks like this can be a great story one day.
Good luck to this kid. This is a mountain I would not wish on anybody.
We are behind you and hope that you wear the isles sweater one day
Hopefully he can put this all behind him and go on to a productive career. It sounds like the Islanders might have stolen one here.
Not knowing all the facts of that day I cant’t pass judgement and won’t . He could be a very good sleeper pick for the Isles and if he even turns out to be about half of what Mike Richards is then its a winner.
That being said Mike Richards is a heart and soul charecter player with great Defensive and Offensive skills. By far my favorite player in the game today with Iginla a distant second.
Good luck to Cizikas and we hope to see him in Bport in a year or 2.
You’re part of the Islander family my friend. What this kid has been through, I have no doubt he will do everything it takes to be a productive player and great person. Good Luck
Good Luck in the future
Wow.Pretty intense.Cizikas sounds very sincere,I can’t help but root hard for the kid…sounds like he has skills also. Good luck Casey.
Holy crap, what a great story and read. You are simply the best, C.B.
Welcome to the family Casey. It’s a dysfunctional one but aren’t they all? I for one wish you the best of luck.
Sounds like he might be a good pick.
Great stuff, Chris. Where else can we find this kind of information? Nowhere.
Good luck, Casey!
Good Luck kid. Welcome to the Islander family.
so glad this dude ain’t seeing jailtime. a friend of mine in the canadian media had told me about this kid before the draft, and i thought he was nothing but NOT GUILTY.
good luck to him in the future.
Great story Chris. A very emotional piece.
Hope the kid wears the Islander sweater some day and becomes one of the great success stories in the NHL.
I think this kid has the skills to make the NHL one day. I’m expecting a good season from him in the OHL.
Good read on a slow Hockey Day…seems like a decent value pick
CB-
You are freaking incredible. You’re a journalist in the truest sense of the word, and you make this not just the best hockey blog, but the best website on the internet.
I did not know his story. Sounds like one of those amazing Heatley-like situations and a ton of credit goes to the Castillo family. If that was my son I am not sure what my reaction would be but they sound like tremendous people who have faced an incredible loss. I wish all parties involved better days.
Just a note, CB, he still can’t be identified in Canada. Any young offender’s identity is sealed from publication regardless of whether they are now an adult. (In fact, that is supposedly the whole point - so mistakes from one’s youth don’t follow you around.)
It’s a dubious law and a matter of great controversy for many that think the law allows kids to get away with anything with no fear of it following them around. Welcome to Canada…
This is the stuff that separates Pointblank from the rest. Top notch CB.
Unfortunate accidents happen, and I think it’s great the Castillo family supports him.
sounds like this kid has the right attitude. Plus you have to like a kid with skill and something to prove.
CB-
-this is why I feel like I’m still in Hicksville….living down the shore and STILL getting Islanders info 24/7/365….
…who needs the Hockey News and NHL Network?!?!?
Hope things work out for this kid.
sounds like a good kid. keep up the hard work casey and i hope to see you skating with the islander sweater real soon.
Agree with #20 above.
In 3-5 years, we might look back at this draft and cringe, or it may end up being one of the best ever in Isles history. There are four guys in particular, and possibly five, that have the chance to have anywhere from average to stellar all-star careers….I’d settle for two.
Great Article, Casey sounds like a great kid. I hope he can take the next step and turn pro with us. If you read the comments, man, good luck. Everyone is going to be rooting for you.
This just gave me a little more faith … sounds like a great pick.
An unfortunate and tragic accident that has brought immeasurable pain to two great families. Kudos to the Castillo’s for their understanding and compassion.
Casey, go get your dream, you deserve it.
kudos to Isles - and the kid - for addressing this story now up front so it doesn’t remain something bubbling underneath the surface on bliogs, boards, etc.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this kid had a great bounce-back year in the “O”. McKenzie had him as an honourable mention in his preseason list of top 10 draft picks last season.
Its hard not to think that this past season was a really hard one for the kid, but with the court case behind him and the forgiveness of the victim’s parents and support of his OHL team and the Islanders I think he can get back to being a great prospect.
Zeike (18) nailed it…the Castillo family seems to have handled the situation extraordinarily well from the info provided here and from Cizikas’ statements. I can’t imagine experiencing all of that from either end.
Best wishes to Castillo’s family and best of luck to Cizikas in his quest to become an Islander.
Nice story to come home from vacation to. The Castillo family sounds like Graham Snyder (Dan’s father) after the incident with Heatley. You have to admire people with hearts like that. Now the kid can get started trying to make the NHL. Good luck to him and we hope to be cheering him at the rebuilt Coliseum down the road a bit.
Casey,
With everything you’ve been through, we wish you nothing but the best of luck as you start on your path to the NHL. Hopefully it’s a long, successful, Cup-filled one with the New York Islanders.
Welcome to the Islanders family. We look forward to having you as part of the team that brings the history, tradition, and the Cup back to Long Island.
This story makes this sound like a great pick. Is there any info about his level of physical play since the incident? Has he pulled back in fear of hurting someone else? I hope that’s not the case. It sounds like he could be the kind of quality player out of the fourth round that could really be a great asset to the Isles.
Greetings Isles Fans,
Casey had a tough year with his back injury and the obvious burden he carried.
He is a selfless kid and a very talented, determined player.
He is much better than 2 of our alumni you have in Bridgeport: Tyler Haskins and Micheal Haley. IMHO, he is also better than Isles prospect Justin Di Bennedetto who wore a St. Mike’s “M” as well.
He is as he sounds in his interview and you & your team will not regret this pick.
His story will end on a very positive note!
Best wishes on a successful rebuild around JT,
St. Mike’s boy.
Why would we draft this kid, especially in the 4th round knowing his background? This kid could really be messed up after this incident. I think it could hurt his career, not help it.
Hopefully he learned a very valuable lesson and may the boy who died rest in peace. I hope it was an accident like many say it was and not a deliberate attempt to injure.
Can he still play in the ohl next year?
@Dan C - the Isles gave a second chance to Chris Simon, anything’s possible.
I gotta say that, having heard the story, it’s a great value pick and a great second chance for this kid. Best of luck to him, even if he winds up playing elsewhere. Of course the nastier idiot fans (like MSG and Philly) are going to chant some unspeakable things at him, so they have to make sure he’s ready for that.
And you can’t say enough about the Castillo family. That’s an amazing gift of mercy and forgiveness to give to Cizikas.
Wow- thank you so much, CB! I have been hoping for an interview like this somewhere, but I did not know how that would go regarding the legality of things. I didnt know when it would get to the point where you can just talk about the truth of what happened. Getting the simple, sad truth out there is a real service to everyone… and a point from which Casey can move on and look forward to better things to come.
I haven’t heard much about this story but if the victims parents are saying “it was an accident and to not punish him” then I am 100% certain it was an accident…The fact that he has manslaughter on his record is absolute BS…
What a terrible ordeal this kid has gone through, I hope he has a very long and succesful career with the Isles
agree w/ #20 above - this is why PB is worth checking out 2-3 times a day. would love to see this kid put it all together and become a legit NHLer down the road….can’t ask for anymore than that out of his draft slot and sounds like he’s got as good a chance of anyone down there of becoming a successful pro.
Thank you CB for this! I got ridiculed by a colleague about the Isles moronic decisions (I didn’t disagree totally), but the kicker was his last line about this kid which I knew nothing about.
I wanted someone to give me a better overview from what I was told so I’m glad you provided that.
Definitely sounds genuine and the Castillo family exercize amazing humanity, in a truly rare form of forgiveness, and understanding.
I wish him the best, sounds like he can move forward without all the weight.
Maybe take Thompson’s spot soon?
I hope he can fight thru the adversity and use it as fuel to better himself. He was blessed with an opportunity, hopefully he takes advantage of it.
Great article and interview CB
What a crazy/tough story. Agree with 47 - no question this is a tough situation to deal with. I hope he grows and develops from this.
The Castillo family should be sainted.
WOW! I’m figuratively speechless…
What a terrible tradedy for the Castillo family to endure… and for this kid Cizikas to have to “live” with this burden all of his days.
I guess it shows that people must really like this kid to step up and support him the way they do. Cameron, his agent and of course his own family.
I think it speaks volumes as to the character and virtues of all involved.
Good luck in no matter what you do Casey (NHL or otherwise), you will need it my friend.
DOC
CB - excellent article, and a class job in holding up the post until after the fact. You’re a credit to the blogging community.
CB - Great story !! Its good to hear a clear, intelligent account of what happened. I now think the Islanders made a great pick. Looking forward to see him play for the Isles !
Love this guy already. Good job scouts; great job CB!
Dan C (37): are you serious???? I cannot believe people are talking about “second chances” with this kid. Did he really do anything wrong? Have you guys never played tackle football with your buddies when you were a teenager? I played tackle football with my buddies my whole life. It seems that it was a freak accident, a tragedy. The Castillo family believes that as well. Some of you people need to come back down to earth. A group of kids were playing a rugby game. Nobody forced them to do that, they did it willingly. Accidents happen, could have happened to anyone. Have to feel for Cizikas and especially the Castillo family.
CB-
That was one hell of a story…one of the best ever by far…strong stuff.
Great read, but I’m a bit confused about why CB withheld it for the eight days. He says it was out of respect for the kid and his family, but why would Casey have given an interview in the first place if he didn’t want it published for at least a week?
Snowman, spot on.
You guys are going to be really happy with Casey.
He’s a tenacious gamer in the mold of Kris Draper but with a better finish … oldtime Isles fans will remember Billy Carroll. Again in that dogged, perserving style with an offensive flare.
For the record he didn’t have 1 fight in his underage year and was only in 2 fights last season. In these 2 he just held on to the guy. Casey has NEVER thrown a punch at anyone - as is expected by someone under these circumstances.
Those that say he will be fueled by the Islanders confidence in him are right. This will end up being the steal of the ‘09 draft.
If this can overcome this tragedy, playing hockey will be easier. I hope he makes it and can mentally and emotionally deal with what happened. Sometimes people pass on these type of players because of their situation. This could turn out really good or be a bust. Time will tell.
Did Danny Heatly get charged with anything with his car accident that killed his friend?
Rough scenario for this kid, we’ve all had the incidents where something terrible almost could have happened and sometimes they do unfortunately. At least he he’s handling it with maturity and not leaning on it as an excuse-crutch or crumbling underneath it. It was an accident and personally I’m rooting for this kid to make his way to the NHL.
Best wishes to Castillo family and Cizikas.
CB- my favorite post to date. The stuff you come up with is incredible.
Great story, I think everybody has just about summed it up. Lots of luck to Cizikas, and a lot more luck to CB trying to top this one!
Got to agree with snowman(57) on this one, good post. Ill be rooting for this kid to put the past behind him. Obviously this was an incident he will never forget but hopefully he can get past it and perform well for the Islanders. From a hockey standpoint, he comes with a chip on his shoulder, which should be a good thing. Quotes like “im going to work twice as hard” should be seen as a positive, i think he has some potential, hopefully we’ll see him up with the big club a few years down the road.
This is one of those stories that is so far outside of hockey. I truly hope he can put this accident (as that is what it was) behind him, and become a great person. I am sure he knows more than anyone that hockey is NOT the most important thing in life, and is not even in the top 10. Great read CB, thank you
What an awesome story. Great insight CB. Your still a tool for deleting my posts but it never stops me from consistantly hitting this sight for great info like this. Thanks CB.
@ Snowman (53ish): Yes I think it’s safe to say all of us have played football with our friends as teenagers. How many of us have killed someone as a result? Let’s also not forget Cizikas was tried in court, and found guilty of manslaughter for his role in this tragedy. So some scrutiny is certainly fair here, and it’s beyond reasonable to call this sentence and everything that ever happens to this kid a “second chance”. Some people, who were there, described the tackle that Cizikas did as part of the game and others said it was a deliberate attempt to injure. This entire incident has had plenty of time being “front page” news up north in every major newspaper, whereas some of us here are reading about it for the first time ever on IslandersPointBlank.com. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) The whole thing is sad, but if the Castillos are willing to forgive, and the court found fit to hand down this light sentence, then I feel we must accept that Cizikas deserves his second chance. Cizikas was a kid himself when this happened. Again, it’s all just sad.
I am sure Snow researched this and sought some legal opinions as well. Sounds like a very good value for a 4th round pick. I hope this kid does well, definitely rooting for him now! Nice blog CB…Good work!
Now there is a kid that has faced something I could never wish on anybody … He sure shows spirit and determination. I hope he succeeds!!
Reading this story gave me flash back to a similar incident that was about 22 years ago. A friend of mine had a roommate in college that accidentally elbowed a guy in the head that was tying him up during some rough play in water polo … he knocked a guy unconcious, and since the play moved away from the area nobody noticed the guy face down in the pool and even though he was revived … he didn’t make it… he was playing with concusion symptoms too … my friend’s roommate was emotionally crushed none the less… but had the support of the poor guy’s family to help him endure.
kudo’s to garth as well for giving the kid a chance to live his dream looks good for the islanders and i really hope this kid makes it to the big show …..work hard casey
What an amazing story. It’s incredibly compassionate of the Castillo family to not want to ruin two lives for something that appears to have been an accident.
Casey, welcome to the Islanders, and I hope you realize your dreams.
One of the best interviews (and most poignant) I’ve read on this blog.
Great work, CB!
I think Garth found our toughness.
I live in Canada and have been following this story based on the bits of published info under our media blackout rules. I must say that the COMPLETE reporting under freedom of the press paints a much more favorable picture of Casey than our restricted system design to protect him.
Clearly freedom of the press wins this round.
Wow, this is the first that I have heard anything about this. Like everyone else, I am in awe of the compassion and forgiveness of the Castillo family. I dont know if I could show the strength and conviction that they have.
I just have a few of questions which I dont know if you would have the answers to:
1. Any idea as to why he was not invited to the combine?
2. How much did Dave Cameron recomend Casey to the Isles? And how much does he have the ear of the Isles? Especially Kenny Morrow?
3. Will this incident have any problems with him and his visa?
Quite a bit of propaganda Mr. Botta. But looks like they all eat what you shovel on a regular basis. Imbeciles do that.
Here are some issues
1. Implying that it was during a tackle in the course of the game when the referee clearly testified that the play was long over and the action causing death took place when the ball had already been passed away and a new phase of action had begun.
2. Mentioning the sympathetic comments of the Castillo family but conveniently ignoring that those were right after the incident and at a time when the media was reporting it as a freak accident after a tackle. They have since changed their tune and were firmly behind the prosecution of the offender.
3. Implying that it was self-defence when the judge completely ridiculed that line of defence in his decision.
4. The implication that somehow Castillo was at fault for playing when he supposedly had suffered a serious concussion, a strawman argument that was put to rest long ago.
5. Implying that the conflicting testimony somehow made the vents of that day impossible to judge. The only conflicting testimony came from the defendant and some his friends/teammates. The most objective person there, the ref, agreed completely with the testimony of the Lorne Park coach and players.
Let’s face it, if he wasn’t a hockey player, no sympathy card would have been played and the supposedly mitigating factors would have been ridiculed in the media if they were even addressed at all.
However, Canada’s “boys will be occasional felons” attitude towards violence committed by hockey players, he gets to play the victim, too.
For shame sir.
Definitely sounds like the kind of kid you root for. Could someday be a steal for us. This draft was all about John Tavares, and rightly so, but from selecting Calvin deHaan at 12, and down the line, as well as last year’s draft, we’ll see how good Jankowski and company are. Encouraging. Let’s go Isles!
we shall see…
#73 - Excellent form calling us “imbeciles,” but if this is the case can you point us to sources so we can confirm that for ourselves?
Thanks for filling in the previously murky background here (though Oolf would apparently disagree with your take on things) and a big thanks to St. Mike’s Majors Fan for a first-hand perspective on Casey’s hockey playing abilities.
Terrible situation any way you look at it. The Castillos sound like pretty amazing people. Hopefully they (and Casey) can eventually heal after this.
Sounds like a sleeper!
Nick (76): EXACTLY, Nick. I could not possibly have said it better myself.
I was revieiwing the Isles draft picks, and it seems like the guys Garth picked have alot of upside.
Also, OOLF - I went over and read your blog. Sort of hard to take you seriously when you said this:
Long story short, the player received a year’s probation and 100 hours’ community service. Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act is what is, so one cannot say explicitly who it was. Apparently it was decided that being drafted by a certain NHL team was punishment enough.
And then you entitled your post “Sentenced to the Island.” I think everyone here is for an honest conversation, but I can’t tell if you actually want to do that.
Great job by the scouts and Garth to snag him in the fourth round. This is another low-risk high-reward draft pick just like Petrov.
Another great story CB. I see Newsday has a short story on this as well for Tuesday. This is alot for an 18 year old. If this doesn’t build some serious character with this kid, nothing will. Character and talent, Snowjanks might have been on to something ….
For the record, Nick, I did not write that comment. Whoever “oolf” is, I don’t know. I do know the comment that user is made is similar to one left on my site by an anonymous user. For some reason, he/she opted to link back. That is the honest truth.
Like David Letterman says, we don’t have to go The Hague to defend jokes. I wrote a post pointing users toward CB’s post since I thought people might be interested to read about this player (and most people in Canada were kept from finding out his identity due to the laws Botta referenced in his post).
As for “Sentenced to the Island,” take it for what it is, a throwaway line that was never meant to be taken seriously in the first place. When I want to be taken seriously, I’ll say something serious, but I only wanted to send some eyeballs Botta’s way.
Anyway, I hope this clears up any confusion. Go Isles.
Wow, what a story. Good luck to the kid and hope the Castillo family is doing well.
I think you know I’m as big a fan as any here, and I don’t know whether or not we are allowed to link to outside sources, as demended by Nick (#76), but the story can be Googled pretty easily, linking to several stories in the Toronto Globe and Mail. Just don’t look for it under the player’s name, due to the YCJA. I had no idea until this mornign that the youth in question was the Isles’ fourth round pick. I just knew he had some “legal troubles”
From the decision of the Judge in the case (we don’t have as many jury trials in Canada as in the US, by a long shot), the action involved the picking up and pile driving of the deeased into the ground, well after the play had ended, an action taken out of anger and frustration. I think anyone who’s played contact sports has probably done something like it. However, the action was found to be far outside the rules and far outside the implied consent to bodily contact that comes from participation in contact sports. Think of it like McSorley’s stick on Brashear or Bertuzzi going after Moore - some would argue part of the game, but they’d be wrong.
Canada’s youth criminal justice system is based on the notion of rehabilitation of young offenders. We should be, too. Young people sometimes make bad judgements and mistakes, sometimes serious ones, but it doesn’t mean they are beyond redemption or beyond being useful members of society. This young man sounds like a good persona and a good addition to the Isles family. Good on SnoJanks for recognizing quality and taking/giving a chance.
Welcome to the Isle, Casey.
oolf is obviously a RAGS fan and doesn’t deserve any responses. Ignore him.
I am extremely proud of Casey. As the parent of a competitive athelete, I realize that this horrific accident could have happened to anyone. Knowing Casey and the facts of the tragic game, as my son was on the Rugby team - it has been very distressing reading the one-sided news reports. I believe the Islanders have drafted a wonderful and extremely talented young man.
That’s pretty rough. I hear of the story when it happened but I didn’t realize the Islanders had drafted him.
As others have said who knows how it really went down and what lead up to that horrible incident.
Just hope the kid can pull it together and make the best of that difficult situation.
I can’t imagine how he feels about all that. must be very difficult.
excellent piece cb, thanks
Good luck to Casey, but especially good luck to the Castillo’s. Here’s a link to read Mr. Castillo’s victim impact statement if anybody cares to do so.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/i-have-discovered-over-these-last-two-years-that-time-does-not-heal-all-wounds/article1208337/
Neate Sager (84): Thanks for posting here and streightening things out from your perspective, its appreciated.
but to not do one day in jail , wow, i know guys with manslaughter beefs that do 4 years and its the same situation, they were going to get scholarships and the whole 9, theres favoritism here for sure, something i just dont understand,
i hope he realized he dodged a big one here, especially having the victims family support, thats almost unheard of.
but yeah good luck
Casey should help himself first although it’ll not be easy because of specificity of ice hockey. Sure he’ll do it.