Caputi Sent to ECHL for Breaking Team Rules

Matt Bodenschatz | WBS "Baby" Penguins

Mar 4, 01:28 PM | Hype this story!

According to Jon Bombulie, the Penguins have taken disciplinary action on four minor league players.

He reports that assistant general manager Chuck Fletcher, in charge of the “Baby” Penguins, had the following to say:

“The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have disciplined four players for a violation of team rules. Defenseman Jon D’Aversa and forward Luca Caputi have been assigned to Wheeling of the East Coast Hockey League for the immediate future. Forwards Chris Minard and Aaron Boogaard will sit out tonight’s game against the Binghamton Senators. No further comment will be made at this time.”

Comments

  1. Ben Schmidt

    Mar 4, 02:39 PM

    This is the second time that Caputi has been disciplined for a violation of team rules. It really makes one wonder about the kid. I hope he gets his head screwed on better soon, because he’s got a lot of potential, but if he’s going to be a character problem, it would really make the team have second thoughts about him…

  2. Matt Bodenschatz

    Mar 4, 02:46 PM

    Without a doubt, Ben. This is totally unacceptable, and let’s hope the demotion sends the appropriate message.

  3. Michael Sepulveda

    Mar 4, 06:52 PM

    Great way to stall/possibly ruin your career, kid!

    He’s got potential, but if he’s going to be a detriment to the team off the ice, there’s a good possibility he could be moved in the future. It’s a real pity, as I was very excited when he finally got his shot in the NHL for a few games.

  4. luke

    Mar 4, 11:33 PM

    I was at the game tonight. He looked disinterested but he did slap my hand when he came out for the 3rd period, so i like him.

  5. Matt Bodenschatz

    Mar 5, 10:40 AM

    I had planned to attend the game, but could not due to personal reasons. I hear he finished with a goal, and the local paper had an article on him.

    If he was as disinterested as you say, it’s not a good thing. He needs to take the punishment like a man and show the franchise why he deserves to be returned to the AHL.

  6. Matt Bodenschatz

    Mar 5, 06:50 PM

    Actually, Tom, I just got off the phone with a couple guys who went to the game — the guys I was supposed to go with — and they said he looked like he was ticked off, like he was too good for the ECHL.

    This is the second time he has been punished, and the offense was bad enough that team officials felt it warranted punishment by demotion. That, to me, indicates that he — and all players involved — have some growing up to do.

  7. Matt Bodenschatz

    Mar 5, 10:30 PM

    You break the rules: you pay. You don’t play well: you’re benched. If these professionals have their feelings hurt or are so conceded as to think they are above punishment, I’d rather see them traded. This is a professional sport that is a privilege for these players to be able to play. Nothing should be a given — and that goes for a spot in the lineup or a spot on the roster.

    As I type this, Letang has scored yet another goal. It sure looks like he took that benching as an insult…oh wait…

  8. Ray

    Mar 6, 02:20 PM

    I hope the violation was not getting drunk or some other form of substance abuse. When you consider these young men have a lot of free time on their hands, they can be too easily tempted to occupy that free time with alcohol. Before they realize it, they can fall prey to their inner demons.

    Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.

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