This is pretty wild stuff. The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe reports that the Toledo Walleye’s ECHL trade deadline acquisition, Jamie Doornbosch, has chosen to retire instead of report to the Walleye:
The Toledo Walleye on Monday suspended recently acquired defenseman Jamie Doornbosch after he opted not to report to the team.
The organization traded for Doornbosch in a deal with Brampton on Thursday in exchange for their leading scorer, Erik Bradford.
But Doornbosch told Walleye officials he has decided to pursue avenues other than hockey and will not be joining the organization.
“I’m disappointed because he [told Brampton officials] that he would report,” Watson said. “I’m glad he chose to quit now rather than getting to Toledo and quitting. We want players who want to be in Toledo. If you don’t want to be here, we don’t want you anyways.”
Bradford, a 23-year-old forward, had tallied a team-high 45 points with 15 goals and 30 assists in 53 games this season. Doornbosch, a 28-year-old defenseman, had appeared in 26 games this season for the Beast posting two goals and 12 assists.
“It was a difficult decision for Jamie,” Watson said. “At this time he felt it was better to start another career than continue playing.”
Watson said he still plans to bring in a high-end defenseman, most likely a recently graduated college player.
Continued, and Mark Monroe reports that the trade hasn’t been invalidated:
Walleye coach Dan Watson:
“I’m disappointed because he [told Brampton officials] that he would report. I’m glad he chose to quit now rather than getting to Toledo and quitting. We want players who want to be in Toledo. If you don’t want to be here, we don’t want you anyways.” https://t.co/Qq1ddDSiUp— Mark Monroe (@MonroeBlade) March 12, 2018
Erik Bradford will remain in Brampton this season. However, Brampton will be required to send a player to be named later to Toledo by June 13. But the Walleye will not likely receive the compensation until the off-season. https://t.co/tyDulXksjb
— Mark Monroe (@MonroeBlade) March 12, 2018
Doornbosch’s decision not to report to the Walleye follows a disturbing trend. Atlanta suspended F Mathieu Aubin after he refused to report after being acquired from Allen. Former Walleye D Justin Agosta was suspended by Worcester after not reporting (traded from Manchester).
— Mark Monroe (@MonroeBlade) March 12, 2018
Reaction to the stunning suspension of newly acquired D Jamie Doornbosch after his refusal to report has been swift and angry. And rightfully so.
Toledo gave up its leading scorer, F Erik Bradford, for essentially nothing. Many angles. My thoughts in tomorrow’s Walleye Weigh-In.— Mark Monroe (@MonroeBlade) March 12, 2018
Got to really love the game to play as a vet in the ECHL. Hope he found a solid career in Bramton.
Would have been nice if he let them know before the trade. Lame move.
It should invalidate the trade.
That’s pretty brutal for the Walleye. Indications are that Doornbosch assured all parties that he’d report to Toledo if the trade was completed. In the end Toledo gives up their top scorer for nothing and remain in need of a defenseman. Additional salt in the wounds, Toledo traded D-man Davis Vandane a couple weeks back as they were short on forwards. As Mark Monroe tweeted, Doornbosch wasn’t the only player in the ECHL that refused to report after being traded. If a player refuses to report the teams should have a window to negotiate a new trade or the original trade should be nullified.
So it wasnt a trade after all, it was a bait and switch robbery. Gotta be a law.
Kind of weird when hockey can ignore things that would send you and I to jail with a fine.