Seguin On Missing Meeting: It Was A Mistake, Unprofessional
BOSTON (CBS) – As the Boston Bruins tried to extend their hot streak in Winnipeg, forward Tyler Seguin had to watch the game from a place he never wanted to return; up in the stands.
"It's not something I'm personally happy with. I told myself I never wanted to be back up there again and I was tonight to watch the game," said Seguin, who was benched by Coach Claude Julien for missing the team's breakfast and meeting Tuesday morning. "It's not a feeling you want back; hopefully I learn from it."
"It's one of those things you have to do every once in a while as a coach," Julien said of the benching after the Bruins 2-1 loss to the Jets. "He missed a meeting, and obviously it's not just the first time. When it's the first time you give guys a break. It's happened more than a few times, and at one point he has to hold himself responsible and we felt he could have easily done that. Hopefully it's a learning thing."
"Honest mistake," general manager Peter Chiarelli said before the game. "But we have team rules. He has to abide by them."
"It is a mistake; something you can only really learn from and move on," said Seguin. "I know it was a mistake, I know it wasn't professional and it's going to have consequences. It's against team rules and I know I have to pay the consequences."
The Bruins were on back-to-back road games, and Seguin explained after the game it was a simple mistake on his part.
"I did set an alarm and I woke up to it. But it wasn't Winnipeg time, it was Boston time," the second-year forward explained. "I got in late last night and didn't think to change it. It was a mistake and I have to live with it."
The only catch: Winnipeg is an hour behind Boston.
Seguin's teammates had already spoken to the young player before the game, and hope he doesn't make the mistake again.
"I've already talked to him at pregame lunch. He's aware, he's a smart kid. He's only in his second year but he gets it," said forward Shawn Thornton. "We've all been through it, we've all made mistakes. Nobody is immune from it."
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"It's pretty simple. We don't have any exceptions; it doesn't matter who it is," said Captain Zdeno Chara. "We try to treat everyone the same way and it's just unfortunate. He just didn't follow up on the itinerary today and that's what happens."
"It always has been that way and every play in that room knows that and expects those things," said Julien. "If you start not to deal with those issues, it's only going to be worse."
Seguin currently leads the Bruins with 25 points.
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