“Last year wasn’t a great year for me all the way around in my career – I didn’t know if I wanted to play anymore,” said McGrattan, who knows the end is near for fighting in hockey.
“When Gabe was born I didn’t think about hockey the first three months. After that I sat down with Michelle and said, ‘I think I want to play. I didn’t play 14 years to have a year like this and go out like that.’
“I didn’t know where but I said I wanted to see where I could play and have fun. From the way I was treated at the rink every day and not playing, everything was so bad I said I want to go to Europe or the AHL and sure enough Anaheim was the first team to call.”
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None of that is to suggest he has any hard feelings towards the Flames or its management.
“Not at all – that’s life,” insisted the man teammates affectionately called Big Ern.
“I’ll be a Flame and a Flames fan for life. We’re really grateful for my time there. It was a very important part of our lives. We have so many friends there and we will continue to call it home every summer.”
Despite being a fan-favourite McGrattan couldn’t possibly have felt like part of the team in Calgary his final year.
It was sad to see Brian go but I'm glad he's enjoying his time in California, good to see him take a positive spin on being in the AHL.
From the way I was treated at the rink every day and not playing, everything was so bad I said I want to go to Europe or the AHL and sure enough Anaheim was the first team to call.
I like to think that Monahan is the great player he is today due to a lot of positive influence from McGrattan. Happy to hear he is enjoying himself. It's unfortunate that he felt so outcast towards the end of his time with the Flames but that's going to happen when you don't fit in the lineup and everyone knows it
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Not your job. If the discussion goes that way so be it.
As a fan of the Flames organization I think my only 'job' is to support the team and current/former players who call Calgary home.
It's disrespectful to try and shame a player for being great at his job just because some 'fans' have a problem with fighting (and for some reason still choose to follow Hockey).
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Who's shaming him? And the only reason the anti-fighting stuff is being talked about now is because you brought it up.
Check every thread involving Big Ern. Every single one of those threads devolves into an anti-fighting discussion. I'm attempting to snuff it out before it starts.
Okay, so you don't want posters to talk about it, so you brought it up just in case?
If the thread goes sideways report it and we'll look at it. I don't think it's a good idea to tell posters here that they can't talk about something just because you don't like it.
Check every thread involving Big Ern. Every single one of those threads devolves into an anti-fighting discussion. I'm attempting to snuff it out before it starts.
And through trying to have that discussion posters are trying to snuff out brain injuries before they start. Supporting current and future players of the team and sport that you love should involve protecting them whenever possible from having their brains jumbled because of unnecessary injuries related to fighting.
I get it, McGrattan is an inspirational story through overcoming his demons and is from all accounts a stand-up guy, that's great. That being said, the main discussion regarding a former enforcer who is currently playing for a different organization in a different league is always going to focus on his role in the sport. Frankly, if you ignore it and instead choose to put your head in the sand you aren't doing anyone any favours.
Edit: I also don't think that a majority of people would miss fighting.
It does kind of sting to hear that last year was so bad for him. Seemed like a great guy and well liked by his teammates. Too bad he left on a sour note.
I was trying to be proactive, but it's no use and I don't feel like having this discussion again. It's just like how every GDT these days is an argument about the same damn thing.
Taking a break from CP. Don't have the patience for this crap anymore.
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Could be as simple as 2013-14 being the first (and only) season that he got to be a regular playing every night, and then the big shift happened and he became the extra, sitting every night.
I was trying to be proactive, but it's no use and I don't feel like having this discussion again. It's just like how every GDT these days is an argument about the same damn thing.
Taking a break from CP. Don't have the patience for this crap anymore.
Bye now.
__________________
I hate just about everyone and just about everything.
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I was trying to be proactive, but it's no use and I don't feel like having this discussion again. It's just like how every GDT these days is an argument about the same damn thing.
Taking a break from CP. Don't have the patience for this crap anymore.
I was trying to be proactive, but it's no use and I don't feel like having this discussion again. It's just like how every GDT these days is an argument about the same damn thing.
Taking a break from CP. Don't have the patience for this crap anymore.
I wonder if it was answered earlier in the article or if it's something else.
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It’s a radical departure from the mindset he had a year ago when the Flames sent him packing and hockey was the last thing he cared about.
“I played almost ten years in the NHL and if I never play another game there I’m not going to lose any sleep,” said McGrattan from his coastline home.
“I want to enjoy whatever time I have left. A lot of times in the NHL it’s not an enjoyable job. You’re not in the lineup two or three weeks, you get bag-skated and coaches walk by and don’t even look at you. Often you’d go in and see if your equipment is in your stall.
“Those are some of the parts I don’t miss. This year I played in the minors the whole year and I can’t remember having this much fun. It has definitely put a little spark under me, and given me new life.”
I was also surprised to read that Eakins coaches the Gulls. Also great to hear he wears an A on the Gulls team.
Big Ern smilin’ in San Diego
