The “cattle” continue to be heard.
After being metaphorically referred to as “cattle” by Detroit Red Wings senior VP Jim Devellano in an interview last week with the Island Sports News, NHL players have been responding to the 69-year-old Hockey Hall of Fame executive’s comments (watch above).
During the candid interview, for which the Red Wings were fined by the league, Devellano used Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic as an example of a player who is handsomely paid and therefore should be appreciative.
“Yes, (the owners) are billionaires. Good on them, they deserve it, but they also make their employees millionaires. Not a bad trade off for a guy like Lucic getting what, $6 million a year?” Devellano told Island Sports. “I mean good on him too, but he should be grateful. Understand though that these players want for nothing. . . it’s first class this, first class that, meal allowances, travel money on the road, the whole shebang.”
CSNNE.com spoke with Lucic on Monday morning. The bruising Bruin, who signed a three-year, $18 million extension that ends after 2015-16, didn’t understand why he had been named by Devellano.
“I guess I must be Grade A prime beef. I think we’re pretty good cattle if you’re looking at it that way,” Lucic, 24, told the site with a laugh. “You definitely as a person don’t like to be called ‘cattle.’ You’d think people would treat you better than as just an animal. Obviously he’s got his name on the Cup a lot of times. I’m not going to say anything to disrespect him. But he said what he said and I kind of laughed at it. It is what it is.
“He singled me out and I don’t know where or why he even singled me out. For me from an athlete’s perspective you look at (Devellano) and what he’s done in his hockey career, and respect what he’s done for the game.”