McGryer refuses WJC

[Fradin99 96]

Early this Monday afternoon, former San Diego Marlins defenseman Fradin McGryer had received his answer regarding the WJC tournament and not in the way he'd imagine. 

The Massachusetts native had ambitions of playing for team USA, never shy about his national pride in social media posts, interviews, and other forms of media. The young defender had found himself posted as making the tournament, but for team Asia. Due to no other roster being released yet, this only could've meant he did not make team USA. McGryer quickly went online to clear up his perspective and his decision to deny going out and taking part in the tournament. "It's obviously incredibly upsetting, you know. Not getting the nod from your home team despite how hard you've worked. There's a lot of good guys and a country as big as we are someone has to be left out and that's how things are. It's just sad, I think, how overlooked players who focus on the physical or defensive aspects of the game are. These temporary GM's in charge of tournaments focus on offensive numbers and the same stats as everyone else. It lacks complete personality and we might as well let robots play for us at this point. And to not even be told by my own country's team, it's disrespectful. I wouldn't count on me ever taking part in, supporting, or even acknowledging this tournament after this point. If I wanted to go watch games entirely built on watching the score sheet get run up, I'd watch my younger siblings play locally. And just to be clear, I do not take this as an issue with the players, they're just doing their thing and performing to their best ability. But the suits at the top? Disgraceful to the heart of the game."

The clearly emotional and passionate defenseman is set to be eligible for both VHL and VHLE draft soon. Scouts and fans alike will still have plenty of hockey to watch the physical player take part in both the ProAm tournament and Junior Showcase Tournament. In the JST Fradin plays top line minutes for the Warriors, a middling team in the tournament. In 22 games Fradin has 17 points to include 5 powerplay goals and 8 powerplay points total. Leading the league once more in penalty minutes at 68 and 61 hits. The emotions run high in this player with 4 fights and a misconduct already in this tournament. Some would call this passion, others would call it liability. Regardless it's clear what you're getting in this player and what he's set himself on being. 


With the rosters for the WJC yet to be released it will be interesting to see how much truth there was to the Massachusetts native's words and who took the spots over him in this tournament. It should also be a note who will be playing for team Asia who is not actually from the area. Will we see a trend in players refusing the be extras cast out by their homes? Or will this be an outlier in an otherwise exciting tournament?

518 words for 6/4/2023

[Will3 455]

Shubham Anand understand his decision and is still saddened by it. He was hoping for a Marlins reunion on team Asia with McGryer and Sjin. But McGryer wanted to play for his country so much so that playing for another team felt wrong. Shubham wishes McGryer the best in whatever he does in the future.

[Triller 1,592]

Going to be odd as Fradin will be forced onto a European team in the VHLE and also may not end up on an American team in the VHL.  Does his refusal to play his brand of hockey, anywhere, limit a GMs ability to count on him to truly believe in whatever team he is drafted to?  It is unfortunate he left the tournament, refusing to play for a team that wanted him vs a team that didn't.  Others are not likely to follow.  Wonder what the reaction would have been had he not been selected at all.

Edited May 30, 2023 by Triller

[Fradin99 96]

19 hours ago, Triller said:

Going to be odd as Fradin will be forced onto a European team in the VHLE and also may not end up on an American team in the VHL.  Does his refusal to play his brand of hockey, anywhere, limit a GMs ability to count on him to truly believe in whatever team he is drafted to?  It is unfortunate he left the tournament, refusing to play for a team that wanted him vs a team that didn't.  Others are not likely to follow.  Wonder what the reaction would have been had he not been selected at all.

 

 

Playing in a league for a specific team isn't quite the same as a tournament meant to represent your country. But I understand your point of view here.