IT WOULD APPEAR THE FINAL CHAPTER IN THE TODD BERTUZZI…STEVE MOORE INCIDENT IS ABOUT TO BE WRITTEN…
FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CANUCKS DAVE NONIS HAS BEEN IN TORONTO ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM TIM DANSON…THE LAWYER WHO REPRESENTS MOORE…
THE CIVIL SUIT FILED BY MOORE NOT ONLY SEEKS DAMAGES FROM BERTUZZI…BUT ALSO NAMES…THE CANUCKS…BRAD MAY…FORMER GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE AND FORMER HEAD COACH MARC CRAWFORD…
MOORE IS DEMANDING $19.5 MILLION DOLLARS…
THE CANUCKS HAVE ALREADY PUT SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND BERTUZZI…
A YEAR AGO THE TEAM ISSUED ITS STATEMENT OF DEFENCE WHICH DENIES…IT WAS NEGLIGENT OR LIABLE FOR THE ACTS…ERRORS OR OMISSIONS OF BERTUZZI…
THE NHL DOES NOT AGREE…
THAT’S WHY THE CANUCKS WERE FINED $250 THOUSAND DOLLARS…
NHL VICE PRESIDENT COLIN CAMPBELL INSISTS THE TEAM COULD HAVE…QUOTE…“DONE MORE TO CONTROL THEIR PLAYERS”…
ACCORDING TO THE CAMPBELL…
THE CANUCKS WERE WARNED BEFORE THE GAME…AND FORMER REFEREE IN CHIEF ANDY VAN HELLEMOND CALLED DURING THE GAME TO MAKE CERTAIN THERE WOULD BE NO TROUBLE…
IN BERTUZZI’S STATEMENT OF DEFENSE…HE DENIES HE RECEIVED ANY WARNINGS…
AT THE TIME BURKE ATTEMPTED TO DEFEND “HIS” POSITION BY STATING THAT THE FINE WAS…IN HIS WORDS…”HORRIBLY UNJUST”…
WHEN YOU ADD IT UP…CLEARLY SOMEBODY IS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH…
THE BATTLE IN THIS TRIAL IS NOT GOING TO BE SO MUCH…BETWEEN BERTUZZI AND MOORE…AS IT IS BETWEEN BERTUZZI…AND BURKE…AND MAY…AND CRAWFORD AND THE CANUCKS…
WHAT COMPLICATES THIS MATTER IS THE FACT THAT…BERTUZZI…BURKE AND MAY NOW ALL WORK FOR THE ANAHEIM DUCKS…
THERE IS LITTLE QUESTION MOORE IS GOING TO WIN THIS CASE…
BERTUZZI HAS ALREADY PLEADED GUILTY TO ASSAULT AND SERVED A YEAR OF PROBATION…
THE ISSUES NOW ARE…
WHO’S REALLY TO BLAME???…AND HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST???
WE WON’T KNOW THOSE ANSWERS FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER SIX MONTHS…
BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR…
SOMEBODY IS ABOUT TO WRITE A SERIOUS CHEQUE…