Terry Trafford Missing (Update: RIP)

[Overeasy]

@MarkSeidel:

"Shut the **** up you fraud & ambulance chaser! RT @OHLinsiders I'm working to get any confirmation I can on Terry's status. #PrayForTerry"

Very unfortunate that the information being spread by the twitter is slanderous and non factual. This guy needs to be made accountable for spreading these accounts of what he thinks is happening.
It's a time for healing and not causing more harm.

 

[CharlieGirl]

Unfortunately, it's not the first time one of the "insider" twitter accounts has posted something vile, disgraceful, or just plain dead wrong.

 

[Overeasy]

As I posted on the Sag blog.

Every team in the OHL has it's skeletons that they keep in the closet. Let's not place blame on others at this time. It is a difficult time for everyone in the Saginaw family, friends, teammates and fans. Not to mention how devastating it is for the family.
The rumours being spread only contribute to the grief. I am sure there is enough guilt and anger being shared by everyone. It will not change the outcome. The end result is a loss of someone's child, teammate and friend. Allow the team to grieve and heal in their own way.

 

[Snow Dog]

So it's their fault he had "troubles," "needed mentoring" at 20, and ended up taking his own life (presumably)? There's certainly fault to be had, but I fail to see how it's necessarily theirs at this point. Way to be the first to cast the blame, though.

The team has had control of the kid's whole life since he was 15 or 16 in every facet not just hockey.Yet they bare no responsibility for his actions.Give your head a shake.

 

[richardn]

So it's their fault he had "troubles," "needed mentoring" at 20, and ended up taking his own life (presumably)? There's certainly fault to be had, but I fail to see how it's necessarily theirs at this point. Way to be the first to cast the blame, though.

The team is responsible for disclosing to the league of violations of any substance abuse going on. They failed to do so and felt they could handle the situation internally. There is a reason why they have to disclose this info to the league reason being there is actions the league makes to help these kids get the help they need to fix these problems. So yes Saginaw is more then a little repsonsible here and broke league protocol which resulted in the death of one of there players.

Further more they also lied in a statement to the public claiming he wasn't kicked off the team when he really was and this in my opinion is obstruction of justice during an on going investigation for a missing person.

 

[JL17]

Did I read an article right that upper management billeted Trafford???

 

[massey]

I was in a similar position as Terry with an individual but not a hockey player.I made the best decisions I thought at the time and had a similar outcome.WHY.Because I thought we could handle it without going to the professionals and keeping it low profile.The fix only lasted a short time.Terry and the Spirit organization like myself has to live with our decisions for the rest of our lives.Dont think for a moment that if I could relive the situation I would but can't and I am sure the Spirit organization would agree.Its easy for people like you and others who may not have ever been in this situation to throw stones.Please,I am reliving it as I have been following the story.Sleepless nights started again.Hopefully lessons can be learned here by everybody.My thoughts and prayers goes to the family,friends,fans and the Spirit organization.

 

[OHLTG]

Did I read an article right that upper management billeted Trafford???

I believe the team president had Trafford at his house, yes.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

The team has had control of the kid's whole life since he was 15 or 16 in every facet not just hockey.Yet they bare no responsibility for his actions.Give your head a shake.

Bingo..we have a winner.

Further more they also lied in a statement to the public claiming he wasn't kicked off the team when he really was and this in my opinion is obstruction of justice during an on going investigation for a missing person.

and another one.

If anyone wants to get a true sense of how the OHL community feels personally about this situation...talk to a parent of a current or former OHL player. You'll find out real quick who they feel is at fault here. Some are beyond livid.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Bingo..we have a winner.

and another one.

If anyone wants to get a true sense of how the OHL community feels personally about this situation...talk to a parent of a current or former OHL player. You'll find out real quick who they feel is at fault here. Some are beyond livid.

I have a lot of sympathy for all involved in the Trafford family, his current teammates/past teammates, as well as fans. I can't gather up as much sympathy for those in the Spirit organization who had a stake in Trafford's future who are hiding behind a veil of secrecy and using this team to get their story straight and stop their back pedalling. This is a problem the OHL and CHL will have to face head on but to begin there isn't a way in hades I would send my son to play his hockey in Saginaw because once problems arise there instead of educating and nurturing they want to throw the baby out with the bath water try and absolve themselves of responsibility.

 

[PhlyerPhanatic31]

I have a lot of sympathy for all involved in the Trafford family, his current teammates/past teammates, as well as fans. I can't gather up as much sympathy for those in the Spirit organization who had a stake in Trafford's future who are hiding behind a veil of secrecy and using this team to get their story straight and stop their back pedalling. This is a problem the OHL and CHL will have to face head on but to begin there isn't a way in hades I would send my son to play his hockey in Saginaw because once problems arise there instead of educating and nurturing they want to throw the baby out with the bath water try and absolve themselves of responsibility.

How they(Saginaw) handled the entire situation disgusts me. Word gets around the OHL family very quickly. Parents of current players are appalled. I wouldn't send my enemy's kid to Saginaw to play.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

How they(Saginaw) handled the entire situation disgusts me. Word gets around the OHL family very quickly. Parents of current players are appalled. I wouldn't send my enemy's kid to Saginaw to play.

We agree?

All this stuff as well about "The Spirit didn't know he suffered from depression." That's a fair comment but dig deeper, there's a reason they didn't know it for the same reasons why athletes won't come out of the closet and admit they're gay. If Trafford going into his draft or at any time through out his OHL career admitted to depression he would be shunned by the organization and probably effect his draft status. Junior hockey in general is still a meat market and players have nothing to gain by divulging certain information. There has to be many players on the Spirit that cannot wait for this season to end.

 

[Rosalie]

RIP, Terry. My condolences to his family, his friends and the organization of the Saginaw Spirit.

 

[Whalers Fan]

An article in today's Detroit Free Press provides more details on Terry's last few days.

 

[WhalerBlue]

An article in today's Detroit Free Press provides more details on Terry's last few days.

A real good article that will clear up a lot of speculation.

 

[massey]

I sure hope a bunch more people read this article.Hopefully people will learn not to be so quick to judge.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

I sure hope a bunch more people read this article.Hopefully people will learn not to be so quick to judge.

Very few questions were answered in that article. It was a decent article but certainly not hard hitting.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Very few questions were answered in that article. It was a decent article but certainly not hard hitting.

I agree, previous posters seem to think this article absolves Saginaw of any wrongdoing in the incident. I got a different impression from the quotes of Saginaw personnel than others did.

 

[rolf smitty]

I agree, previous posters seem to think this article absolves Saginaw of any wrongdoing in the incident. I got a different impression from the quotes of Saginaw personnel than others did.

What "wrongs" do you think Saginaw management are guilty of?

 

[RayzorIsDull]

What "wrongs" do you think Saginaw management are guilty of?

I am just surprised there was nothing in the article about when the Spirit notified the authorities of somebody missing, he went missing on Monday and nothing really went public until late Saturday evening/Sunday. Trafford's father assumes it happened very quickly like on the Monday but nobody knows that yet. Members of the organization have been trying to pass the buck. First it was Gilbert who said he never wanted him kicked off the team decision came from higher up, the GM never really said it was his decision, not a word from Goslin. It won't change anything but the biggest wrong was telling Trafford over the phone he was kicked off the team instead of setting up a meeting for when he came back.

 

[Ward Cornell]

but the biggest wrong was telling Trafford over the phone he was kicked off the team instead of setting up a meeting for when he came back.

That is the issue for me.
Regardless of the persons age or position in employment, txting to let someone know that they are 'fired' is unacceptable. Bare bones acceptable is at least a conversation (due to in this situation the distance involved) via phone call to one of Terrys parents.

 

[Arsenault]

That is the issue for me.
Regardless of the persons age or position in employment, txting to let someone know that they are 'fired' is unacceptable. Bare bones acceptable is at least a conversation (due to in this situation the distance involved) via phone call to one of Terrys parents.

Could everyone please let this issue rest instead of making up fabrications or turning into "Monday Morning Quarterbacks". I am sure things were learn from everyone from these dramatic events, from friends, to parents, to teammates, to team management, to OHL/CHL and even from people totally disconnected from this event! I am also confident that these people that are relevant to the situation will ensure some positive comes out of this, to ensure this young boys life will be remembered for a long time. Never met young Terry Trafford but being a father of young athletes he certainly has had an impact on my perspective on how much pressure we place on these young boys and girls, and often forget that many of them grow straight from kids to men/women enjoying a very short stint of adolescence. RIP Terry...

 

[Ward Cornell]

Could everyone please let this issue rest instead of making up fabrications or turning into "Monday Morning Quarterbacks". I am sure things were learn from everyone from these dramatic events, from friends, to parents, to teammates, to team management, to OHL/CHL and even from people totally disconnected from this event! I am also confident that these people that are relevant to the situation will ensure some positive comes out of this, to ensure this young boys life will be remembered for a long time. Never met young Terry Trafford but being a father of young athletes he certainly has had an impact on my perspective on how much pressure we place on these young boys and girls, and often forget that many of them grow straight from kids to men/women enjoying a very short stint of adolescence. RIP Terry...

Huh...whats made up?

No Monday morning QB's, just using common sense!

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Could everyone please let this issue rest instead of making up fabrications or turning into "Monday Morning Quarterbacks". I am sure things were learn from everyone from these dramatic events, from friends, to parents, to teammates, to team management, to OHL/CHL and even from people totally disconnected from this event! I am also confident that these people that are relevant to the situation will ensure some positive comes out of this, to ensure this young boys life will be remembered for a long time. Never met young Terry Trafford but being a father of young athletes he certainly has had an impact on my perspective on how much pressure we place on these young boys and girls, and often forget that many of them grow straight from kids to men/women enjoying a very short stint of adolescence. RIP Terry...

This is not Monday Morning Quarterback this is looking at an issue and asking questions. Just because an article was written that got some quotes and filled in some things doesn't mean questions were answered or that it means it's a great article. There's absolutely nothing the OHL/CHL can do the life was lost of a player that could have possibly been prevented. It doesn't matter if the OHL/CHL bring in mental health awareness, the life was already lost. The fact a life was lost and the league wants to bring in these measurements means very little now.

 

[Blind Gardien]

Well, I think the OHL is basically either going to be "proactive" on this issue, which essentially involves implementing/promoting additional checks and measures related to monitoring mental health, or at least encouraging/facilitating OHL teams to do so. Or they essentially forget it ever happened and do nothing/allow it to be swept under the carpet, which would be unfortunate, but not exactly surprising from a business perspective. Whatever went on in Saginaw, whether they made mistakes or didn't, I don't think the focus rests there anymore. It's more now about where the OHL goes next.