I don't want to bump down the open trade thread too far, but this disturbing trend of Wilkes-Barre players getting into trouble is becoming alarming...Take the jump and see what details we have about the latest incident, involving the Penguins top pro prospect Luca Caputi...
Jonathan Bombulie, a beat writer for the Baby Pens passed on this statement from the team:
"The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have disciplined four players for a violation of team rules. Defenseman Jon D'Aversa and forward Luca Caputi have been assigned to Wheeling of the East Coast Hockey League for the immediate future. Forwards Chris Minard and Aaron Boogaard will sit out tonight's game against the Binghamton Senators. No further comment will be made at this time."
Bombulie also points out this is second big time disciplinary action taken by the team against Caputi:
This is a second strike, as far as I know, for Caputi. Along with Joey Mormina and Danny Richmond, Caputi dressed but did not play Jan. 17 in Albany.
Richmond, today, was traded for fellow minor league defenseman Andy Woznieski. Did this transaction have anything to do with the latest violation of team rules? We may never know.
These guys are all young (well Minard is 27) and it's easy to see how the life of a minor league hockey player might get a little wild and crazy from time to time. "Boys will be boys" and all that good stuff.
But this season is not even the first time the team's been in trouble, need I remind anyone that last year *during the playoffs* team captain Nathan Smith was arrested and charged with being drunk and streaking in a "prank that went wrong".
It's good to see the Penguins organization is definitely cracking down and not afraid to punish young players when they get a little too crazy--Bombulie points out the team sent wildman Daniel Carcillo to Wheeling a couple years ago when he was a well regarded prospect, but at some point it'd be nice if the players could grow up and start acting a little more professional.
This probably won't effect Caputi's long term outlook with the Penguins, if he gets his act together there's no reason he can't take the punishment, learn how to better behave (or perhaps not get caught) and go along his way as the Penguins best forward prospect still with the hopes of playing in the NHL oneday for Pittsburgh full time.