End of the ECHL Era for the Ontario Reign -- Derek Couture

There's always a little bit of information left over when you put together season ending stories. Here's some of the quotes that didn't make the paper in our Reign finale and the conversation with Justin Kemp.

The biggest thing that didn't make the final cut was information about Derek Couture. The Reign captain told me before the playoffs started that he was unsure about his future in hockey. Nothing's changed.

"I don’t know. I mean, this game is crazy, like I’ve said before. You know, you can tell yourself you’re prepared to walk away from it, but when it comes down to it, maybe you’re not ready and you’ll play this game until someone says ‘Hey, it’s time to hang ‘em up.’ "

He missed the Reign's final game due to a suspension incurred in a Game 6 altercation. He received a match penalty for his actions.

"To me, it was a fight. It was a hockey fight. And, maybe the league or the ref didn’t think it was a fight. But whenever you’re engaged one on one with a guy, he knew he was in a fight. Whether you want to fight back or not, it’s up to him."

And not being able to play in the deciding game was painful for the veteran.

"You don’t even know. There was a lot that was going through my mind at the time. One, you never want to watch the game. But two, I was a little disappointed and I don’t know. It kind of felt like I was letting the team down by getting suspended there. But it’s hockey, man. Things happen. Emotions are running high, especially in the playoffs."

Coach Jason Christie had nothing but praise for the work his captain has done over the past four years. 

"He’s what you want to build your team around – a real pro. He’s been great. When we first came in here, Harpo (former assistant coach Mark Hardy) and I, there was a lot on his shoulders being the captain and setting what we want to build around. Hey, I have nothing but the utmost respect for how hard he played, what he brought to the organization, but him as a person."

It was a sentiment echoed by Justin Kemp.

"There’s no question. He was a true professional from day one. He kept the bar high. He is really one of those who practices what he preaches. He’s just a class act. He’s always a class act for this organization. You can see the difference when he’s in the lineup versus not. And I don’t think there’s any greater example of that then that Game 7 the other night when he was suspended. In fact that could have been the difference maker having him in that lineup. He’s actually been a cornerstone for this organization the last four years. He’s exactly the type of player that we like having represent us."

Christie, like his captain, is unsure about the future for the right winger.

"The thing about him, he only knows how to play one way, and is the age catching up to him? I don’t know. He has to play one way, that’s the only way he knows how to play. Unfortunately,it’s time right now, where he has to decide and it’s a tough. I feel for him, because it’s a tough thing to go through. I’ve been through as an ex-player, and when is when? He’s a first class person that I have nothing but obviously great things to whatever he does."