Colorado Mammoth Message Board

[color=indigo][/color]I was very sad to learn Ben will be leaving us! I know it's a business for you, but I'm wondering if all the trading affects the management as much as it does the fans.

Thank you for the question.

Allowing Ben Prepchuk to go home and play for his home town team has been discussed since the Rush came into the league a couple of years ago. Ben expressed an interest right away in playing at home, I told him specifically that I would do everything in my power to get him there as long as it was the right move for the franchise.

Paul Day and I tried many times to make the move happen and I always reluctant to accept the offers made. I have always felt that Ben's value was in excess of any of the offers that made it to the table.

After we won the 2006 championship I gave Ben the opportunity to go home once again, he told me that he was happy in Colorado and wanted the opportunity to try and repeat with a team that he felt very close to.

After the 2007 season ended I once again spoke with Ben and mentioned that Paul Day and I had spoken about a possible move. He was dissappointed in leaving the Mammoth but excited about playing at home. His sentiments were very mixed but ultimately we decided that it would work for all of us.

Paul Day's offer was to move us Jason Wulder, an excellent right handed finisher that has had a tremendous career in this league and will be a welcome addition to our power play. He also offered us the opportunity to protect Wulder on his roster as well as protecting Prepchuk. This gave the Mammoth an opportunity to protect another player on our list.

I will miss Ben, as he and I had a very special relationship. I admired him greatly as a player and a person and gave him my word that I would get him home eventually. When the opportunity arose to acquire Jason Wulder in the process, I saw this as the best of a challenging situation.

I wish Ben the very best in his future career and will always remain a big fan of him. I look forward to seeing Jay Wu in a Mammoth uniform and lighting it up on our power player for a few years to come.

Hope this answers the question.

SG

hey, SG
i think i speak for everyone on the forum whan i say this.
the next time that you talk to ben could you wish him luck from all of the mammoth fans.
and also tell him that we will miss him.
thanks.