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Former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Shane O’Brien poked fun at a years-old controversy involving Canucks management and head coach Alain Vigneault in a tweet posted early on Friday morning.
O’Brien, 40, says he got in “some hot water” with then-Canucks general manager Mike Gillis over comments he made in the media about his lack of playing time during the 2008-09 season.
The longtime NHL rearguard retweeted a 15-year-old Global News story posted to Twitter on Monday that wryly described him as a “disgruntled employee” in the midst of his feud with Vigneault that resulted in him being made a healthy scratch.
“I’m not going to lie to you guys, I’m not going to sit here and say all the right things and that I’m just happy to be part of the team,” O’Brien said at the time. “I want to play, I want to improve as a player, I want to stay in the league as long as I can, and you can’t do that from the press box.”
“I’m happy he’s not happy, and hopefully the next time he gets in the lineup, he’ll play well for us,” Vigneault responded in a media availability of his own.
Was I in some hot water with the GM when this baby aired. No such thing as bad press eh @sportsnetmurph https://t.co/1nwGuAphsg
— Shane O'Brien (@ShaneOBrien55) August 2, 2024
O’Brien spent two seasons with the Canucks after being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning alongside Michel Ouellet in exchange for Lukas Krajicek and Juraj Simek shortly after the end of training camp in 2008.
The 6’3″ left-handed defenceman helped the Canucks reach the postseason in 2009 and 2010 before being traded to the Nashville Predators in a deal that saw Jonas Andersson and Ryan Parent come to Vancouver.
O’Brien noted in his interview with Global back in 2008-09 that his conversation with Vigneault after the healthy scratch focused on the coach’s desire that he fight more often.
“He just questioned my physical play and why I hadn’t been in a fight for over a month and stuff like that,” O’Brien said. “To be honest with you, and to be honest with him, I just said I wasn’t really focused on that, I was just trying to be a player, and if someone came in my way or took liberties with my teammates, like I’ve done my whole career I’m gonna get in there.
“Fighting is a thing that, it’s not fun. I didn’t grow up and say, I want to get into the NHL so I can fight every night, I grew up so I could play. When management says fighting’s the reason you’re here, then you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror … maybe it’s not the situation you thought it was.”
A ninth-round pick of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim back in 2003, O’Brien made his NHL debut with the Ducks in 2006 and ultimately appeared in 537 career games with Anaheim, Tampa Bay, Vancouver, Nashville, Colorado, Calgary, and Florida before retiring in 2018. He also skated in 40 playoff contests with the Lightning, Canucks, and Predators.
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