P.A. Parenteau says he threw Islanders jerseys in the trash after being cut
As NHL teams finalized their rosters earlier this week, a surprising turn of events found veteran forward P.A. Parenteau in New Jersey and his old Islanders jerseys in the trash.
When Parenteau signed a one-year deal with the Isles in July, it was expected that he would join the team's talented top-six group of forwards, possibly even slotting in to play on the top line alongside John Tavares. After all, Parenteau is coming off a 20-goal season with the Maple Leafs last year.
But after a slow start for the 33-year-old and some surprisingly strong performances for a few youngsters in Isles training camp, Parenteau was waived by the team during the final round of cuts. It was as surprising a move as any during the preseason.
He quickly landed on his feet and didn't have to travel very far to do so, as the New Jersey Devils claimed Parenteau. When he reported to practice the next day, he told the media that it was an overwhelming 48 hours, but he's committing to a swift change of allegiances.
Ouch.
That's pretty harsh, especially considering Parenteau spent two years as a member of the Islanders from 2010-2012, but it's clear that getting waived didn't particularly sit well with him.
You won't often hear an athlete openly admit he's literally trashed a former team's jersey, as there are certainly some who will find it disrespectful to the organization. And in a league where people get all worked up over someone even stepping on a team's logo in the locker room, it's safe to assume that Parenteau's comment -- whether it was a joke or not -- made someone incensed.
Luckily, the Devils and Islanders will meet four times this season and any animosity that carries over will be great for entertainment value.
P-A Parenteau said he needs to buy #NJDevils jerseys for his 2 kids: "I just bought some Long Island jerseys. I threw them in the garbage."
— Sherry Ross (@SherryDarlingNJ) October 12, 2016
