EVERETT — Less than a month ago, Tyler Maxwell was the toast of Everett. The Everett Silvertips winger had etched himself into the history books, becoming the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer, and he seemed set to spend the rest of his overage season basking in the glow of his accomplishments during four standout seasons in Everett.
Who could have guessed the end was peeking over the horizon?
Maxwell’s Silvertips career came screeching to a halt as he requested a trade and was subsequently sent home, the team revealed Tuesday.
Everett was already having to deal with the aftermath of a difficult nine-game road trip, which saw the Tips drop their last five and twice lose by at least seven goals. Now the Tips must navigate the remainder of the season without their top sniper.
Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said Maxwell was not on board with the Tips’ rebuilding process this season, and that was a source of conflict.
“We thought (Maxwell) could be one of our leaders and help us get to where we want to go in hoping to make the playoffs and developing young guys,” Soetaert said. “He doesn’t want to be a part of that. So we’re not going to keep him around. His actions in the dressing room are not what we want. I think it’s a better situation for the 24 guys in that dressing room. So we’re going to move on and try and accommodate his request.
“He’s been a very good player for us,” Soetaert added. “But there’s a program here we want people to follow that started last year and hasn’t changed. We’re making that change, and when a player comes to you with (the trade request), he’s placing himself above the team, and we’re not going to stand for that.”
Maxwell declined to comment about the situation. Other Everett players asked about Maxwell also declined to comment.
Maxwell is one of the top players in Everett’s nine-year history. The 20-year-old winger, a native of Manhattan Beach, Calif., first arrived in Everett in 2008 and made an immediate impact on a line that included fellow 17-year-old rookies Byron Froese and Kellan Tochkin. In 216 games over three-plus seasons Maxwell compiled 107 goals. He set the new franchise record, surpassing the 100 scored by Shane Harper, when he scored twice in a 6-3 home victory over Tri-City on Oct. 16.
This season Maxwell was leading the team in goals with 11 in 19 games, and he scored in each of Everett’s past three games.
“It’s disappointing,” was Everett coach Mark Ferner’s reaction. “He’s a good player, no question about it. It’s just an unfortunate thing. We have good young kids here, and if he doesn’t want to be here we understand that. We don’t want guys who don’t want to be here. But we wish him all the luck, I know he’s done great things for this organization.”
Everett announced before the season began that this season would be a rebuilding one, with Soetaert constructing the second-youngest roster in the league. Everett has struggled as a result, going 4-13-0-3 in its first 20 games, and the Tips had a rough time during their recently-completed road trip that saw Everett on the wrong side of some lopsided results. Soetaert suggested that could be the source of Maxwell’s trade request.
“I can’t answer what it is he wants,” Soetaert said. “He wants to play on a winning team? Well, we all do. This is where we’re at and this is what we’re doing. Either you buy in or you don’t buy in. The rest of the guys in the dressing room bought in. We’ve had a tough time, but we’re going to get better and we’re building this thing. We’ll keep moving forward without him.”
Soetaert said he had no timetable for making a deal. He said the situation was complicated by the fact that every team in the league except Victoria now has its full complement of three overagers. The trade deadline is Jan. 10.
Slap shots
The Tips returned to Everett with winger Carson Samoridny in tow. The 17-year-old, who was one of the final cuts during training camp, joined the team as it traveled through Alberta to help fill in while the flu bug ravaged the team. Samoridny impressed enough that Soetaert said he expects Samoridny to stay with the team for the remainder of the season. … Everett’s two injured players who were not with the team during the road trip, defenseman Ryan Murray (sprained ankle) and center Manraj Hayer (broken fibula), hove both shed their crutches and protective boots. There is still no set timetable for either player’s return. Also, center Ryan Harrison practiced Tuesday after sitting out Sunday’s game in Spokane because of minor injuries.
Check out Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at NickHPatterson.
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