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Sidney Crosby's agent rips Senators' owner for 'negative comment' on client

OTTAWA, ON - MARCH 23: Pittsburgh Penguins Center Sidney Crosby (87) gets ready for the puck drop during the third period in a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators on March 23, 2017, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, On. (Photo by Jason Kopinski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Penguins Center Sidney Crosby gets ready for the puck drop during the third period in a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators on March 23, 2017, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, On. (Getty Images)

Sidney Crosby’s agent Pat Brisson ripped earlier comments by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk about Crosby that called the Pittsburgh Penguins captain a “whiner.”

On Friday, Melnyk went off on Crosby’s slash that turned Marc Methot’s finger into a bloody mess in their Thursday game, saying that Crosby deserved a long suspension for the play.

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Brisson fired back, saying that Melnyk should be disciplined for his words.

“In my opinion, a team owner who makes a negative comment about a player outside of his organization should be fined for such action,” Brisson said according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. “It’s worse than tampering and against the culture of our game.”

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Crosby has yet to speak to the media about Melnyk’s comments. The Penguins play at home against the New York Islanders on Friday and the team did not hold player availability in the morning because the game is the second part of a back-to-back.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan spoke with reporters before Friday’s game and defended his player.

“When I watch what Sid goes through on a nightly basis, what he plays through on a nightly basis, what teams try to do to defend against him and the tactics that they take … and he doesn’t get deterred, doesn’t say anything, he just plays, and he plays through the process … When I hear comments like that, my experience of being around Sid for the time that I’ve been here is just the opposite,” Sullivan said of the “whiner” description of Crosby.

“I don’t think it was intentional,” added Sullivan of the slash. “He’s trying to slash on the stick. It happens numerous times in the game. It was unfortunate that he caught his hand. That’s how I saw it.”

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After the game at Ottawa, Crosby pointed out that he’s often on the receiving end of the same type of play, but without the same type of consequences. Methot will be out for “an extended period” according to the Ottawa Citizen.

“I’m just trying to get his stick and I think I caught his finger, judging by his reaction and their reaction,” Crosby said. “I’ve gotten those before. They don’t feel good.”

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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