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The Soo Greyhounds organization is denying all allegations laid out in a lawsuit launched by former goaltender Tucker Tynan, who is suing the junior hockey club for $300,000 claiming he was subjected to negligence and racial harassment during his tenure with the team.
In a three-page statement of defence filed in Ontario Superior Court late last month, the team says Tynan’s statement of claim filed earlier this year is “replete with false and inflammatory allegations, the motivations for which the Greyhounds, at this time, can only speculate.”
The organization is now looking to the court to throw out the case — with costs, on an indemnity basis. Tynan appeared in 36 games with the Greyhounds during the 2021-22 OHL season after being acquired from the Niagara IceDogs.
The Vernon Hills, Ill. product alleged that Greyhounds staff and officials mishandled a shoulder injury, insulted him with derogatory slurs, advised him to self-medicate for pain, and pressured him to play through the injury.
The Greyhounds, on the other hand, claim the organization had “imperfect knowledge” of the alleged injury to Tynan’s shoulder and “no or imperfect knowledge” of an alleged torn meniscus in his left knee that was later disclosed by the goaltender in an amended statement of claim.
According to the amended version of the lawsuit, Tynan was told by Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis that “he would need to play, and any missed time could result in the termination” of his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) "school package," a scholarship-based program afforded to all Canadian Hockey League players once they are done playing.
The team countered by claiming that Tynan’s condition was properly assessed, and that no treatment was ever denied to the back-up goalie, contrary to what was alleged in the lawsuit.
“The Greyhounds deny that any OHL scholarship was discussed with the plaintiff in this context or that there was any suggestion that such scholarship (if otherwise entitled) would be or could be terminated by them,” said the statement of defence. “The plaintiff’s allegations are simply false.”
The Greyhounds claim Tynan was active “in other physical pursuits” throughout the 2021-2022 season, and was not impaired by his left knee or right shoulder.
The team also alleges that Tynan’s medical condition, diagnosed after the fact, and subsequent surgery “have no relationship to the Greyhounds.” Instead, the hockey club says his condition relates to “other activities undertaken by the plaintiff, other medical conditions, and/or other events in the context of his play for subsequent teams.”
Allegations of derogatory and racist remarks are also being denied, with the Greyhounds claiming they are “patently false, did not occur, and should be subject to sanction by the court by way of an adverse cost award against the plaintiff.”
The Greyhounds deny the plaintiff has sustained any “injuries, losses or damages as alleged,” and says the damages claimed by Tynan are “grossly exaggerated, remote, unforeseeable and unmitigated.” And if that did happen, according to the Greyhounds’ statement of defence, they were caused by injuries, medical problems or actions of other parties.
The hockey club added that his own actions may have contributed to the alleged injuries, which include failing to “take reasonable precautions” for his own health and safety, and failing to disclose or adequately disclose his medical history or any symptoms.
The statement of defence also notes that Tynan allegedly agreed to return to play for the remainder of the season, and was engaged in “physical sports or other activities, when he knew or ought to have known that his medical condition was compromised and he was susceptible to further injury.”
Tynan now plays in net for the Fayetteville Marksmen of the Southern Professional Hockey League.
A message left by SooToday seeking comment from him was not returned.