JackStraw Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2014/05/29/wellwood-retires-after-career-ending-injury/ Former Windsor Spitfire forward Eric Wellwood gave up his seat on the bench Thursday for a chance to work behind the bench.The 24-year-old Wellwood, who suffered a career-ending injury in an American Hockey League playoff game less than 14 months ago, retired from playing Thursday and took a job as the assistant coach of the Oshawa Generals under head coach D.J. Smith, who is a former Spitfire player and coach. A shame. I thought he could be the kind of bottom 6 player a team needs. Best of luck to him in his new career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishjim Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 shame that kid had a lot of talent..thanks for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanflyer Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 A shame. I thought he could be the kind of bottom 6 player a team needs. Best of luck to him in his new career. Freak accident and bummer. Nice to see he is able to land on his feet (no pun intended) and remain in Hockey. The article also states the Flyers first offered him a job in Player Development and Asst Coaching position of Phantoms, but the job was not behind the bench and that is where Wellwood wants to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 That sucks when you're that young, but at least he stays in the game. jammers gonna be pissed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I tried to post up an old article from Jan of where Wellwood volunteered behind the bench. That link is however broken now. The job he was offered before was a video coach for the Phantoms, but Wellwood decided he would rather continue to volunteer behind the bench. Great for him to get a full time position moving forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doom88 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 That sucks when you're that young, but at least he stays in the game. jammers gonna be pissed.Yeah, agree with every word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 It's a very sad ending to a pro career that never really took off. I feel like I was robbed of 10 years of memories. I know most never thought as highly of Eric than I did.....but this guy, he would have been in Flyer folklore. We only got to see glimpses of the amazing work ethic, and never really got to see him star on the pk, his forte in Windsor. Most will laugh, but I think he would have become one of the all time best Flyer pk guys.....which is saying a lot, cause we have had some gems in that dept over the years. The memories he gave me during our back to back Memorial Cups...they will be with me till the day I die. Never seen anyone lay it all out on ice every shift, every game like he did. He never got comfortable enough to show what could really do in the pros. He would have never been a star, but he would have been a fan favourite. Robbed I tell ya....robbed. At least he is staying in the game he loves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 A 3 minute video of his time with the Spitfires, I have to admit, got a little teary eyed watching this. This kid was born to play hockey, it must be just crushing to see his chance slip away like this. As you can see from the video, Eric had some nice hands in close, we would have started seeing goals like this in the pros. He finished with 5 goals and 5 assists in 27 career games. Not bad, considering he had very limited ice time and was just getting his feet wet. Some of these goals are just pure instinct and his God given wheels putting him in the right place at the right time....that's why I suspect we would have been seeing some of this type of stuff eventually. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9udX17PuLEE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackStraw Posted May 30, 2014 Author Share Posted May 30, 2014 @jammer2 - like you said, I never expected him to be a star but he could have been a valuable player for the Flyers. On the positive side, if coaching is something he really wants to do then it's nice to see him get an early start. Best of luck to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojo1917 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I am proud of the Flyers for the way they treated him. I'm not sure how many other organizations would have hung in there with him with the AHL contract during rehab...and then offered a position in the organization when his rehab didn't work out. I think that was classy. Hopefully he feels the same we fans will benefit from his astute hockey mind one day. I wish him well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyercanuck Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 @mojo1917 One thing about the Flyers org....they are generally loyal to a fault! I guess that's good and bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 (edited) Very sad to hear i wish him well in his next venture in life. Edited May 30, 2014 by OccamsRazor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyClarkeFan16 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I feel for Wellwood, but good for him at the same time. Yeah, it sucks that his career came to an end as a result of a freak injury, but good for him to know that his career wasn't going to get back on track. There's nothing worse than seeing someone continually try and try and try to make things work when they know deep down it isn't. Wellwood obviously knew that his pro career was over, so it was time to move in another direction. Kudos to the Flyers for looking after him and for offering him a position in the organization. Not many organizations do things like that. That's 100% class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanflyer Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 One thing about the Flyers org....they are generally loyal to a fault! I guess that's good and bad. In this instance, I would say its good. What his coach says about him re: his volunteer work with the spits, is that he was extremely astute and fit right in (knowing the system did not hurt either). Good on him and hope he has a long career in hockey. A bad story hopefully turned good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 @OccamsRazor I remember that, it was Welly's first career NHL goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 (edited) @OccamsRazor I remember that, it was Welly's first career NHL goal. Yes it was.... Maybe in the not to distant future he'll be behind the bench for the Flyers strangers things have happened... Edited May 31, 2014 by OccamsRazor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 @OccamsRazor His best goal by far was the breakaway where he just blew by the d-man like he was standing still and pulled a nifty move to flip it in. Really bummed I will not get to see more of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 @OccamsRazor His best goal by far was the breakaway where he just blew by the d-man like he was standing still and pulled a nifty move to flip it in. Really bummed I will not get to see more of that. Yes kid was wicked fast one thing you can't teach is speed. Fastest guy in orange in black since i can't remember who. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orangecat Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Too bad... Much like many others, I really enjoyed watching him play. The kid had wheels. Wish him well in his new venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakinFlyersFan Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Speedy guy just like his brother Kyle...too bad that injuries shorten guys careers...Wellwood and Bourdon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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