Retirement Ceremony Turns Embarrassing for Komets

It’s always a special moment when a player gets their number retired. The team will usually hold a pre-game ceremony that features such named player being given a framed jersey as well as a banner they will raise to the rafters of the arena.

For one former ECHL player, his special day turned embarrassing when his banner was hung from the wire upside down. Check out the video below:

 

Colin Chaulk was a longtime Fort Wayne Komets player who is currently the head coach of the Brampton Beast, Fort Wayne’s opponent last night. Chaulk spent 10 of his last 11 seasons in Fort Wayne, winning five league championships. He never made it to the NHL but he did play 19 games in the AHL (four games with Adirondack in 1998-99 and 15 with Grand Rapids in 2001-02). He ranks third in the franchises record book with 684 regular season points, second with 102 playoff points and set the club record for most playoff games with 99. After his final season in 2012-13, he finished with combined totals of 217 goals, 569 assists, 786 points and 1,125 penalty minutes.

The embarrassment didn’t go unnoticed as Komets General Manager David Franke was pretty livid when speaking to News-Sentinel newspaper after the game:

“This is the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever been a part of in 27 years with the club,” said General Manager David Franke. “I feel bad for Colin and his family and his friends. It’s uncalled for.”

Even the social media account for the Komets weren’t pleased about the mistake.

The blame for the blunder seemed to fall on the arena’s staff. Staff for the arena didn’t speak to the newspaper but it was noted that the banner was fixed and hung property during the first period.  “Obviously, that was very unfortunate to have the banner upside down,” Michael Franke said. “We have never had that issue in all the years we’ve been doing this. The coliseum has always done a great job in putting those up for us. Somehow, some way, this thing got put up upside down, and I just feel terrible about it, the whole organization feels terrible about it.

Fort Wayne went on to win the game 4-3 in overtime.

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