COACH Sylvain Cloutier has told his Hull Stingrays players to "focus on the task ahead" and not get bogged down in the Matt Suderman rumpus.
The club's unhappy captain quit last week, with a departing side-swipe at fans' criticism and Elite League officiating, and went home to Canada, apparently to ponder his future.
However, just two days after leaving Britain, Central Hockey League Brampton Beast announced the 30-year-old defenceman's capture.
Reacting to the Beast's press release, furious Stingrays issued their own statement, insisting they were "surprised to say the least" Suderman had already joined another club.
"I'm just moving on from it, I don't really want to talk about it any more," said a diplomatic Cloutier.
"What has happened has happened, Matt was obviously not happy here.
"He's not the first player in this country to leave a club mid-season, I just want to move on and focus on the task ahead."
That task includes visits to Fife and Edinburgh this weekend.
The Rapid Solicitors Stingrays will have guest import Pavel Gomenyuk in the line-up, after gaining clearance to ice the Ukrainian-born defenceman.
Cloutier is keen to ensure Suderman's departure does not overshadow the team's positive performances in recent weeks.
He added: "Last weekend we played a solid defensive game against Sheffield and then we beat Braehead – the second-placed team – for the third time this season and that was pretty good, but nobody's been talking about that.
"I've told the guys they need to focus on this weekend and get on with it.
"We've got Pasha icing for us this weekend, so we've added another guy back there, and we should have our new import in next week.
"We've got to look ahead not back."
