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Setoguchi apologizes for going out with buddies, missing team meeting

Setoguchi Getty

After a short stint in the doghouse, Minnesota winger Devin Setoguchi emerged to make amends with his teammates.

“There’s no excuse,” Setoguchi said after being made a healthy scratch for missing a team meeting. “We have one job, and that’s to come to the rink.

“It’s my fault. I paid for it. Now I’ll try to get back in the trust of the coach and the team. I’ve just got to earn it back with some hard work.”

Setoguchi was supposed to be in the lineup Tuesday against his former team, the San Jose Sharks, but something went awry. According to Mike Russo of the Minnesota Star-Tribune, multiple sources said Setoguchi was out with some of his ex-Sharks mates the night before, fueling speculation the mini-reunion caused him to miss Tuesday morning’s team meeting.

“You feel bad all day. You never want it to happen to you,” Setoguchi said. “You’ve got to be accountable, especially when things aren’t going right. It’s unacceptable and inexcusable and thankfully enough, I got bailed out by our team [with a win over San Jose]. It was nice to watch. It was just too bad I couldn’t be out there.”

Many have credited Wild head coach Mike Yeo for making the disciplinary move when he did. It was a bold decision; Minnesota had been struggling offensively and Setoguchi was playing well, recording one assist and nine shots on goal in the previous two contests.

But it seems one of hockey’s favorite buzz terms -- accountability -- trumped all else.