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Michigan student paper clarifies what happened with Kitchener story

2012 NHL Entry Draft - Portraits

PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 22: Jacob Trouba, drafted ninth overall by the Winnipeg Jets, poses for a portrait during Round One of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at Consol Energy Center on June 22, 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

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In case you missed it, University of Michigan student newspaper, the Michigan Daily, had their libel case with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers concerning Winnipeg Jets first-round pick Jacob Trouba settled out of court.

The paper’s reasoning behind the story seeing the light of day, however, is curious.

On July 3, 2012, the Trouba family issued a statement through the University that denied both that the Rangers had made an offer, and that Trouba would not play for Michigan. Because of an editing error that went uncorrected until July 4, the Trouba family’s statement was not published in its entirety, and initially omitted the family’s denial that the Rangers had offered Trouba financial compensation. The Rangers subsequently also vigorously denied that they made such an offer to Trouba.

A student paper with an editing issue? That is highly believable. Let it be an important lesson to the student behind the story in the first place: Cover all the bases or else face the consequences.

If you’re on the more cynical side of things, it reads a solid way of covering one’s own butt to appease the wealthy team trying to slap you with a lawsuit.

While there was no apparent wrong-doing in how they approached Trouba, the Rangers will hope the CHL won’t look at things with them the way they did with the Windsor Spitfires.

For what it’s worth, Trouba will still be attending the University of Michigan this fall.