from Rick Westhead of TSN,

Sherry Bassin, a long-time Canadian junior hockey executive, gave one of his former players with the Erie Otters a side deal worth thousands of dollars that was not approved by the Ontario Hockey League.

Details of the payments to former Otters forward Jeremy Gottzmann were included in documents filed in Ontario Superior Court on June 28 and confirmed by Bassin, the Otters’ former owner and general manager who has been involved in all levels of hockey for more than 40 years.

Bassin confirmed that he made the payments to Gottzmann.

“I made a mistake. I want to be public about it,” Bassin said in a phone interview. “It is what it is. I didn’t go through life being 100-per-cent perfect, obviously. ... I honestly believe that these players are looked after pretty well. I mean the conditions and travel … It’s one of the best scholarships. [Gottzmann] obviously got his enhanced a little bit. It’s too bad he wanted to be public and demean me, but I don’t run from stories.”

Gottzmann’s testimony is being used by lawyers for former players as evidence that the 60 Canadian Hockey League teams are for-profit businesses that will go to extremes — even if it means breaking the CHL's rules — to attract the best players, win games and boost profits.

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