Defenceman Brent Sopel got on his soap box Wednesday and stirred up a storm on Twitter when he blasted Americans intending to vote to re-elect President Barack Obama.
"If you crazies elect Obama again I'm coming back to Chicago and living off the system," Sopel, who now plays for Novokuznetsk Metallurg of the KHL, said via his Twitter account.
Adam Panetta replied: "Seems you already do, Brent. Getting paid over $2 million a year to average eight points a season; hockey equivalent of welfare."
Sopel, who spent parts of 12 seasons in the NHL, then tweeted: That's funny. Didn't know a stay-at-home (defenceman's) job was to score. Might want to let my boss know, coach!"
Countered Panetta: "Sorry, don't speak Russian."
Sopel, a 35-year-old Calgary native, had two goals and six assists in 47 games with Metallurg last season. He has one goal and two assists in 18 games this season.
Other responses to Sopel's tweet:
* "I thought you played defence ... not right wing."
* "If Brent Sopel leaned this much to the right when he was an NHL defenceman forwards wouldn't have blown past him so easily."
* "Brent Sopel will absolutely love Chicago's public housing."
* "Brent Sopel is right to speak his mind on political issues. However, he should know that the more he speaks, the less intelligent he sounds."
* "Somehow, I don't think Brent Sopel has ever learned that maybe he's not actually entitled to his opinion."
