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I have one question for Theo Fleury that he may answer tonight when a one-on-one interview with TSN takes place during the intermission of the Sens-Lightning game.

Why did you hire him as a coach?

The him is Graham James, the man convicted of sexually abusing NHLer Sheldon Kennedy during his time as a junior hockey player, and the person Fleury says in his book abused him as a teenager, turning his whole life upside down. Fleury could have spoken out at the time if he chose to, but he remained silent. It is rather unfortunate he did, but never being a victim of such abuse, I can't imagine the mindset of a victim so I'm not going to point fingers at Fleury for that decision.

But what puzzles me is his choice, while part owner of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen in 1994, that he hired James as their coach.

He was about 25 years old at the time, already a Stanley Cup champion, and a bonafide superstar in the NHL. He made enough money most of us can only dream about.

But did James still have some sort of control over him, even at this stage in his life? Knowing he would be risking the lives of other teenagers, potentially putting them through the same horror he went through as a teen...well, it's just downright bizarre. No matter how depressed or suicidal you may feel, as Fleury was, surely you could at least not risk the health and safety of others, players as young as 16 years old, by adding this piece of garbage to their lives?

I applaud Fleury for coming forward and putting his life back together after all the tragedy, depression and substance abuse in his life. But I think he owes an explanation, especially to those players who may have been victimized while playing for the Hitmen, for that decision made 15 years ago.