The Port Hope Predators have been without General Manager Tim Clayden for almost six months, but soon they'll get him back.

Mr. Clayden was suspended for one year by the OHA in June, when the league upheld a tampering charge filed by the Cobourg Cougars against the Predators. The charge revolved around a series of trades in January that sent disgruntled Cougars' defenseman Tyler Turcotte from the Cougars to the Predators by way of two other teams. The suspended Mr. Clayden launched an appeal almost immediately, one that has proven successful. He will now be eligible to return to his duties November 27.

"The appeal decision was reasonable. I crossed the line regarding the league's right of return rule. In hindsight, we should never have allowed (Mr. Turcotte) on our practice ice before securing his right of return from the Cobourg Cougars," said Mr. Clayden. "The trade process was done properly and within the rules. We misjudged the right of return rule. I like to think that I have learned a valuable lesson and that our own management team in Port Hope has become better for this experience."

OHA Development Coordinator Glenn Crichton told the Northumberland News that, although Clayden is not required to serve the remaining six months of his suspension, he will be on probation for that amount of time.

"If there's any violation whatsoever, he would then have to serve the balance and wouldn't be eligible to be a part of the team," said Mr. Crichton.

Rumours on an Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League fan forum recently speculated that Mr. Clayden wouldn't return to the Predators at all, and instead take a position with the Seguin Bruins, closer to his Parry Sound home.

When asked for comment on those rumours, Mr. Clayden offered, "I'm a Port Hope Predator."

Though he is happy to return, he has not been impressed with what he has seen from his team from the sidelines.

"Frankly, Predator fans, volunteers, our ownership and all our other supporting cast deserve much better results. Sitting on the sidelines and watching our uninspiring efforts to date has been excruciatingly painful. We have good people in place in Port Hope, our team has no excuses, fourth place is unacceptable."

Mr. Clayden lays the blame for the team's performance on the shoulders of his veteran players.

"No coach at this level knows any more about this great game than Brian Drumm," said Mr. Clayden of his head coach. "Unfortunately our older players have not responded to date and are accountable for our disappointing record thus far.

"The honeymoon is coming to an end."