Goalie Shannon Szabados, the first woman to play in the Southern Professional Hockey League, was released by the Peoria Rivermen due to a “cancerous” relationship with a teammate.

Starting goalie Storm Phaneuf, a rookie, and SPHL veteran Szabados were both let go by the Rivermen earlier this week, just two games into the 2016-17 season. At the time, coach Jean-Guy Trudel said “our goaltending wasn’t good enough to compete." Graduated collegians Matt Grogan and Tyler Green were signed to replace them.

Turns out there was more, much more, to the story, according to CBC Sports.

The reason for Szabados’ release was, in fact, due primarily to her relationship with Rivermen defenceman Carl Nielsen and the effect it was having on the team.

“They were always together and it became kind of weird,” Trudel told CBC Sports. “Seeing the players in the locker room, I just saw the situation being heavy on everyone. It was cancerous toward the team. I coach 18 players here so I need to make 18 players happy, not just two.”

Szabados, a two-time Olympic gold medallist with the Canadian women’s team, and Nielsen went to training camp looking for a spot on the roster. Nielsen said he would sign if the Rivermen inked Szabados, whose agent, Russ King, suggested Peoria go for a “package deal” with the two players.

Both were signed but Szabados was let go after the Rivermen were outscored 11-2 in back-to-back season-opening losses to the Huntsville Havoc. Nielsen then walked away from the team, which put him on indefinite suspension.

“It’s the first time I’ve dealt with a package deal and I won’t deal with it again,” Trudel told CBC Sports. “I think it’s wrong for the game of hockey. Maybe I’m old-school but I like to coach players who deserve to be here.

“The last two days of practice have been phenomenal. It feels like a lot of weight has been lifted off everybody’s shoulders. It’s back to being a team.”

Szabados is expected to play for Canada at the Four Nations Cup next week in Finland.