Quote:
Originally Posted by ComixZone
Ridiculous.
If that's how it's being run, then we're screwed - because it guarantees all but the drunkest veterans will maintain their ice-time simply because they don't have to go through the growing pains a young player does.
Younger players should be given the same amount of leeway - and possibly even more so long as they're showing the desire and work ethic to improve (something that Sven has in fact shown by all accounts).
It's not like we're talking about Mark Recchi (uncanny work ethic, true professional) here either. In most cases, we're talking about Glencross continuing to get ice time while Sven doesn't. Glencross has a notoriously inconsistent work ethic and has been known to pout about being benched (and, he also has shown an ability to respond positively to being benched). Scratching Glencross could actually be viewed as a motivational tool - but with a player as young as Sven, he isn't going to be able to work on his game at the NHL level unless he's allowed to make the odd mistake and learn from it.
So, if Sven was scratched to let him watch the game from above and study it, so be it - that'd make sense.
But to state that it's because he's not playing a full 3 zone game is the reason (as voiced by Hartley), then we have a reason to be upset - because he's unjustly playing favourites.
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I agree it has nothing to do with earning "rope" or "leeway". It has to do with how much you care about developing each individual player.
The Flames, don't give two ####s about developing Glencross. He is what he is, and he will not develop into any better player than he is. Therefore, unless they feel Glencross is mailing it in and poisoning the team culture (maybe he is I don't know) there is no point in benching him. Probably the best course of action for Glencross to find his game is play through it...........but who knows.
Sven on the other hand, the Flames are very concerned with what he will become. They likely hope he's a key player, if not maybe even a franchise player for us down the road. So, if there are even small things he's not doing, and either refuses to do, or doesn't understand how to do, and the Flames coaching staff feels the only way to motivate him to do it is take away ice time, or the only way to make him understand is to have him watch, the you do it.
People need to stop oversimplifying this. It's not as black and white as "coach has one set of rules for veterans and another for rookies". Give you head a shake. It's that coach has a different development plan for every single team member on this team, vets and rookies alike, that requires different things to be worked on and different methods to be used to reach each players goals.
No company, let alone sports team worth it's weight evaluates employees or staff with one treatment path for all, each person needs something different and gets different treatment, good and bad. It's not fricken McD's where the jobs are so simple that its one consistent treatment path for all and one way to succeed and be reward for all, it's far more complex and individualized than that.