I almost wonder if the Edmonton situation -- them sucking SO HARD -- is affecting what our management is doing. It's pretty clear that Feaster holds up the Oilers as a "what not to do" organization. The Oilers have coddled their prospects and that's one of the many problems up there. So the moment one of our prospects shows a bit of entitlement or perhaps too much interest on one side of the puck to the detriment of the others, he gets benched. And apparently this works for guys who show too much commitment to EITHER of the two sides, since Backlund was benched for not creating offence.
It's difficult as a fan to understand why someone like Backlund is benched for not creating offence when Tim Jackman gets any ice time at all. The only explanation is that it's not simply about who is better right now. Obviously the coaching staff and management feel that these moves will make us a better hockey team in the future, because they simply do not make us a better hockey team for tonight's game.
I'm just not sure I agree. I don't pretend to understand what motivates professional hockey players, nor particular professional hockey players, and I don't understand how to develop one. I just hope that Hartley and management do. And the jury's out on that, in my opinion.
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