It will be interesting as to how Hartley manages the team this year.
Sometimes players - vets or rookies - just need to sit a few games and watch from above. Sometimes they need to play through a slump. Also, on a rebuilding team, kind of throws the value off of vets getting benched as well. Definitely not an easy team to manage at the moment.
With that being said, I am glad that Hartley is taking this approach. Just reinforces the culture on this team. That '02-'04 Flames team was a hard-working bunch as well, and Sutter wasn't afraid to bench or scratch anyone. He moved upstairs, and every replacement seemed to be deathly afraid to do so, and the 'country club' began.
There will be no country club under Hartley's watch!
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