Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
1) adding Bennett
2) experience
3) experience
is there a chance he bombs? Sure. What's the downside to that? Nothing really - the season is already a bonus.
Sometimes you have to have the fortitude to make a decision.
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This seaons is a bonus, for us fans, I highly doubt any of the players in that locker room feel that way. Missing the playoffs will be viewed as a lost opportunity, there are 4 games left and we are in, if they don't close that out they will be seeing that as a lost opportunity for them to get experience, and despite the long shot, they will see it as them losing out on an opportunity at the Cup (something that even getting a chance at is very hard). If part of the reason they lose out on said opportunity is because management or the coaches made a decision to play an unproven player for his development opportunity, that is not going to sit well with everyone who is on this roster right now who likely loves playing for this organization.
It's not nothing and I assure you the players aren't taking this opportunity to be in the playoffs as loosely as you are and feel it's just ketchup on their order of fries. They've busted their asses for this chance, and any decision made that is seen as anything other than improving their chances of getting into the playoffs will not be received well.......even for a rebuilding team.
And that's likely where the concern comes from for the Flames. It's not a decision going to be evaluated by the players until after the fact. Dress Bennett and we get in, he plays well, then everyone loves Bennett and good on Calgary and the coaches for helping us get there. If Bennett comes in doesn't play well and we miss (even if it's not his fault and he was as good as whoever he replaced) it's going to be questioned by the players whether we could have made it by playing one of the guys who played all year, and the org. will get critiqued by them for making a decision for "one" players development over the good of the squad after they busted their asses all year to earn a chance to get in.