Quote:
Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan
I said you could dress 7 d-men, not scratch all the vets. Nothing to do with tanking, it's about a team that just lost to the worst team in hockey at home, has had a bad season and could use a kick in the butt. I don't think playing the guy 8 minutes or something to see what you have before possibly trading a guy like Russell away is tanking at all.
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I don't love dressing 7 d-men but I think that isn't the worst idea if you really wanna see what he's about. But I don't think dressing 7 defensemen gives us the best chance to win so I don't think Hartley would do it.
I'm just saying Hartley as a professional coach can't scratch good NHL veterans for a minor league defenseman. He can't ice an inferior lineup. He has to do his job and dress the best lineup he can. Until injury or trade that lineup likely doesn't have Nakladal in it because our six NHL d-men are pretty good.
I'm sure he'll get his chance before the end of the season. I'd be shocked if we didn't trade a defenseman at the deadline. If we re-sign Russell then one of Wideman/Smid/Engelland goes IMO. If we don't re-sign Russell before the deadline then I think Treliving has to deal him.