Quote:
Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug
My issue is simply that the Leafs (or any team) should be trying to ice the best lineup of what is available to them. It is fine to trade off UFAs, sell current assets for future ones, but when looking at the players available, I think there is a duty to dress the best 23 guys. I would have thought, based on limited viewings (of mostly the leafs), that Cowen could make that group.
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You could expand that reasoning to suggest things like, a team can never start their backup unless their starter is hurt, cause he's the best goalie of the two. Organizations should be allowed to manage their long term goals, not just short term success.
This is asset management by the Leafs plain and simple, and I have no issue with it. They want to buy Cowen out, which is what makes their team better long term (in their opinion) so they need to sit him to not risk injury. I have no issue with that. It's no different than the Flames deciding a young asset might need more time in the minors for his long term development and the Flames long term success, even if that player is actually better than some of the players starting for the big club. There's a line between taking and doing what's best long term, but teams shouldn't have to always, "ice their best line up".