[wingmaker]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Not that I am necessarily disagreeing with you, but I do think that it is easier right now to do that for Gulutzan. It was also easy for Hartley when he came over too.

He benched Wideman after a game or two, and Wideman responded by being really good after that. Not only that, but people (not saying you) tend to forget that Wideman was playing like a real top-pairing guy for long stretches, including having the 3rd or 4th (around there) highest TOI among defencemen in the NHL - and was doing a pretty good job.

I think that Wideman earned that 'leash' so to speak, and I think a lot of players earn somewhat of a leash on the coach over time. That is what is often helpful at times in changing coaches - it removes all (we hope) the biases that coaches tend to build up over time.

Hartley also benched Gaudreau, Bollig didn't play that much, McGrattan (who Hartley loved) became a daily healthy scratch until Treliving had to send him to the AHL. I think the only guy that Hartley gave a really long leash to was Wideman, but I also think that Wideman really earned it as the more Hartley played him, the better he got in the past - and it took a long time for that to stop being true (and yep, Hartley gave him what we all consider too much rope after that).

Point is, I think it is easy for a new coach to come in and change up ice times. Nobody has earned anything yet with the coach. I will not say that Gulutzan will play favorites down the road for sure either - maybe he will always change up the lineup and not give anyone any rope from now on - who knows? Just think that most coaches in the NHL find it easy to come in and not play favorites at first, but over time, the biases do creep in as players 'prove' themselves and earn trust.

Really astute comments. We have already seen Gulutzan show some favouritism to Higgins and Chiasson due to this exact dynamic. As fans, I think it will always be hard to understand this dynamic, but if a player earns a coaches trust, they get more of a leash. And this is as it should be. Players are human beings, which is not something that fans get to see very much. Human beings can come through, even when the stats say otherwise. It's what makes coaching in all sports so difficult and so ineffable.

I am happy that Gulutzan seems willing to make changes so far. But inevitably he will have his favourites, as well. Would be great if we could all understand it a little more.