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Originally Posted by Ashasx
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Completely Disagree.
What message does it send to young players that they get can still get ice time based on rationale that is divorced from the effort and accomplishment they put on the ice? Ie their birthdate, their perceived upside, their contract status, etc.
Sutter's trying to teach them and others in the lineup that the only thing that matters is what you put on the ice each and every night. And if a 30-year old journeyman defensemen staring down what might be his last games in the NHL is putting out more, then by golly he's in the lineup and not you if you took last game off. For the players that are likely to be here long term it teaches away from complacency and for those who might be only here to slot into sparingly, it squeezes that little bit of useful hockey at the NHL level that they might have left in them.