Quote:
Originally Posted by HighLifeMan
You can't talk about earning icetime when plugs like Lucic are routinely eating up time, Ruzicka is consistently sitting and Coleman leads the team in five on five icetime. That's rich.
Andrew Mangiapane for example has averaged 18 minutes a night over the past 10 games and doesn't have a single point while being a -6. Likewise to Coleman who has 3 points in his past 15 games. These are the guy's eating up prime ice time and not performing when the team needs them.
You can't expect your best players to be your best players if they are not being afforded the opportunity to do so.
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Absolutely. It's pretty clear by now that Sutter plays favorites and meritocracy for him applies differently from player to player. Huberdeau would have to be superhuman just to see the same leniency as Mangi and Lucic are afforded. Meanwhile those guys can coast and they don't see their deployment change much
Mangiapane probably shouldn't be getting 18 minutes with his lack of contribution at the most important time of the year with the season on the line. He hasn't contributed offensively in weeks. While huberdeau is obviously heating up but isn't seeing an increase in usage..
I really think Sutter can do a while lot more on the bench management front to try to get the best result for his team, he just doesn't.
Which is mystifying because I'm sure he got paid handsomely to come out of retirement.
If it weren't for the ownership relationship, I'd say he's worked himself out of the head coaching job here given everything and the results on the ice. That armour is coming at the expense of the season.
Just doesn't strike me as a guy bringing his best to the table. He's riding by on his past accomplishments at this point.