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"The style that we want to play, which is very up-tempo and is the way the league is now, it's very pressure-related and you need four lines," says Treliving. "You can't rely on one or two lines to play 20-some minutes, a third line to play 11 and then three minutes for your fourth line. Those days are gone. The schedule is too taxing, it's too compressed and every game is too important. You just wear people down."
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That is just music to my ears. After reading this, I gave Treliving high marks in the polls about management. My only issue is it took them this long to come to this vision for the team - speed, offence etc. It's disappointing if they were following a different track and needed the success of Vegas to emulate but as long as they are there now is all that matters.
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The fourth line can also be a place where young guys cut their teeth in the NHL, although Treliving says to get that opportunity, young players must first establish that they have certain attributes.
"No. 1, physically. Can they physically withstand it? You never want to put in a young player where they might get injured. Are they physically fit and strong enough to compete against men?
"No. 2, can they think it? Can they think the game at the NHL level. You take every other quality and those qualities can be enhanced if you're smart enough. Guys that aren't maybe the fastest players look fast or can play smart because of their hockey sense.
"No. 3, the speed element of the game. You've got to be able to play at an NHL pace and do things at an NHL pace.
"If you can check those three boxes then yeah, you can put a young guy where OK, we can manage him a little bit here. They can be introduced to the league in a lower-line role, but they've got a building base to their game."
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Also good to read. Hopefully it plays out this way in the season and we get a nice infusion of hungry young guys who are fast and skilled.