Poll: Are the Senators making a mistake by benching Erik Karlsson?
Coach Cory Clouston had finally seen enough.
Coach Cory Clouston had finally seen enough. After Erik Karlsson was ineffective and took another bad penalty in a game Friday night, the Senators gave him an express pass to the press box. He was scheduled to sit out his second straight game against the Dallas Stars Wednesday night, leading some (including Karlsson) to question whether or not the move was detrimental to his development. On the other hand, the Senators needed to do something after getting bombarded with goals all week. So we ask you:
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It isn’t a mistake but…Clouston cannot play favourites.
Here are some others that are, as someone on the Hockey’sFuture boards said very well, “in full country club mode”:
Chris Phillips
Chris Neil
Chris Kelly
Mike Fisher
Fisher has 8 points after 21 games, isn’t playing at full speed and is hurting the team out there.
Phillips hasn’t just lost a step, he’s lost the stairmaster. He’s got as much mobility as I do after stepping away from a Chinese buffet table. Seriously, all jokes aside he might use a day off from the rink.
Chris Kelly has been more tenacious in the past. He’s been a borderline pest at times with his checking. Same with Ruutu.
Neil has been dropping them, occasionally. He hasn’t been cycling well, hasn’t been banging and crashing like the old, in his prime, Chris Neil.
What do you do as a coach?
These guys are vets. You can make the argument they are saving themselves for the playoffs, but with the team teetering dangerously close to the .500, .475, .450 mark, these guys can’t take nights off.
It’s like we have our own Muskokoa Five, who know their jobs are safe so eff it, basically. The media protect these guys like they’re our sons but these children are underachieving and are being paid several million to do so!
I saw on the 6th Sens those bloggers expect two wins coming up?
Excuse me? What would make them think that, all due respect?
Toronto has some great speed, Gustavsson has been allowing two goals or less per game. Kessel can always pot one.
Pittsburgh STILL has the Sid & Geno Goal Factory going.
I dunno.
I do know Clouston shouldn’t use kid gloves on the vets.
If you’re not helping the team, then sit and let a kid from Bingo take your spot.
And Mr. Murray, don’t trade our picks and young’uns for the Andy Suttons of the world, just for a first rond sweep or exit. If we’re bad, let’s stay bad and get a Couturier, Nugent-Hopkins, Nieto, St. Croix…
And…being detrimental to his development?
Please…
Stamkos got sat, Spezza got sat, Kovalev got sent home, even Denis Potvin missed a few shifts or a game, I imagine.
What do we want here, a sense of entitlement or a professional with a work ethic?
The question is worth asking…