I disagree.
You've complete bought into the BS narratives about these guys, and it's not very fair at all to either player.
If you take an honest look at Dylan Larkin, from February of his rookie year to about March of his sophomore year, he was brutal.
Awful.
Like - he didn't belong in the NHL.
93 games 18-9-8 -35 from Feb. 10 2016 to March 1 2017.
This isn't playing 10-12 minutes a night.
This is playing 16-18 minutes a night.
But as he aimlessly skated around his own zone, failing to pick up guys as they skated and scored, never once did Blashill criticize him in the media.
You know what his lowest icetime was -- besides the game he got hurt? He had four games in the 11-12 minute range.
What does Blashill do? He sings his praises, non stop. Even though, clearly, he'd stopped skating the way he skated early in his career.
He stopped shooting the puck they way he did.
And yet, never once did Blash say, "We need Larkin to skate and shoot and play the way he can."
Instead, he praised Larkin - built his confidence. Invited him to the World Championships and gave him big minutes there.
Do I think Athanasiou and Mantha hustle the same way Larkin does?
No.
But I also think the constant questioning of their heart, character and effort is wrong-headed.
And I think Blashill is doing more to harm their development than help their development.
These guys should be taking a regular shift in the top 6.
Larkin-Athanasiou-Mantha should be getting 17-20 minutes a night.
If that means Tyler Bertuzzi plays on line 4, oh well.