I said this at the beginning of the season when I projected points for each forward, and I still believe it. For Couts, the number 1 prime objective was to get through this season without significant injury time -- and for the most part he's done that. Sure he's banged up, playing through something, but he's not missing games because of injury. Getting time on ice should be the most important thing for this Couts.
Instead, their process from opening night was to play Couts 20 mins per game. For a team who wanted to win games, that makes a lot of sense, but for a rebuilding it makes none. Just like anyone with half a brain could have guessed, he was pressed too hard and was injured, which is still apparently nagging him.
But instead of giving the team's best player, and well-known consummate professional any leeway, the head coach has elected to scratch him. It doesn't make any sense, and I would like to know what Torts is thinking here. Is he trying to coagulate the group through this rough stretch by making himself the villain? Or, does he actually think that scratching Couts is the best thing for the team because he's not playing well. Or is there some other option.
Either case is preposterous. It's the former, he's seriously damaging his relationship with the entire team in the long-term, for what? Making the playoffs as a 6 seed and getting rocked in the playoffs? This isn't Frost we're talking about. It's not even scratching Sanheim in Calgary. This is nuclear, this is very much shooting yourself in the foot. There's no benefit here. If it's the latter and Torts thinks Couts just isn't very good right now, he needs to get his eyes checked. Couts is not Couts from previous years, but he's also no where near the worst skater in the forward group. Not even close.
