And again, I want to make it very clear that I'm not saying he should have been scratched. I agree that that would have been idiotic and the media firestorm after the $56 million summer signing gets scratched after 3 games would have been a circus.
But when Pettersson was terrible last year and had like 2 ESG through 40 games or whatever it was, Boudreau basically bumped him down and he was playing as the 4th line C with Hoglander/Podkolzin, getting substantially fewer ES minutes than the Lammikko-Motte line. And his poor play hurt the team less from that role and the team kept winning, and he played himself out of it (big-time) eventually.
I mean, taking the low hanging fruit isn't always the right action.
It was a guy who wasn't playing terribly who wasn't to blame for any of the issues the team was having. It was hoping to get a result by firing a shot into the air rather than looking at the actual issues the team and trying to address them.
I think you have to look at the team's collective psychology as well.
The team's problem hasn't really been it's 4th line and dropping one of them sends no message at all.
So you want to scratch a top 9, but a coach only has so many bullets in the gun and it's early to be scratching any player who has put up 50 points or so in this league after 4 frustrating games.
Can't scratch Brock who missed training camp and is playing with an injured hand (unless you framed it as rest for the hand).
If you use the Miller or Horvat (who has been leagues better than Miller but still not as good as needed) bullet, you are absolutely pantsed if it doesn't work. Like you have nothing left and are at risk of being fired within 2 weeks or so, have to save that one.
Podkolzin and Hoglander have been doing what he's asked them to do. He challenged Hoglander to come into camp and be better and he has done so.
Petey has been our best player.
People here don't understand what Pearson is, so he's a whipping boy. A team is only as good as it's trust for each other and Pearson is a guy you can trust to do the right thing at all times. He makes mistakes, but he's basically the mortar between the bricks. Not a good dressing room message to scratch him.
Mikheyev just got back from injury.
Kuzmenko signed here and has been good for the most part (ugly defensive awareness on first goal last night, but that's going to happen for a new player).
So that leaves Garland as a strong bullet that you can use.
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Agree that I like Burroughs a hell of a lot more than Poolman, I wonder if that one was framed as 'you took a stick to the face and took some hits, have a rest tonight'.
I will say that one thing that concerns me about this management group is that they seem high on Poolman and I just don't see it. I will give the grace of saying he's been hurt quite a bit and sometimes game instincts take time to kick in, especially for big D, but I don't like his hockey sense and understanding of the game.