It really is unbelievable that McLellan is going to go a month between playing Koskinen. Could you look any more desperate to hold on to your job? Koskinen is going to get absolutely toasted whenever he does get in. He should've played against Nashville, that was a logical place to get him his first game.
There's always a reason that he needs to go back to Talbot. Can't go 0-2 to start the year. Can't go 1-3 going into the home opener. Have to play Talbot in the home opener. Won three in a row gotta ride who's hot. Can't go back below .500. Gotta get back to .500. McLellan is coaching like the next loss could be his last.
It really is just bizarre. Sure theres long periods between games, so Talbot shouldnt be overly fatigued or anything.
But once again McLellan just doesnt know how to manage people very well. Hockey is suppose to be a team game. How is Koskinen suppose to feel like hes a part of the team when hes not even included? How many teams havent actually played both goalies at this point? I imagine theres literally only a handful. And I am sure out the handful of teams that havent played their backup, none of them are making 2.5 mil.
Then when he gets a chance, he probably wont play well because hes so rusty or because he doesnt feel like hes part of the team.
Seems to me that TM really struggles to find roles for his players. Sure the top guys have their roles but none of the secondary and depth players do. Its probably why our depth players are non existent. I dont doubt that our depth is weaker than the majority of teams (in terms of skill), but when they have no role or purpose because the coach cant motivate, find roles for them or get the most out of people, its going to be bad time.
