I'm not sure I get the benching. Let me make it clear, if you are going to bench someone, this is probably the ideal time - the team is struggling, lots of travel, multiple back to backs... Etc. With that said, we are taking an offensive defense men, not giving him power play time and having him babysit Ellis or Jones. Of course his line is going to make mistakes. I'm not claiming MDZ hasn't had some mistakes, but there have been so many other players with more mistakes or worse play that I just don't know what to say.
Last point, that we are benching defensemen when it is our pathetic offense costing us games ..... Well .... It truly is the Predators way. This is one of the worst run even strength offensive attacks I have ever seen: miscast lines, poor gameplan, lack of talent, poor ice time distribution.