It's a harmless move. Bjugstad seemed a bit comfortable at the #1 center role with no one behind him to pressure him. It's a good harmless way to tell the rookie exactly that, that he is just a rookie and needs to continue to work his ass off.
Is it harmless?
Should that be the headline today as we lose 7 of 8 whats wrong with our team, Nick Bjugstadt? Is he the guy that should be demoted?
Do you believe as coach does " I think it’s just time he sits back and recognizes he needs to do a better job.’’
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/04/03/4035783/florida-panthers-nick-bjugstad.html#storylink=cpy
Because Bjugstad is better than the rest of the trash on the this team doesn't make him immune to mistakes. Who do you want bumped down? Jovo, Gomez, or Campbell. They won't learn anything Bjugstad has been turning the puck over a lot lately more than he did at the beginning of the year. I was amazed at how well he protected the puck at the start of the year but he's been sloppy lately. Wether that's because he's tired from his first full season or trying to do to much I don't know. But from the reaction he gave he took it better than Kulikov or Matthias took it. It's not going to hurt him to lose a few minutes he will survive just fine and probably be better for it.
I'm guessing a guy with the "interim" tag with his position wouldnt say that these games are "meaningless" even if they are. Your sentiment is good but no coach will likely say what you're suggesting, even if its the truth. I dont see what he did as anything surprising as a coach even if its less than desirable.I don't believe you have to "bump him down" and make him the center of attention to learn something. There are other methods to handle this. For example, even if Coach believes he needed to be bumped down, why not say to the media something to the effect that its his lst year after college, he seems to be fatiguing lately, and he has done such a yeoman's job for us that I am going to cut his minutes back these remaining meaningless games. And you know what? that might just be the truth.
I'm guessing a guy with the "interim" tag with his position wouldnt say that these games are "meaningless" even if they are. Your sentiment is good but no coach will likely say what you're suggesting, even if its the truth. I dont see what he did as anything surprising as a coach even if its less than desirable.