It's more about continuing to play the game the right way while showing above average work ethic than seniority. It's just an "a" anyway. Not even that it's the default "a" when one of the two aren't there. Meh.
That's what got me actually - the "'A' if Fisher or Neal are absent'", huh? I have to have missed something because I didn't realize NHL teams gave out backup letters in anticipation of missing roster regulars? I mean, don't teams typically just name their letters (1C, 2As, or 4As if rotating, or 5As if rotating and no C) and only WHEN it actually happens that a someone who had a C or A is traded, long term injured, etc., THEN name a replacement? Never heard of a team designating replacement letters before anyone needs to be replaced.
Any chance mgmt has cause to believe one of Fisher or Neal is gonna need to be replaced very soon? Or is mgmt merely trying to keep Josi feelin' the love, despite that it's basically meaningless so long as Fisher and Neal are good to rumble?