That sounds like a horrific situation. If I had to guess, it probably comes down to economics. NHL team owners don't even want to play an NHL season let alone an AHL one and this is the result. That said, I wonder what the rules are on AHL PTOs in terms of money and quarantine guidelines and whether that could be an option? Certainly something like that has be in place for emergency goalie situations (barring say, Cull donning the pads).
Other teams have been employing PTOs. Rochester used 2 vs the Comets last Friday. Of Course one would have to exercise enough common sense to realize if there are quarantine rules to follow that you have to be proactive and recognize when situations are becoming critical you act to be ready. Anybody with a brain would have seen that time when Anas became the 4th player recalled on Feb. 25, leaving the Comets with 13 forwards. That was the time to act proactively. But no. Nothing.
So, on Feb. 26th, the Comets played the Rochester Americans and surprise, surprise John Stevens and Hugh McGing go down with injuries during the game. Now they have 10 forwards to finish that game and 11 total for the game the next night vs Syracuse.
Cull dresses 7 D-men on game night. Understandable. Which one of them will be asked to play out of position on a wing?
Shockingly, no one. He rotated the 3 centers between the 8 wings to keep the top lines in tact and allow the 4th line shifts rotating centers. The 7 d rotated throughout the game throwing the continuity the guys were building with Rathbone's arrival and Santini's departure into the trash.
Worse that night, Arseneau was injured. Now they have 10 forwards going forward. He had Sunday through today to get some PTOs in here. That was enough time to quarantine and make ready for tonight's game.
10 forwards and 7 D. What magic will Cull be asked to work now? Skate 3 lines and rotate fresh guy in every line shift? Yea, that keeps the lines functioning at top potential by the 2nd period. How about moving that 7th D-man up to the wing, keep the 6 D in their best alignment, and rotate a center into that 4th duo to keep recreating a makeshift 4th line every time you send it out. That line would get very short shifts and hopefully started in the O-zone, skipped whenever play stoppages created some down time, and if the team needed to push just skipped altogether.
I understand this season is more for development than any other, but the way they are mishandling things, it's going to mean less development than ever before. If many of you think Benning is doing a bad job in Vancouver, you ought to try his hand picked bozo to run the show down here. Money can't be the excuse for not providing your prospects with at least a full roster every single game night. You are actually further subjecting those prospects to injury under these conditions, which will have them fatigued and being asked to do more than is reasonable to ask of any player at any level..