Except Danault plays average 5 seconds less per game at ES than Plekanec. Drouin plays more than Plekanec. DLR has had ample opportunities in various positions. He's just not that good. He doesn't produce offense, his possession numbers are bad, his passing data is lousy and he just always looks over-matched. He wasn't even that great in the AHL.
Not even close to true...his opportunities have been VERY limited, perfect example a few games ago.
he starts out playing center between Drouin/Galchenyuk, it last all of 2 periods. How do you expect a player, who already has shaky confidence, to play well in that scenario? When he knows he's one mistake away from being relegated???
To say he's gotten 'ample' opportunities is a gross exaggeration.
I agree with the concept of giving younger players a chance to shine, but DLR has had chances. He's just not that good. McCarron has ton of work to do to play Plekanec-type minutes in the AHL atm. Froese is a 26 year old with his 4th franchise and has less NHL experience and opportunity than DLR has gotten (apart from when Toronto played him when they were intentionally tanking).
Again, DLR hasn't had his chances, that's pure fallacy. He's played 29 games this year averaing 9:54. He's barely gotten any short handed time as well, an area where the team SHOULD be using him since he's actually great at cutting off passing lanes. But nah, gotta make sure 35yr old Plekanec gets as much icetime on the 24th ranked PK.
Plekanec also earned his playing time on playoff team, he wasn't gifted it. He had Bonk, Ribs and Koivu to compete with. When he showed what he was capable of (outplaying Bonk, being much more defensively capable than Ribeiro), the team took a chance and made room for him. DLR, Froese and McCarron haven't even shown they're NHLers yet.
Bonk was done as a player at that point...and the Ribeiro trade was a terrible, terrible trade.
But the team MADE room for him by trading Ribeiro away, it opened up a spot for him and to his credit. He took advantage of it.
But I recall Plekanec's first 2 years in the NHL, no one (well I did) thought he'd ever be more than a spare part. He didn't have the reputation for being a solid defensive center as he does now and there were question marks at how much he could contribute offensively.
But, and this is key, the team invested in his development, they molded him, they built him up...they didn't stick him behind Koivu and say we're going to play Koivu in all situations and you can pick up the scraps.