I really don't think this is the issue people on the boards make it out to be.
Notice the guys who it isn't consistent for - Callahan, Hagelin (mostly), Stepan, Nash, McD, Girardi, Staal...in other words, the guys who play a solid game most of the time. When they make small mistakes, which they do, it's not a big deal because they play smart, all-around games most of the time. Gaborik gets benched when he sucks. He should. If he's not scoring and he's making dumb plays he's nearly useless. Kreider got benched a lot for IMO, the same reasons. If he's not skating hard and getting scoring chances, not using his speed and his strengths, why should he get minutes? Who else is constantly getting these benchings? Boyle, who also is supposed to play a specific type of game and often fails at it?
To me, the guys who often get benched deserve it. Is anyone honestly going to argue that Gaborik, Kreider and Boyle, based on their play this season alone, not emotional feelings you may have for them, played well enough that they should be exempt from being benched? Richards should be with them. Aside from that, I don't see many problems with the benchings.