Other than shortening the bench in an early-season f***show.
Turcotte had 12 shifts today, just as he had 12 shifts on Saturday - and 11 shifts on Thursday.
Nobody was sat, its the same approach from game to game. The shifts length was shorter today, but that more on the chaotic nature of the penalties and uneven flow. Ottawa's 4th line played even a little less than the Kings' today.
There are a lot of things to be worried about with this organization - and some things to be angry as hell about. But, Lewis, Burroughs, the 4th lines ice time, Laferriere on the first line and PP1 are not among them - yet these are getting the lions share of the bitching around here and it's showing a lack of perspective. These things are just nothing to complain about.
There is a new system, a large amount of new players, a #7d getting full minutes due to losing the #1d, and most importantly, a shift in approach from passive hanging-on to an aggressive tone and not everybody is up to speed yet. This is going to be an important year for this organization as it transitions away from the past to the future. The beginning was always going to hurt, no matter how long it took for them to finally integrate the kids. Its perfectly fine to see Byfield and Clarke struggle to be responsible players in those roles.