Dr Jan Itor
Registered User
How does playing bottom pairing not prepare you for being an NHL defenseman? Again, this isn't a 4th liner playing 8 minutes a night. 15-18 minutes at the NHL level prepares you for any role.He isnt going to improve defensively if you never let him learn, he is not perfect but he is not rookie dumba bad either.
I am not saying it wouldnt of been fine. I would of accepted it as a good learning curve for him last season however they have a specific role they want him in and learning and bottom pairing is not it. they said it more than once and their usage of Benn over him was showing it. He is Spurgeons successor. period, end of story in their eyes. If Spurgeon isnt hurt for whatever reason they did not look his way much.
Spurgeon himself played 15 minutes a night his rookie year.