I don’t always agree with the criticisms aimed at Green, but you’ve hit one of those that seem clear. He's had the opportunity to scale back Edler's play at times and for the most part has shown no inclination to do so.
October 9-Canucks 8, Kings 2. The Canucks had a 2 goal lead after 6 minutes and it never was leas than that again. By half way through the 3rd period the score was 6-2. Edler played 24:42, more than any other skater on either team and over 3 and a half minutes more than the next Canuck.
October 15-Canucks 5, Red Wings 1. The Canucks had a 3 goal lead at 12:45 of the 2nd period and later scored the only goal in the 3rd. Edler played 25:00, again more than any other skater on either team. The Red Wings’ toi leader played 22:15.
October 28-This one Green got right imo. Canucks plastered the Panthers 7-2, running up a big lead in the 1st period and Edler had his only game so far this season under 20 minutes at 19:37, the team leader for the game being Jordie Benn.
November 2-Canucks 5, Sharks 2. The Canucks got a 4-0 lead at 5:11 of the 2nd period and maintained that 4 goal lead until 10:51 of the 3rd. Edler once again led all skaters on either team in time on ice which a whopping 29:39.
November 7-Hawks 5, Canucks 2. Edler led all skaters on both teams in toi yet again, with 27:15. Commenters on the game weren’t complimentary about Edler’s play.
November 8-Jets 4, Canucks 1. Back half of back to back after Edler played over 27 minutes the night before. The gdt has numerous comments about Edler’s poor play. He led both teams in toi with 25:58.
The Canucks have played 17 games. Edler has led Canucks’ skaters in toi 15 of them and both teams in 9 of them. He has one game over 30 minutes and a couple more over 29.
He’s 33 years old. He started the season playing really well and team results through October were excellent. Edler’s play is dropping off, his ice time remains high and the team is sliding. Based on his age, time on ice and his play not being as good as it was earlier, the natural speculation is that he’s already getting overtired with the season barely over 1/5 of the way through.
Does this bring back to anyone else memories of the Canucks with the Sedins overplayed by Tortorella in the early season?
There were opportunities to scale back Edler’s overuse. With only two exceptions, Edler has played big minutes this season whether or not the game was close.
The season is a marathon, not a sprint. This isn’t the finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Overplaying a 33 year old has to result in him getting overtired. Fatigue leads to poor play and an increased chance of injuries.
and if and when edler gets injured the finger point goes to travis green of his usage of edler's mins. wasnt the point of having benn and myers into the team was to lessen the mins of edler/tanev? especially on the pk?
...Canucks are not yet a cup contender yet...but hey,..upwards and onwards.
