There is a bit of a conundrum right now with respect to playing rookies and developing rookies. Those are two different things. Keeping it real, here is my list of rookies:
Whitehead
Hilton
Yanni
Houben
Amidovski
Brady
Dietsch
Eshkawkogan
Nelson
I have purposely left Ekberg off this list because he played with Pro hockey players in Sweden last year and although he is a rookie to the league, the expectations are much higher and thus he cannot be treated like a rookie. Additionally, I know there are players on that list that played full seasons last year “on paper” but didn’t really play for real. So, really, they should be more advanced than the true rookies (Amidovski and Eshkawkogan) but I still don’t feel we should raise expectations significantly for the “returning rookies.”
That is NINE Rookies that we need to find a way of inserting into the lineup while also protecting the minutes they play in such a way as to advance their skills without breaking their confidence. It is not often a team has that many shiny new toys they need to break in.
I know there is some dissatisfaction surrounding not playing them enough but that equates to the bottom half of the forwards and defence plus the backup goalie.
From my perspective and from what I have seen so far, Amidvski, Eshkawkogan, Whitehead, and Nelson will have no issues handling more responsibility really soon. By really soon, I mean within the next few weeks. I think all of those players will start to become part of the core of the team and there will be no rotation affecting them.
That leaves Hilton, Houben, and Yanni up front and Dietsch and Brady on the back end that need to still gain the confidence of the coaching staff. Dietsch and Brady won’t get scratched but they will see significantly less ice time until they prove capable of more ice time. It is what it is.
As that second group improves and becomes more capable, it not only allows the coaching staff to play them more minutes but it also allows Boyd to potentially move a veteran or two in a trade, thus opening space for those younger players to not need to rotate as much.
That is the path we are on now. Protect the young guys, allow them an opportunity to catch the speed of the league, maintain their confidence while on that path and then open a spot for them when they have demonstrated capable of playing every game in multiple situations.
This team will be touch and go for a playoff spot. I really don’t see a lot separating 7-9 (NB, Ottawa, Niagara). If we read the tea leaves, Niagara isn’t going to sell. If anything, they will add. NB will sell (starting with Wakely this week). Ottawa may source a centre once they decide Foster isnt’ the answer (if they decide Foster isn’t the answer). But, in the aggregate, they will be a seller.