If "best players play" is such a complicated notion open to various interpretations, why say it at all then? Imagine you're a player, you score 5 goals in 6 games or whatever, and your ice time doesn't change. How are you supposed to interpret "best players play"? Either "best players play" is easily understood by all and then it should be enforced consistently, or you need a PhD to interpret it and then only Greening can get close to grasping it and so it's useless.
Something the coach said, without further explanation. I'm sure the concept is pretty clear in his head, and I bet the the players know what it means too. The fact that YOU don't understand what it means shouldn't surprise you, given that you have no knowledge of what goes on with the team beyond what happens on the ice, and what the coach chooses to tell you. Best to just accept that you don't know what he means by it, and that they do.
I think you're overanalyzing this. It could be you and a few others don't like the negative tone of the forum right now (maybe overly negative given the expectations we should have about the team and how they've played with respect to that expectation, or maybe justifiably negative given what some see as possible improvements that are not being considered by the coach) and you are reacting to that.
I'm not sure why anyone would LIKE the negative tone around here, but I for one get the feeling that it's far more than a few people, and am well aware that many, many solid posters don't post anymore because of it. Perhaps it's you who should take a moment to consider the atmosphere your helping to create.
Also, we SHOULD NOT have high expectations for this team right now. Playoffs would be an over achievement for this squad at this time, and yet some people will find themselves upset when it doesn't happen. As for the coaching comment, as I always say, when a decision is being made by a group of professionals, that is contrary to what you think (when you have nothing on the line, and are reinforced by hindsight) it is best to AT LEAST consider that rather then them being fools, that perhaps YOU might be missing some key piece of information. Thinking this way does not mean you can't question decisions, but it would mitigate how foolish you and other sound when trying to act as if any of you have even the slightest clue of what it is you're talking about.
I find that most people who are showing this negativity (at least myself right now) are actually pretty happy with the players overall. We are Sens fans! But I definitely am frustrated by the fact that my beloved players are not being put in a position to succeed. Neil is one of my all-time favorite players, and I hate it that he's given assignments that he's no longer able to complete. This coach is making Neil look bad. He's making Legwand look bad. He's making Phillips look bad.