I also would love to have known many of the posters who are commenting about 23 year olds being late to maturity when THEY were 23. 23 is still a kid. Sure, in the NHL you have some younger guys. I'm 29 now and am ashamed of many of the things I was doing when I was 23. I was fresh out of college, in my first year of making some real $ and living in NYC with a roommate the same age. As you can imagine, I wasn't a saint.
When I was 23, a lot of guys on the Rangers were hanging in circles somewhat interconnected to mine. I heard A LOT of rumors about guys who played huge roles on the teams that went to the cup final and ECF a few years earlier. Some from people who were firsthand spending time with them. The **** they were doing would have led people on here to think they were wild, immature, lazy, had not future, a 'cancer,' etc. And most of them went on to have very successful careers, both here and elsewhere (two of which specifically - without naming names - are now considered veteran 'leaders' on their respective squads).
It's just a ridiculous notion to think a 23 year old is an adult. It's even more ridiculous to expect no growing pains, especially with a kid who seemed a mess psychologically when he was drafted.
Professional athletes and celebrities are forced to mature at a quicker rate than the rest of us because every move they make is scrutinized. Much more so today than at any time previously. That doesn't mean we should forget the fact that a 23 year old is not a mature adult and frankly, should not be expected to be.
I trust Quinn and Gorton. We don't know ADA personally and truly have no idea what went on here. We have no idea what he is like in or out of the locker room. And people making determinations on his future and what contract we should give him based off a benching categorized as a 'small thing,' just sound like crazies.
