Travis Green explains reasoning for not giving kids more ice time
By Alex Hoegler
Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green did an interview with Sportsnet and explained his decision to not give the young kids more ice time.
There are many reasons the Vancouver Canucks rebuild has been heavily criticized over the years. One of the common complaints is that the team has played too many veteran players over the young talents who figure to be key pieces of the future.
Head coach Travis Green has certainly done better than predecessor Willie Desjardins, but some of his decisions have left some confused. For example, Nikolay Goldobin has only appeared in 14 games this season, averaging 12:01 of ice time per game.
Jake Virtanen — whom many thought would unleash his potential in year one under coach Green — is only averaging 11 minutes per game. Brendan Gaunce, Nic Dowd, Brandon Sutter and Sam Gagner have averaged more.
Related Story: Canucks need to take a lesson from the Rangers
Of course, rookie sensation Brock Boeser was also scratched in the season opener, which caused many to raise eyebrows. All in all, the Canucks haven’t exactly been dedicated to a rebuild this season, given that the veteran players are taking plenty of ice time away from the kids.
In an interview with Sportsnet, Green was asked about not giving youths more ice time. Here is what he said, in part:
"I’m always looking to play young players as much as possible. But I don’t want to play them at the cost of them (failing to develop) into players that we can win with. It’s a fine line. We try to balance it, try to juggle it. Jake Virtanen is a good example. He does not play special teams. He’s learning the game, learning little details in the game. There’s so much that goes into what I’m talking about in developing players we can win with. We do not want to overload Jake. I want to make him the best even-strength player that we can…I’m not going to bend just because we’re in the last third of the year. He’s got to come back next year and prove that he’s a winning player. And it’s not just him, it’s our young guys in general. We want to make sure our young guys want to win so badly that they’ll play the way they have to play to win. I understand there’s a step for everything.”"
One thing Green deserves credit for is reducing the ice time of Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who are each playing approximately three and a half less minutes per game. The twins have been able to stay fresher and more energized, and each could hit the 50-point mark once again.
Green also formed the ‘Killer B’s Line’ which featured Boeser, Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi. Prior to long-term injuries to the latter two players, this line was producing as one of the NHL’s best. The trio should be an exciting group to watch for the rest of the season and beyond.
It’s still been a frustrating year for the Canucks, who haven’t gotten much out of veterans Loui Eriksson, Sam Gagner and Brandon Sutter. With these players carrying heavy multi-year contracts, Green hasn’t been able to play all the kids that he’d probably prefer to.
Next: Vancouver Canucks must decide on these draft picks
The Canucks are in line to contend for the first overall pick once again. Until then, the Canucks have to go with the flow and hope the kids can mature and prepare more for the upcoming seasons.