Posted on December - 14 - 2009 at 2:44 pm By: lt67
What To Do About Schenn
After being a healthy scratch for the first time on Saturday night, TSN is reporting that Ron Wilson has not decided what to do with Luke Schenn for tonight’s game against the Sens.
The decision to keep him last season versus sending him back to Jr. was widely debated. At the time, analysts and fans both seemed to be divided.
Now faced with the reality that Luke may not be ready to be a top 6 defenceman (yet), the question we pose is; what should the Leafs do now? In my opinion, a game or two here and there in the press box would not be terrible. However, any prolonging time in the press box would be a disaster. He is 20 and needs to play.
What do you think?
3:15PM ET UPDATE
UPDATE:
According to Jonas Siegel; Schenn will sit again tonight.
Wilson Quotes on the topic:
“It’s not just about Luke,” he said. “It’s about me looking in Jeff Finger’s eyes and saying ‘Jeff you’re not playing again tonight, why?’ or Garnet Exelby for that matter. This isn’t just about Luke.”
“We’re confident that this will be a good thing for Luke, that he’ll be a better player.”
LT
Given how poor he has played this year, what is the big deal with having him regain his confidence with lot’s of ice time with the Marlies?
I mean he is only 20 years old, plays the hardest postion in hockey, in a media spotlight market who reports everytime he farts.
Let him play without the pressure for a while. Sending him down does not mean he is a bust, it would be a move to help him.
Honestly, Wilson keeping him out of the line up is doing nothing but discouraging the poor guy. Yes, keeping him out one game okay, but not giving him the chance to not go in next game and prove himself? Wilson has already screwed up Schenn and if he keeps getting put out because Exelby throws a hissy fit… Yeah they’ll eff him up good.
“The poor guy”? He’s a grown man. He makes nearly a million dollars a year to play a game. Let me get this straight, you feel sorry for him? His coach is trying to win hockey games and play the best lineup he can, and you’re on about Luke Schenn’s “feelings”?
Exelby, from what I’ve heard, has handled this entirely classy. So has Schenn. He’s not the fat kid on Field Day, he’s a future All-Star. Spare me the tears. Getting sat a game or three never ruined any player’s career. You’re an idiot.
So Wilson has screwed up Schenn by playing and now by not playing him?
I would have preferred he not play last year, but a few games off to regain some composure, realize his position in life at this stage and recommitt to doign all the things he used to do is probably the right answer.
If being sat for a couple of games ruin him, he wasnt worth having since it means he breaks fine glassware in a dishwasher. But I believe he is much much better than that. I think some observers are taking this harder than he is.