Should we be concerned about load management in the NHL?
NHL players are different, they just are. So, when the topic of load management is brought up, NHL fans usually turn their nose up and say "NHL players are too competitive to sit for no reason." They also call NBA players lazy, which is the wrong opinion as NBA players are insane athletes.
Sports leagues have players sit late in the season to be rested for the playoffs, that's understandable, even the NHL does that, but what about resting them at various times throughout the season, is this good or bad?
The MLB is mixed in terms of this practice. Some teams rest players once they clinch a playoff spot, but in the last two seasons, teams that have a first-round bye have been terrible in the first round, and usually get beat. Why? Because the power hitters that have sat for the last 10 days to get ready, can't seem to catch up with the fastballs all of a sudden. Pitchers also have issues when they haven't pitched for weeks. Also, when teams are eliminated, they begin to sit star players and bring up young guys to play.
The NFL usually sits guys once they've either clinched the playoffs, or been eliminated, but not during the regular season. So it's not really an issue in the NFL.
The NBA, they're different. In the last decade or so, load management has been in the spotlight. The NBA saw a spike in star players missing games due to this practice. And not just any games, we were seeing the superstars miss huge games for the NBA like, Christmas day games, or games in which the mega-stars like Lebron James or Kevin Durant would travel to cities such as Utah or Detroit, and not play. Fans spend a ton of money to watch those guys come into their arenas, and sit on the bench, so they could be fresh later in the season.
The NBA put in a player resting policy back in 2017, meaning teams have been prohibited from resting healthy players for any high-profile and nationally televised games. And for this upcoming season, they have put in more strict rules. These rules pertain to "star" players. According to the NBA, a star player is "one who has been an All-Star or on an All-NBA team in any of the previous three seasons."
The NBA rules are:
- No more than one star player is unavailable for the same game
- Teams must ensure that star players are available for national TV and in-season tournament games.
- Teams must maintain a balance between the number of one-game absences for a star player in home games and road games -- with a preference for those absences to happen in home games.
- Teams must refrain from any long-term shutdown -- or near shutdown -- when a star player stops participating in games or plays in a materially reduced role in circumstances affecting the integrity of the game.
- Teams must ensure that healthy players resting for a game are present and visible to fans.
Now, I know the NBA and NHL are different beasts, and these exact rules would be hard to replicate, but should the NHL have load management rules?
It was announced over the weekend that Anaheim Ducks star draft pick Leo Carlsson would be sat against the Boston Bruins, at home, to limit his minutes so he wouldn't get burnt out. My first thought when I heard this was "Oh boy, here we go!" The purpose of this load management, apparently is so that he doesn't get burnt out by game 41.
Leo Carlsson was injured to start the season and missed opening night. Carlsson didn't play a game until the 19th, against the Dallas Stars. Oh and by the way, he scored a goal in NHL debut. He played again on the 21st against the Arizona Coyotes on the road. But, in a back-to-back situation, at home against the Boston Bruins, he was a healthy scratch, to limit his minutes.
It should be noted that the most games Leo Carlsson has ever played in a season were 44 during his final season for Orebro HK in Sweden, not counting international play.
The Anaheim Ducks are slated to visit Nationwide Arena tomorrow, and we can assume that Leo Carlsson will play since he missed Sunday's game. Leo Carlsson vs. Adam Fantilli, #2 vs #3.
The most games Connor Bedard has ever played is 62 games in a season. I can't imagine the NHL allowing Connor Bedard to be a healthy scratch to keep him fresh. Could you imagine the backlash?
How would you feel if Adam Fantilli was scratched to "keep him fresh" or to "keep him from getting burnt out?" The most games Fantilli has ever played in a season was 54, while a member of the USHL's Chicago Steel. Last season, at the University of Michigan, he skated in 36 games.
Will this catch on and become a thing in the NHL? Are we making this too much of a big deal? Guys miss practice all the time for a "maintenance day," but still play in the games.
If this practice does become more commonplace, should the scratches be at home, or on the road? The Anaheim fans want to see their star draft pick play, and the road fans pay to watch star players come into their arenas.
I have a feeling this is going to become a topic of discussion in the NHL, and when it does, how will the NHL front office react? The NBA started looking out for their fans in their situation, should the NHL do the same if this becomes a bigger issue?
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