After watching Matt Savoie, Isaac Howard, and Quinn Hutson skate together for the first time, Kris Knoblauch had a pretty clear read on what happened. The line played about 10 minutes. There was good stuff. There was bad stuff. But mostly? It was positive.
More importantly, Knoblauch explained why he put three rookies together in the first place—and his reasoning highlights something interesting about how young players often get stuck in the NHL.
"One, I think Howard and Hutson have been playing a lot together. They're familiar with each other, but I also think that with the three of them playing together, they're able to just play their game," Knoblauch said. "They're not worried about deferring to somebody else and passing the puck to somebody else. They're all offensive guys."
Rookies in the NHL often fall into a predictable trap: they defer to veterans. It makes sense on the surface—you're the new guy, you want to fit in, you don't want to mess up, so you pass to the experienced player and hope for the best. But that deference comes at a cost, especially for skilled offensive players who need the puck to make an impact.
Think about the typical rookie experience. You're put on a line with a veteran checking forward or a defensively responsible winger. You're told your role is to support, to work hard, to not screw up. Before long, you're making the safe play instead of the creative one. You're looking to dish the puck off rather than attacking with it. You become hesitant, and hesitation kills offensive instincts.
By putting three rookies together—all offensive-minded players—he's removed the deference problem. There's no veteran to defer to. No established pecking order. Just three young guys who can shoot, pass, and create, all trying to make plays together.
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"That's another thing, they're not in a shutdown role. They're not playing with defensive-minded players, and they're also not intimidated playing with some other guys, where they feel that they always have to give them the puck," Knoblauch continued.
When you're a 20-year-old playing with a 10-year veteran who's making millions and has hundreds of NHL points, there's natural pressure to get him the puck. Even if you have a better shooting lane, even if you're in a better position, the inclination is to defer. It's human nature. But it's also a development killer for young offensive players who need touches and opportunities to grow.
Howard and Hutson already have chemistry from their time together in Bakersfield, which helps smooth the transition. But the bigger advantage is philosophical. These three can make mistakes together without worrying about letting down a veteran linemate. They can take chances. They can be aggressive. They can play with the kind of freedom that offensive players need to thrive.
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Knoblauch isn't asking this line to shut down Connor McDavid or match up against top units. He's giving them offensive zone starts against lesser competition, creating an environment where they can succeed. It's sheltered, sure, but it's a smart shelter that maximizes their strengths.
"You know, tonight they played about 10 minutes. There's some good stuff, there's some bad stuff, but overall, I think for a first game together, it was mostly positive," Knoblauch said.
Ten minutes isn't much, but it's a start. And sometimes the best way to help young players isn't to surround them with experience. It's to let them find their own way together.
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