On Tuesday night in Columbus, the Buffalo Sabres were forced to play a game without one of it's high impact forwards in Columbus.
Samson Reinhart sat and watched his teammates compete and lose 3-1 to the Blue Jackets.
Reinhart was not injured not ill.
The former second overall draft choice was scratched as a disciplinary measure.
after the game, Dan Bylsma made the following statement to media:
"Sam violated a team policy and the discipline was not playing him in tonight's game."
Thanks, Sabres TV
Bylsma would not specify which policy team policy that Reinhart violated. I'm guessing that Reinhart was either late or missed a mandatory team meeting. On Monday night, the Sabres defeated the Florida Panthers. 4-2. The team chartered to Columbus immediately following the game. There was no game day skate for the Sabres in Columbus on Tuesday morning.
Reinhart, 21, skated 20 shifts for 16:15 TOI vs. Florida. He had an assist and was +1.
Reinhart is Buffalo's third leading scorer with 17 goals and 29 assists this season. He is averaging 17:16 TOI per game.
Reinhart's benching gummed up Bylsma's forward trios in Columbus. Kyle Okposo was scratched due to an illness so Nic Deslauriers drew back into the lineup after a five game stint in the press box.
Matt Moulson skated with Jack Eichel and Marcus Foligno.
Evander Kane skated with Ryan O'Reilly and Tyler Ennis.
Will Carrier skated with Evan Rodrigues and Brian Gionta.
Nic Deslauriers skated with Zemgus Girgensons, and Bylsma rolled another forward through on double shifts.
The loss of Reinhart and Okposo meant beefed up TOI for Evander Kane (25:24), Jack Eichel (23:41), Ryan O'Reilly (22:08)
The Sabres, owners of the NHL's #1 PP units (25%), could have used Reinhart as their
net front man on the first PP unit. hey went 1 for 3 on the PP but failed to cash in some high percentage chances. Sergei Bobrovsky wasn't screened nor made uncomfortable by Sabres PPers. Reinjart has 17 PP points this season. Reinhart not only hurt himself by getting benched, but he also hurt his teammates in a game that was 2-1 until Brandon Saad scored the empty netter in the dying moments.
Reaction to the Bylsma benching of Reinhart was predominantly against Bylsma benching Reinhart. This blows my mind. The kid broke a team rule and his boss disciplined him. Move along, right? Wrong. People are calling for Bylsma to be fired for having the audacity to bench one of his star players. Bylsma did the right thing.
Did Mike Babcock hesitate to manipulate the time on ice of young gun William Nylander earlier this season? Hell no. Babcock grabbed the kid by the scruff of his neck and got him to check his attitude at the door. Maple Leafs fans won't argue with the results of Babcock's interventions with Nylander, who is one of the most productive players in the NHL today.
Spare the rod, spoil the child.
I feel that people bitching about Bylsma just want to see him fired. They think if they spew their venom on the internet and on twitter somehow Tim Murray will read it and fire Bylsma.
Sorry. The NHL is a business, not a popularity contest.
The NHL is a young man's game, right? Rules are rules and they are not negotiable. The stars and kids must be held to the same standard as the grizzled fourth line vet and seventh D-man.
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