Article content

To scratch or not to scratch? That is quite the lineup question.

When the Vancouver Canucks open a four-game trip Tuesday in Sunrise, Fla., their rookie head coach will ice a lineup that gives his transitioning club the best chance to win. That could mean Travis Green will play a veteran ahead of a younger player like Ben Hutton, who needs more minutes to get his game and his head in the right place.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ben Kuzma: Would scratching a veteran send best message to Canucks' room? Back to video

And if Hutton is part of the franchise’s future, it’s of paramount importance that he plays. Especially with the Canucks once again out of playoff contention and willing to finally fully flip the development switch.

That in itself raises an interesting dilemma.

For Green to exact the most from his younger players — and not let a sense of entitlement or bad habits creep into their games — he has to keep them on a short leash. He has to know when to give it a yank, because the best motivational tool can be watching rather than playing.