Quoting: Blazingbat11
I really disagree with this. Sending down Struble (or even Xhekaj) to Laval to make room for Hutson is sending the wrong message. Unless their games are horrible and their confidence is going down, they shouldn't be sent down. Adding to this, scratching them when they don't "deserve it" could lead to another Farrell fiasco from last season. Remember St-Louis comments when Hughes (allegedly) forced him to have Farrell in the lineup, because he promised that he would if Farrell signed. I doubt they do the same again this year. Although Hutson's circumstance is a bit different than Farrell's.
MSL and Hughes already have a 3 goalie rotation what makes you think they wouldn't do it with the 3rd pairing LD? You have to make room somewhere on the left side. Hughes already said he isn't shopping Savard and would like to keep him, so IMO he will be with the team next year unless someone offeres something crazy like a top prospect + 1st (just an example). So the remaining options are as follows
1. Trade Harris (if healthy), lineup Matheson-Guhle, Hutson-Savard, Xhekaj-Kovacevic with Struble rotating in every other game
2. Trade Kovacevic and Harris (if healthy) call up Barron to play 3RD. Line up Marheson-Guhle, Hutson-Savard, Xhekaj-Barron with Struble rotating in every other game.
3. Trade Harris and Struble, call up Barron and line up Matheson-Guhle, Hutson-Savard, Xhekaj-Barron with Kovacevic as the 7th D man.
4. Send Hutson to Laval and trade Harris
There are many other less likely scenarios but no matter which one you do, someone who "deserves" to be playing will either be sitting, Traded or sent to Laval. It's just the nature of having too many NHL D men and not enough positions available