CBC-Sports

No shame for Schenn

December 16, 2009 12:12 PM | Posted by   Craig Simpson  

For Luke Schenn, the fact that just a month into his 20th year he has already played 101 games in the NHL is an accomplishment in itself.

Most players his age are finishing their junior career or about to embark onto the American Hockey League to learn the game with the hope of aspiring to the NHL.

His fast track to the NHL last season came pretty smoothly and for the most part without incident or setback. Making the team last season as a rookie was as much about good timing and opportunity as it was Schenn’s abilities on the ice.

In their first years as general manager and head coach, Brian Burke and Ron Wilson had set the expectation bar pretty low for their new team. It was clear Toronto was in rebuilding mode.

Coming into training camp the Leafs were in dire need of something positive for their fans and Schenn fit that bill.

Their depth on defence was spotty at best and to his credit, Schenn entered camp well-prepared with nothing to lose and played beyond his years.

He was the perfect feel-good story for a team that was in need of one. In his rookie year Schenn played great, and became a fan favourite.

And when you are an intelligent, good-looking, first-round draft pick in a hockey-crazed town like Toronto, the amount of attention and admiration that you receive can be overwhelming.

Honeymoon's over

But this season hasn’t been quite so easy. Like many second year players before him, the so-called sophomore slump has reared its ugly head.

Schenn’s play has at times been shaky and inconsistent. His ice time has gone from 21:32 as a 19-year-old rookie last season to just 15:01 this year.

That dramatic drop in time has a lot to do with the addition of veterans Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin as it does because of Schenn’s play.

Had Schenn been a rookie coming to camp this year instead of last, chances are he would have been heading back to Kelowna instead of starting his NHL career.

As a rookie, Schenn often drew the responsibility of playing head-to-head against Alexander Ovechkin. Last Saturday with the Capitals back in town, Schenn was pulled from the lineup and was up in the press box to watch the Great No. 8.

In a market like Toronto, Schenn’s banishment upstairs was big news. But for Schenn, there is nothing to be ashamed about getting pulled from the lineup.

New perspective

This game is all about continuing to learn and improve, and for a young defenceman that is not an easy task. When you are struggling to find your game, sometimes the best thing for a coach to do is give the player a new look.

The irony is, Wilson probably should have taken Schenn out of the lineup much earlier this season, but instead chose to pull veterans Garnett Exelby and Jeff Finger.

Wilson protected Schenn when his confidence was sagging. Though he did criticize Schenn's play, he gave the young defender the opportunity to go out and do something about it.

Schenn has actually played much better over the last week and a half, and even broke the 19-minute barrier in two of the last five games he has played.

But after a tough night in Boston, Wilson thought the timing was right to get his point across. And I agree. Schenn is a good young player whose future is bright, but you have to be cautious of feeding him too much too soon.

With the Leafs on a nice roll right now, Wilson has the luxury of sitting back and not messing with his lineup. Schenn sat out yet again on Monday as Toronto beat the Senators, and chances are with a two-game winning streak on the go he will be out again Wednesday against Phoenix.

Why tinker with a winning lineup? For Schenn, sitting upstairs and seeing the game from a different perspective may end up being the best thing for his season.

A little dose of humility and a burning hunger to get back in the lineup may get him back playing to the level he is capable of.

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