One would think that, on a team that has had so many injuries, and so much trouble scoring goals, playing your way off the Detroit Red Wings' roster would be near impossible.
Forward Ville Leino has managed to do this three times now.
Leino will be benched tonight when the Red Wings take on the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second game of a home-and-home matchup.
While other players have been benched this season, primarily Kirk Maltby and Brad May, it wasn't necessarily as the result of poor play.
As young Justin Abdelkader is trying to fill the role Kirk Maltby has played on the team for 14 seasons, head coach Mike Babcock was forced to sit Maltby to get Abdelkader playing time.
Brad May is largely a part-time enforcer. As such, if he's without an obvious dance partner on the opposition side, his presence isn't all that necessary on the Detroit bench.
In Leino's case, despite being given ample opportunity in the form of second-line duties along side countryman and stellar center, Valtteri Filppula, he has repeatedly failed to deliver in anyway to the team's success.
Leino looks to be largely lost ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Matt Hutter
It’s Time for Detroit Red Wings To Pull the Cord on Ville Leino
December 28th, 2009 by Matt Hutter Leave a reply »
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