Rick Tocchet speaks on playing time for Flyers' kids

Cole Knuble is a healthy scratch tonight in Vancouver, and Rick Tocchet was just asked about the Flyers' kids getting their time.

The Flyers keep saying they want to play the young players. Yet Michael Bunting is in for Knuble, and David Jiricek draws in for Simon Benoit, with the Flyers at 4-10-5 and riding a three-game losing streak.

Sommermann made clear he finds the Knuble decision confusing, saying Tocchet put the 22-year-old in a spot where he was outmatched and the response was a night in the press box.

He wasn't surprised by the Jiricek move, calling it a perfect spot to see whether his practice work can translate into a game. Charlie O'Connor notes the defenseman hasn't played since October 19.

O'Connor is fine with giving a young player nights off here and there, especially in the second game of a back-to-back. But he points out Knuble struggled in a scoring center role, and says he shouldn't be buried for it.

Jackie Spiegel asked Tocchet before the game about kids sitting late in close games. The coach pointed to the Rangers game and a couple of early turnovers, then added: "I think they're getting their time. They're young guys...They'll get their time, & they've done a nice job for us this yr."

Asked whether those situations matter for their experience, Tocchet said "for sure." Then he admitted the tension: "It's hard to do both sometimes, and sometimes it's game to game."

That answer lands differently after Sommermann's late-game ice times from Calgary. In the final 10:48 plus overtime against the Flames, Knuble got 2:06 and Porter Martone 2:04.

Is Cole Knuble being punished for one bad night?

Tocchet didn't say that, and he wasn't asked about Knuble by name in the quotes we have. But the sequence is hard to ignore. Knuble played 12:14 in Calgary, went -2, and now sits.

He has 3 goals in 9 games, and he's a fourth-round pick the Flyers drafted themselves. Using him in a scoring center role, then scratching him when it didn't work, sends the wrong message to a young roster.

Michkov got 2:35 plus 0:51 in overtime in that same stretch, and Denver Barkey got 1:24 plus 0:47. Veterans still get the late shifts, and that's Tocchet's call to make. But "you're trying to win games" only explains so much when the Flyers are 29th in the NHL.

Tonight's opponent is the 3-15-1 Canucks, who have lost five straight. If the kids are going to get their time, this reshuffled Flyers lineup in Vancouver is the soft landing to test it, and Knuble's next chance depends on what Tocchet sees from the group in front of him.

Quick hits

COLORADO AVALANCHEMoments ago, the Avalanche placed Josh Manson on long-term injured reserve and recalled Alex Gagne from the Eagles. That's a real hole on the blue line.

SAN JOSE SHARKSAdam Kblat reports that Aiden Celebrini, younger brother of Sharks star Macklin, left Boston University's loss and is uncertain for Tuesday. Sharks fans will be watching this one.

FLORIDA PANTHERSKatie Engleson raved about Anton Lundell's four-minute segment before the Panthers' Columbus trip, saying the center apparently stole the show.

BOSTON BRUINSRay Bourque, Cam Neely and Zdeno Chara joined a big Bruins turnout at the Hockey Hall of Fame tonight for Patrice Bergeron. That's a room full of Boston royalty.

VANCOUVER CANUCKSThe Flyers confirmed Joseph Woll starts tonight in Vancouver, and Leevi Merilainen is expected to answer for the Canucks, who have lost five straight.