Mackinnon, Bednar exchange barbs on the bench (poll)

[yave1964 2,350]

  The frustration in Colorado boiled over on the bench between team leader and superstar Nathan MacKinnon and coach Jared Bednar with Mac screaming at the coach, supposedly yelling 'Just do your job!" several times at the coach.

 

  The Avalanche have been a fun story as they have arguably the games top line in Rantanen, Laneskog and MacKinnon but they have fallen on hard times of late losing 9 of their past 10 slipping to 4th in the division as they have been passed up by the Stars who have had their own share of controversy in the past month. MacKinnon got so worked up that he fell off the bench at one point.

 

  Should the Avalanche discipline MacKinnon for his antics against the coach?

 

[pilldoc 2,839]

Good question .....

 

Not sure how to answer.  I guess it depends on what type of team rules are in place for the club.  Certainly showing up your coach in a heated exchange will not win you points in a popularity contest.

 

I get MacKinnon's frustration during the course of the current Avs slide, however, it does not give you the right to tee off on your coach during the middle of the game.   If something needs to be said then it needs to be done in private.  Being a team leader by wearing the 'A" needs you to be aware on how to handle yourself in troubling times like this.  It sets a very bad precedent to the younger players on how to handle situations like this.

 

It certainly needs to be addressed privately and some sort of consequence should happen, but to what extent I really don't know.  Is it a fine-able offense vs. a suspend-able offense?  

 

IF ..... and if upper level management deem this to be conduct unbecoming or detrimental to the team, them by all means sit his a$$ to let him know that no one is above the coach ...especially during a game.

 

Hopefully this was addressed privately between the two of them after the game.  I voted yes, but with reservations.  It needs to be addressed.

[blocker 636]

That type of angry exchange should not be done in public.  But, I remember times when I felt enraged by a coach's decisions.  MacKinnon should be cut some slack.