New York Rangers: Is healthy scratching players productive?

Early on this season, the New York Rangers’ head coach, David Quinn, has utilized healthy scratches to send a message.

Assuming the type of guy David Quinn is, he probably was not expecting such a slow start to the season. The New York Rangers got off to a slow start and have had different issues in each game that required attention. There is a major focus on getting better every single day within the locker room.

The team as a whole has a variety of different players that all had different attitudes and mindsets. It is the responsibility of the coaching staff to channel the different personalities into a collective focus. If a coach cannot get through to their players, they have a short shelf life.

Trying to manage 20 different personalities to have all of them rowing the boat in the same direction is arguably the most difficult part of a coach’s job. Part of that is knowing how certain people respond to certain forms of discipline or instruction.

So far, it seems that Quinn’s preferred mode of sending a message is healthy scratching of players.

Positive or negative?

Thus far, Quinn has scratched Tony DeAngelo, Kevin Shattenkirk, Neal Pionk, Vinni Lettieri and Cody McLeod at various points. There are two different schools of thought when it comes to discipline, positive and negative reinforcement.

Traditionally in the sports world, coaches have always utilized negative reinforcement. Meaning that the player who messes up gets a punishment that makes them feel bad about what they did. The straightforward example of this is coach healthy scratching or benching a player during the flow of the game.

The alternative would be turning the negative action (blown coverage) into a positive learning experience. Instead of benching a player, the coach can utilize video to show what someone else did that was the correct way of making the play. So, this lets the player learn from their mistake while still getting out on the ice.

The more progressive way of thinking, that the research supports as being more effective is positive reinforcement. Instead of making the person feel bad, they’re getting a way to learn in a productive way.

While the science may support the new way of thinking, certain players just need to be lit into every now and then. Quinn electing to healthy scratch Shattenkirk is telling, as one of the highest paid players with an established track record, the New Rochelle native being the one to don a suit in the press box is a clear sign.

This is a rookie coach looking to send a message to the rest of the team. It doesn’t matter who you are or how much you make, if you play poorly, you’ll watch from the press box.

In the case of Shattenkirk, there is a very real cause for concern. Is the veteran still trying to shake off the rust after missing a lot of time or is this all he can be? In going with the tough love, Quinn is attempting to wake Shattenkirk up from his slump.

Although traditionally I think healthy scratching players is unproductive, how can someone get better if they’re not playing? But, in the case of an established veteran, they can occasionally get complacent in certain habits. Hopefully, Shattenkirk can figure himself out and have a strong comeback season.