Veterans are indispensable in today’s NHL. With constant new waves of young talent entering the league with each passing year, veterans are the best choices to set examples and provide learning experiences on the ice.
The coaches and front office can only do so much, but the veterans are the ones who can teach rookies up-close and in action. Without veterans, a young group could be a recipe for disaster.
Take the 2016-17 Dallas Stars for example. The team was a misconstrued train wreck, as we all know, and that led to a horrid 34-37-11 record with 79 points and a finish at 11th overall in the Western Conference.