Sutter on Vey, Toffoli’s usage

I’ll have a story up on LAKings.com later today on Tyler Toffoli and Linden Vey’s responses to being reassigned to Manchester after training camp, and the opportunities that they’re currently presented with.

I also consulted with Darryl Sutter in putting this story together, and he offered an interesting take on Vey and Toffoli’s improvements, as well as how he plans to use the two players. It’s an interesting, relevant take in advance of tomorrow’s game against Buffalo.

Darryl Sutter, on what he “saw” from Toffoli and Vey in their Manchester stint:
They got better. They didn’t have a very good start, and I don’t base it on goals, assists, points. You base it on what level, what tempo, what pace they can play at, which would apply to this here, and where they have to play. I’m not going to play one of those guys four, five minutes. If they’re going to be here, they’re going to play, or they’re going to watch and learn, like we did with Tyler last year. It doesn’t do any good to dress any of those kids and put them on the bench for four or five minutes. If they’re going to play, they’re going to play in situations where they can use their ability – and that’s what we’re looking for when you say, ‘what did you see?’ Well, that’s what you’re looking for. You’re looking at him to maximize their ability at the level that they’re at. And they’re not the same. That’s another problem…You put Pearson and Toffoli and Toffoli and Vey together always. Why would you put them together? One guy’s left wing. One guy’s right wing. One guy’s fourth year, third year pro. One guy’s a centerman. They’re all different. They might play on three different teams before it’s all done, so it’s not like they’re tied together. In fact, there’s no way they’re tied together, because none of them are the same player. If they were identical players, then they might beat each other out. But that’s not what they do, right? Linden is a different type of player than Tyler. Tyler is a different type of player than Tanner. You’re looking at what they do, just encapsulate it.