Benching Players - Adult Rec League

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I get benched fairly often in beer league.

Usually it's when we're on the PK. If its the other RW who took the penalty, then I'll definitely just be sitting the whole time (which means that's 3 shifts I'll be sitting for - the one where he took the penalty, the one he sat the penalty, and the one when he gets back on the ice). If its another position player, then I'm told somebody else will be going out and I end up sitting anyway.

I'm not entirely sure why. While I'm not a great skater or puck handler, I am very good positionally in my own end and I'll work harder than most of the other players on the boards and at the blue line. The skilled guys all try to strip the puck away and skate it up ice. I get in shooting and passing lanes and get the puck out of the zone at the very least, and usually all the way down the ice.

But, what can I do about it? I already get yelled at almost every game by one of our A's anyway.

[ktang 34]

I think the only time we've "benched" anyone was after taking their fourth penalty of the game and it was more about having bodies for the next week than anything else. There are times I wish we had a designated PP or PK unit, but then I think about the guys that aren't likely to be on either unit and I wouldn't want to be sitting through it all if I were them.

The more serious teams that I've been on didn't have players that wouldn't be on either set of special teams; 4 Ds, so both pairs played on each special team, and 3 sets of fowards. PP and PK appealed to different forwards' preferences, so the 2 PK pairs and the 2 PP forward lines got to do their thing.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

I get benched fairly often in beer league.

Usually it's when we're on the PK. If its the other RW who took the penalty, then I'll definitely just be sitting the whole time (which means that's 3 shifts I'll be sitting for - the one where he took the penalty, the one he sat the penalty, and the one when he gets back on the ice). If its another position player, then I'm told somebody else will be going out and I end up sitting anyway.

I'm not entirely sure why. While I'm not a great skater or puck handler, I am very good positionally in my own end and I'll work harder than most of the other players on the boards and at the blue line. The skilled guys all try to strip the puck away and skate it up ice. I get in shooting and passing lanes and get the puck out of the zone at the very least, and usually all the way down the ice.

But, what can I do about it? I already get yelled at almost every game by one of our A's anyway.

Not playing on PK I can get on a team with three lines. Not with two. That combined with being yelled at by the assistants - those guys are sending you a message you haven't received yet. Time to find a new team bro.

[Zylos45 118]

But, what can I do about it? I already get yelled at almost every game by one of our A's anyway.

yikes! Time to walk

Not sure what you are paying to play (around Boston it is around $400ish per season).... but I bet you could find a nice domme

pay her half the money for the same abuse...

at least with the domme you'll get a happy ending

[Stewie 721]

yesterdays game my team kept trying to make it so that I was on the every other shift (we had 11 guys so had a 3-2-2 rotation up front, our coach makes sure that the extra third shifter is rotated around etc, but he wasnt playing this game) and I refused. We ended up getting one guy kicked out, and then another guy decided to leave when the ref gave someone a tripping penalty when the guy elbowed his head (literally an elbow so vicious it ripped his mask off and caused him to bleed, a trip? i wouldve left too lol). I will not take someones turn on ice just becuase its a close game.

[Souldriver 64]

Our pk, we try to get the better d players on with the pp we stay regular lines to try to give everyone their chance at a goal.

I know a lot of.you guys saying the beer league doesn't matter but I've sat the last 6 minutes on the bench to get a win that would help us keep going in the playoffs or help us reach the playoffs. I don't like it especially as I see people get tired, but sitting for 6 and getting another game is better than playing 3 of those 6 and then getting no where. Just my opinion here of course.

@reims : have you spoken to them about it? A lot of beer leaguers rather have their A star scorer out on a pk rather than a solid defensive player which imho is wrong. If theyre telling at you to sit and you don't question it then speak up. If it keeps coming up then start looking for a new group.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Not playing on PK I can get on a team with three lines. Not with two. That combined with being yelled at by the assistants - those guys are sending you a message you haven't received yet. Time to find a new team bro.

Ah, it's not as bad as I may have described. He just thinks he knows what he's talking about and gets pissy a lot.

One game, after our line had scored, I started to skate towards our bench to change but saw the rest of my line wasn't changing and had already lined up for the faceoff. At that point it was "okay I guess we arent changing" and I kind of circled back. Puck dropped, we got it deep in their end, and I skated immediately towards our bench. It was maybe a 15 second shift. As I'm skating back to the bench, he's on his feet screaming at me to get off the ice. I get on the bench and I just let him have it, lots of f-bombs telling him to "don't f**ing yell at me". The response I get back is "I'm an alternate captain on this team, I can and will."

Guy sitting in between us is tapping my knee saying "dont worry about it man, he doesnt mean anything by it, its just bench management". I don't care who he is, there's no reason to scream at me about it. Especially since I wasn't the one who took the long shift.

Another time, one of the guys on his line screwed up the lines after a period started by staying out. In trying to fix it, the second line called them to come off very quickly to try to get things back to normal. Of course he's absolutely freaking out on the bench AT ME about how he got screwed on his ice time. Blame your linemate bro, I had nothing to do with it.

It doesn't help that he NEVER passes, and he bitches when he doesn't get passed to. He also throws it up the middle in the offensive end ALL THE TIME and literally cost us two goals last night on breakaways from it.

Oh, I should also mention that its him that is the one that tells me I'm sitting on PKs. The rest of the team doesn't really care who goes out there (we all paid our fees, after all).

But truly, it's just the one guy. I love the rest of the team. The rest of them are super supportive and always try their hardest to get me the puck so I can learn. The last team I was on would never pass me the puck because they assumed it would be a wasted rush if they did. It's really just one bad apple. I just kind of tune him out for the most part now.

I know a lot of.you guys saying the beer league doesn't matter but I've sat the last 6 minutes on the bench to get a win that would help us keep going in the playoffs or help us reach the playoffs.

I will (and have) offered to sit near the end of games where we're down 1 to give the better players a chance to tie it. Sometimes I feel I shouldn't as I've paid my money and deserve equal shot at being the hero, but I'd rather a win than my own personal glory. If theres more than 3 mins on the clock though I'll let the other RW know that I'll be taking a short shift and to be ready. At that point I'm usually on the ice until we get control in the offensive zone, and then I skate my hardest to the bench to let him on.

@reims : have you spoken to them about it? A lot of beer leaguers rather have their A star scorer out on a pk rather than a solid defensive player which imho is wrong. If theyre telling at you to sit and you don't question it then speak up. If it keeps coming up then start looking for a new group.

I haven't mentioned it. Honestly I think our captain is kind of irritated with him too. The problem is that they work together, so I think he's super hesitant to say or do anything. Like I said, I largely tune it out from this guy now. I just thought it was relevant to post in this thread :)

[wrangler 157]

I know a lot of.you guys saying the beer league doesn't matter but I've sat the last 6 minutes on the bench to get a win that would help us keep going in the playoffs or help us reach the playoffs. I don't like it especially as I see people get tired, but sitting for 6 and getting another game is better than playing 3 of those 6 and then getting no where. Just my opinion here of course.

There's a huge difference between it being your choice and someone forcing it on you.

[MThockeydad 469]

Also a subtle, but distinct difference between a good captain asking you to ride the bench so a better player can try to win and keep you all playing and a bad captain/assistant telling you that's what you must do.

[Stewie 721]

There's a huge difference between it being your choice and someone forcing it on you.

thats exactly it. Ive had guys tell me to go out there when its their turn, and I do, but if one or a few of the guys on the bench start trying to mess with lines to stack the deck, I have an issue with that, because I think all should be equal, thats why we are a beer league team.

[Chadd 916]

thats exactly it. Ive had guys tell me to go out there when its their turn, and I do, but if one or a few of the guys on the bench start trying to mess with lines to stack the deck, I have an issue with that, because I think all should be equal, thats why we are a beer league team.

I always try to make sure we rotate the line that starts for the same reason. Sure there are different talent levels among the guys, but we're all on the same team. Nobody knows who is going to have the hot hand on any given night.

[Souldriver 64]

I always try to make sure we rotate the line that starts for the same reason. Sure there are different talent levels among the guys, but we're all on the same team. Nobody knows who is going to have the hot hand on any given night.

thats exactly it. Ive had guys tell me to go out there when its their turn, and I do, but if one or a few of the guys on the bench start trying to mess with lines to stack the deck, I have an issue with that, because I think all should be equal, thats why we are a beer league team.

Im not always volunteering but its a team and if the team thinks its best then i go with it. and like i said there are times when people are visibly too tired and that is what makes me really PO'ed bc 45 seconds out there shouldnt make the game

[chk hrd 164]

If I was in your skates here is what I would do with the loudmouth "A". If he rationalized he can treat people like crap becuase he has an A I'd have to put him in his place. I'd do it in the locker room in front of everyone. I'd explain that wearing A a is a priveledge and they come of easier than they go on and in reality it doesn't mean crap in beer league. In my job I have noticed the people who are always the loudest, most obnoxious are the people who are insecure and don't know what they are talking about. They feel they can BS thier way by bullying. If the guys treats everyone like he treats you I'm betting you'll get some support from the other guys in the room. Call him on the carpet in front of everyone and maybe it will embarrass him to the point that he changes his attitude.