Sometimes you have to sit a guy, even when it makes you look almost as foolish as the guy perched in the press box.
Paying Matt Moulson $5 million per year already must sting a bit for the Buffalo Sabres, but they finally bit the bullet and made him a healthy scratch on Wednesday, with Marcus Foligno taking his place.
#Sabres scratches: Colaiacovo, Moulson.#Capitals scratches: Carlson, Galiev, Latta.#BUFvsWSH
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 30, 2015
More than a few observers believe that it’s a move that has been in the making.
Matt Moulson probably should've been scratched at least two weeks ago.
— Bill Hoppe (@BillHoppeNHL) December 30, 2015
Moulson is paid to produce offense, but instead he’s been doing very little with the often-limited ice time he’s received.
He’s currently on a seven-game pointless streak and only has an assist in his last 11 games. Even his simple chances are drying up, as he failed to even get a shot on goal in two of his last three games.
(His possession stats seem acceptable, but they aren’t really going to force him to stay in the lineup, either.)
Moulson’s $5 million cap hit runs through 2018-19, so the Sabres have to hope that this is merely a lull rather than a sign of things to come.
Aside: perhaps it’s a slightly unhealthy scratch too? It sounded like Moulson was dealing with an illness earlier this week.
Matt Moulson missed Sabres' practice because of illness. Evander Kane absent for personal reasons. Mark Pysyk working out off ice.
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) December 27, 2015
Either way, Buffalo has to hope for better things from him in the future.
