Despite what people and coaches think, that athletes can always put distractions on the side, they can't. Players need to know in a black and white form what's going on. |
He wasn't being relied upon to do the things that he always did. He wasn't on the power play. Sure, he was frustrated. |
I think the pace of the game, because of the new rules, caught a lot of veterans like Steve by surprise. He clearly didn't have the jump, and when you can't get around the ice, you will lack in confidence. |
It's remarkable how aware he is of things that go on around him. He hasn't made mistakes in his life because he is aware of his surroundings and how things could be portrayed. As a player, he never put himself in a bad position to get hit. He's done that in retirement, too. |
The reality is that Wayne doesn't like to start something and not finish. My guess is that he's the kind of guy who will think about things long and hard, and then he'll decide to return. |
This is not an ideal situation. A seven-game series comes at you quickly and if you aren't sure going into it and everyone isn't on the same page, you can be out in four games before you can blink an eye. |