Andrew Brunette doesn't sound overly impressed with his Nashville Predators players.
When the coach of the disappointing Preds was asked Tuesday if he has thought about making any of his high-profile players a healthy scratch, Brunette took it a step further.
"We could scratch every guy in our lineup," Brunette said, per Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean. "But unfortunately, we need players going. At different times, it for sure crosses your mind. But they have to earn it, you can't just do it to do it. It's a false thing to do where you try to create something ... players see right through that."
The Predators, after an active off-season, sit last in the league with a record of 7-15-6. They have lost seven in a row and 11 of 13.
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The team's awful start has raised questions about the job security of Brunette, who guided the Predators to the playoffs and a first-round loss to the Vancouver Canucks in his first season with the squad last year.
The Predators have made the playoffs nine of the past 10 years.
Brunette also was asked if he worried about making some players scratches and not others. For example, it was pointed out, Michael McCarron sat out earlier this season, while marquee free agent Jonathan Marchessault (five goals, eight assists in 28 games) has not.
"You always worry. Players see it, players see through a lot of different things," Brunette said. "With (Marchessault), you're trying to be patient with him, you're trying to make him feel comfortable. You're trying to find solutions for him. Because we're going to need him.
"With (McCarron), I'm sure he looks at that saying 'what happened to me?' But (McCarron), I think he was minus-10 at the time, too. Unfortunately, like I said, I could scratch every guy on the team."
The Predators will try to snap their skid Tuesday against the Calgary Flames.
Watch the game at 8 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. MT on Sportsnet West or Sportsnet+.
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