Avalanche coach Joe Sacco showed again today he doesn’t base his personnel decisions on the size of a player’s contract.
Sacco announced this morning that defenseman John-Michael Liles will be a healthy scratch for tonight’s game with the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place, as youngster Kyle Cumiskey returns to the lineup.
“It is never an easy decision to scratch any player,” Sacco said. “It’s not easy to scratch John right now. We’ve got seven healthy (defensemen) and right now he’s the guy that’s out.
“I think he can take his game to another level. We don’t want him to be satisfied with just getting by. He can do it. We’re just trying to find a way to get the most out of him.”
Liles, in the second year of a four-year, $16.4 million contract, has three goals and 14 points in 28 games.
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
Ottawa Sun reporter Bruce Garrioch contributed to this report.
