As the NHL playoff push heats up, coaches are facing a delicate balancing act. While the stakes are higher than ever, they must also find a way to keep their teams motivated and focused on every game, regardless of their standing in the standings. Assigning meaning to each contest can be a challenge, especially for teams that may be out of playoff contention or have already secured a spot in the postseason. With the margin for error slim, coaches must find a way to get their players to buy in and give it their all, even in games that may seem inconsequential to the overall playoff picture.

Coach must assign meaning to every game, no matter playoff outlook  NHL.com