Let’s (finally) debunk the myth of meritocracy

Tony Patoine
Let’s (finally) debunk the myth of meritocracy
Credit: Combien vaut Kirby Dach?

We hear all sorts of things about the famous meritocracy, which, according to many, should govern every decision made by the good leaders of the Flanelle and the NHL. Thus, meritocracy is supposedly THE way to do things, the guiding principle, the only way to properly manage a team and an organization.

Yet meritocracy—much like the oft-debunked myth of “selecting the best player available” in the draft (when in reality, 80% of the time, executives choose the player who is the best fit for their organization)—is actually used only on a very limited basis by the overwhelming majority of organizations.

Examples?

1. Did Slaf deserve to make the Canadiens' roster at age 18?

Not necessarily. The team mainly preferred to keep the player they'd just drafted with the first overall pick—at the very start of their rebuild—under Martin St. Louis's watchful eye and use him sparingly.

2. Did Samuel Montembeault deserve that many starts last year?

No. Not at all. But we liked the guy; we respected everything he'd done during the rebuild; we were committed to getting him back on track. It was the human thing to do. And statistically, Dobes wasn't that much better than him before the holidays…

3. Did Owen Beck deserve to be called up this week?

Not really. Sure, Beck is capable of playing in the NHL (speed, shot, defensive awareness), but it's likely that the Habs mainly want to give him NHL games whenever they can to maintain his value. Beck doesn't really have a future in Montreal.

4. Does Kirby Dach deserve to be in the lineup every night?

No, but we're keeping our fingers crossed and hoping he'll break out a bit so he can maintain some value in the eyes of NHL executives.

5. Last Wednesday night on Prime (featuring multiple appearances by Cole Caufield!), did Dobes—who was already struggling—deserve the starting spot against the Capitals, a powerful team?

No. But with two games in two nights, they wanted to give him a chance to bounce back, etc.

6. Does a defenseman like Luke Mittelstadt deserve to be called up right now?

Yes, but we're in the process of evaluating Engtsrom's value at the top, both for the Habs and for the rest of the NHL… And we also want David Reinbacher, the 5th overall pick in 2023, to be evaluated and spend as much time as possible with his future teammates… No room for you right now, Luke…

7. Slafkovsky—him again—after his exploits last year, did he deserve to start the season on the second line?

No. But at the start of the season, we wanted to see if Kreider would be another good fit alongside Suzuki and Caufield. And we wanted to see if Slaf and Demidov could recreate some of the magic they showed us over about 30 games last year.

8. Did Florian Xhekaj deserve to play the first two games of the season after a terrible training camp?

Well, yes. But out of respect, we started with a clean slate and chose to give all the veterans a chance to prove themselves right from the start of the season. It's up to them to lose their spots…

9. Did Suzuki deserve all those chances in shootouts over the past few years, given that he hasn't scored in that situation since December 2023?

Absolutely not! But he's the captain, adored and respected by everyone, so we decided to stop counting his mulligans. We finally (!) applied a little meritocracy to Bolduc's situation and pulled Suzuki from the shootout against Buffalo last Tuesday!

10. Does the first power-play unit currently deserve to play three-quarters of every opponent's penalty?

No, but given last year's success and such talented players, who wouldn't prefer patience and “hard work” early in the season?

11. Does Dylan Larkin deserve to wear the prestigious Red Wings jersey—an Original 6 team—once again?

“Not even close!” as the late Rodger Brulotte used to say! But they're trying to have it both ways in Detroit…

12. In Ottawa, did Brady Tkachuk deserve to wear the captain's “C” after laughing and letting his father make fun of goalie Linus Ullmark on his family podcast last winter?

Well, no! But at least the Sens corrected that relatively quickly—and for good…

Many Factors to Consider

We could go on like this for a long time, but you get the idea: there are plenty of other factors, principles, and virtues to take into account when managing people in a competitive team setting.

Not everyone has the same talent.

Not everyone is given the same benefit of the doubt or the same opportunities as first-round picks. Life is unfair!

Not everyone has contributed equally to the team's past successes or shared equally in its past struggles.

Also, the stage of the season (early, mid, late, playoffs) as well as the context in which the team operates (rebuilding or competing?) greatly influence management's decisions.

We'll show respect and patience toward certain players and evaluate others differently during a rebuild or early in the season, but the more we're part of a competitive team, the later we are in the season or the playoffs, the more meritocracy will take center stage.

In short, meritocracy isn't a “one-size-fits-all” approach that applies at all times, in all places, and to everyone in the same way.

It is simply a management principle—admittedly very important in any competitive field—but just one principle among many when managing people.

Fairness, trust, patience, communication, a certain degree of tolerance, as well as the intelligent and calculated management of assets, are all principles and virtues that also have their place when steering this kind of ship.

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