1.   As St. Louis has adapted to new coach Joel Quenneville, who like Hitchcock uses four lines, Twist has seen his minutes reduced.

2.   A midseason acquisition, Johnson said the reason he had been in a funk is because his minutes had been reduced as the team got healthy.

3.   A trade for a capable backup may reduce his minutes but prolong his career.

4.   Coach John Muckler may have no choice but to hand him reduced minutes, in hopes of having the kids lead the way to the postseason.

5.   He also knew that by playing on the Joe Nieuwendyk line, minutes might be reduced because Nieuwendyk is still playing himself back into shape after double knee surgery.

6.   The senior Gardner became increasingly disenchanted after Jelani was suspended and benched and later had his minutes drastically reduced as a sophomore.

7.   Smits fouled out three times and his minutes were reduced sharply.