I think galchenyuk would have been a serviceabke top 6 forward, maybe even center had he been allowed to develop in the AHL.I'm starting to agree with the possible "mandatory" trip through AHL for our prospects. Espicially if you have a guy like Bouchard, who was brought to help with developpement. If you have a guy like him, who is a great teacher, it's sort of a waste if you don't have you prospect work with him first.
Side note, another good article by Brunet from lapresse about KK and how, for those who might scream how KK's selection might be a bad one, history shows us that player development is note a race, but a marathon and some great example of players ahead in points in the NHL after 3 years, rarely are the players being the best selection on the long run: https://www.lapresse.ca/sports/hock...u-etait-un-flop-apres-trois-ans-disait-on.php
Striking example given are Huberdeau and Kucherov.
24 SOG is fine. Around 2 shots per game is a good target for a center.
I think galchenyuk would have been a serviceabke top 6 forward, maybe even center had he been allowed to develop in the AHL.
Good to hear KK is picking it up in laval though
Or, and this is a crazy idea, but if the kid is someone you want to play in your top 6 one day, don't have them grinding it out with slugs on the 4th line?It's just so hard for teams when the kid is better than 3-4 regulars. The coach wants him, the GM wants to win and keep his job, so they keep him as he makes the team better right now, but the kid doesn't progress and soon he's a problem. Even worse is if you waited too long then you can't send him down without having to waive him. That's why you need those Weal, Cousins, Thompson guys on the 4th line, so that you don't ruin your kids on it.
It's just so hard for teams when the kid is better than 3-4 regulars. The coach wants him, the GM wants to win and keep his job, so they keep him as he makes the team better right now, but the kid doesn't progress and soon he's a problem. Even worse is if you waited too long then you can't send him down without having to waive him. That's why you need those Weal, Cousins, Thompson guys on the 4th line, so that you don't ruin your kids on it.
Playing them in a top 6 role before they are ready isn't a good idea either.
Playing them in a top 6 role before they are ready isn't a good idea either.
True. I beleive that if you have a prospect pencil as a top 6 forward, he should play as a top 6 Forward. If he can't do it in the NHL, you let him play as a top 6 in the AHL until they are ready. I don't see how getting them to play grinders on the 4th line, a role they likely never had to do in their junior carreer, will help them get into top 6 duty later on.
How about
The thing is sheltering a player is fine , but we go way overboard
Some nights give a player an extra turn on the PP or a few extra minutes
A player like RP has size, strength , decent speed and skill
8-10 shifts with trash makes no sense at all .
How about if we draft and develop our own Weal , Cousins , Thompson. We have a hard time developing top 6 , can we at least try to develop role players .
I don't care as much because we can easily find those guys on free agency or for a 5th round pick but I'd take anything at this point from our development program.