I think scouting in the professional ranks in Europe and signing one or two of these guys every year or every couple of years is a good idea. Some work out, some don't. There is no risk in doing so. Just because some don't pan out doesn't mean it is a waste. Not all draft picks pan out either, and I don't see any team trading away all their draft picks every year. Not exactly a fair comparison I know, but the reasoning is there.
If one guy pans out every now and then, it is a 'free' player. If he doesn't, he goes back to where he came from. I like teams with a bit of an international flavor myself. Wolf seems like a good bet to stick in the NHL as a depth player. Nothing wrong with that. He will have to earn his icetime. If not, Hartley will end up benching him just like he did with Cervenka (whom I didn't think was too bad - still would have liked to see another year out of him).
If nothing else, it is just another player to talk about and look forward to watching. You sometimes have no idea how it works out until you try it. I just don't see how it hurts. Hartley isn't going to give this guy time undeservedly. If someone else beats him out for a spot, he won't be playing.
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