[shutout]

Question with regards to player development.
Of the top five prospects it looks like Ekblad is the only one that is almost guaranteed to be playing in the NHL next year.
Prospects Bennett and Dal Colle are both younger and can definitely put on some more muscle and should probably be going back to junior next year.
The two question marks are Reinhart and Draisaitl. Draisaitl has the size to play in the NHL but could use work on skating. Reinhart could use the time to fill out more and work on his skating. Neither one of them has anything to prove in junior, and neither is eligible for the AHL next year.

My question is whether or not you can assign players to European leagues instead of junior for a year when they are not eligible for the AHL? Say we end up with Reinhart. Nothing left to prove in junior with 105 points in 60 games, but at 185 lbs maybe not ready for the NHL, and not old enough for the AHL. Could the Flames sign him and assign him to the KHL or the top Swedish or Finnish leagues if they could find a team that was willing to take him?

Would this be better for his development than having to go back to junior or being rushed into the NHL? Same argument for Draisaitl.