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Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen
No. By the time a player has any chance of outgrowning the AHL they're waiver eligible and another team will notice and pick them up. Detroit, arguably the best when it comes to developing players, has no problem keeping players in the AHL that have probably shown NHL glimpses. Players like Kindl, Smith and Tatar. Then there was Nyquist who in the 2012-2013 was over a point-per-game player in the AHL (for the second season in a row) and eventually called up and played every playoff game for the Red Wings that year. If anyone has ever graduated from the AHL it was Nyquist, yet the Red Wings still started him in the AHL for the 2013-2014 season. He put up 21 points in 15 games with the Rapids before joining the Red Wings full-time and putting up 48 points in 57 games as a 24 year old. Detroit fans have seen it time and time again of players having to earn their spot, show that they are well beyond the AHL or the European leagues, and even then they have no issue scratching you until you're proven to be a full-time NHLer. It's worked for them. This season at least two of Mantha, Jurco or Pulkkinen will start in the AHL and no Detroit fan is jumping over the bridge because of that possibility.
There are players like Zach Boychuk who are borderline NHL players who put up great points in the AHL but can't translate their game consistently to the NHL. However, Boychuk has been given every opportunity to play in the NHL including three different teams and nearly 100 NHL games. And at 24 I'd hardly say his NHL career is completely over.
It is an absurd concept to me that people feel that the Flames have players who have outgrown the AHL. Gaudreau obviously did outgrow College, but until he puts those points up in the AHL I don't think he's come close to showing he will have his development ruined by starting in the AHL. Baertschi certainly hasn't shown to have outgrown the AHL. Bennett is the only one I can see having a reasonable argument about outgrowing his league, and that's only because he can't play in the AHL. I don't think playing in the CHL one more year will ruin him though, give him time to bulk up.
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Hockey is a game of probabilities, therefore ice time and exposure should be enough to yield points over time. Only very special players are able to make.things happen on the ice every single time, whereas most players have cycles of "hot streaks" and "cold streaks".
Having an open roster spot on the 4th line isn't valuable exposure, as indicated by GMs who would rather them getting 25 minutes a night in a lesser league. However, stacking a roster where the only spots available are those 4th line spots make it difficult for players to crack the roster. Lets not be naive - a GM has the power to create a.system that fosters less rookie ice time. If they want it to happen, it will happen.
Chances are Gaudreau, Baertschi, Poirer and Granlund will outplay Bollig, Jones, Setoguchi, and Byron, but someone will feel that they need premium ice time in the AHL. So why give it your all in training camp when you never stood a chance?