If someone is not physically ready for the NHL, yes you will hurt them. If they are not mentally ready, yes you will hurt them. There is a natural progression that good prospects take. Some are ready right after being drafted, most aren't. With Monahan, one thing we kept hearing is that he has a good head on his shoulders which could be the reason the mental side of the game never seemed to affect him and he did quite well.
Physically, players break down over the long schedule, and they need to be ready to withstand that.
IMO, there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping someone in the AHL, even if they are NHL ready and because of different circumstances you don't want to call them up to the big club. There is always stuff to work on, and always stuff to get better at. Usually good prospects who will be great players end up being great players at some point, even if they stay in the minors longer than normal.
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