I think it needs to be a possibility. I know the stigma (lack of a better word) of the ECHL but it's almost the same reasoning coaches gives guys they send to the AHL from the NHL. You need playing time to develop, so you will play more. If someone is playing 20 mins in the ECHL, it's going to help them more then 5 minutes or press box in the AHL. And with the Flames owning the ECHL team, I imagine they have a little more control over the day to day operations and could operate them as a second AHL team.
I don't agree with cutting loose all vets. You have to have them, you can't just play 1st and 2nd year players. You need those Yonkman, Tousignant, Gillies (off ice only) types where they bring the room together and help the kids out. I feel it's a non-negotiable part of an AHL team. I'd rather see a few AHL veterans stick around and send a few kids to the ECHL to get consistent time. Call ups between AHL and ECHL are freebies and there is no AHL roster limit so it's not like sending them down is the end of everything. And in Vause, Ramage and Kulak's cases, it helped them immensely.
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