Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkGio
Honestly, if Andersson came out and was better than Stone, do you honestly expect Stone to be traded? The path of least resistance is to send Andersson down and "over cook" him and wait for an injury. But if he proves he's NHL ready, what is it telling him that he's not "NHL status" yet? It tells him he's just unlucky that the Flames have a glut of RD already. So what does Andersson and his agent consider at that point?
Sure, it's possible that Andersson plays on the left. But I doubt that any coach would do that. It would be easier to give Andersson big minutes in the AHL at his natural position and just wait for things to open up for him in the NHL.
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I think the answer is in your question.
How can Andersson prove he's better without an injury or an opportunity? In that you have a potential problem but a necessary one as the opposite is even worse.
If the Flames moved Stone before training camp because Andersson looked great in Penticton they'd be idiots (and I'm not suggesting you said that).
So instead you watch and you learn. If he looks ahead of everyone in Penticton you note it, and make sure you leg him out in main camp. When rosters get cut down you play him in those last exhibition games against mostly NHL teams and you take notes.
If there are no injuries then you send him down with the word that he's close. Go dominate the AHL and we'll go from there.
Injury comes up and you bring him up. If he does well you have a decision.
I think it has to go that way.
The alternative is MacTavish telling the media that Draisaitl has made the team in the middle of summer. NO thanks