Quote:
Originally Posted by DomeFoam
Under this logic Caufield will also be a bust cause hes playing 4th line minutes with Jake Evans and Lehkonen. Cozens playing with Bjork and Caggiula? You're acting like the Flames are the only team that actually make their top prospects earn top 6 spots.
|
Not the same logic. Those are rookies and they're being asked to get used to the pace of the league. They're not being measured by production yet. Bennett was able to play at NHL pace nine games into his career which is why they burned the first two years of his ELC. And his rookie season was perfectly respectable - better than Monahan's rookie season for instance.
Then he was asked to
carry our depth guys. Those bottom six carry roles are typically reserved for over-30 vets - the Stajan, Ryan, Backlund types who have little left to prove in their careers. It's remarkably uncommon for teams to place 4th overall picks in their bottom six with bottom six icetime. The Oilers did so and they nearly botched Puljujarvi's development too, though they've come to their senses.
Not 20,21,22 year olds who know they have a lot more to give and would get frustrated by a glass ceiling.
Though that logic you refer to
is why sophomore players tend to have huge "breakout" years after middling or worse rookie years. See Leon Draisaitl - 3rd line bust as a rookie, 1st line stud as a sophomore with Hall on his line.
Linemate quality is a huge driver of success in the NHL. Even Nathan MacKinnon didn't live up to his hype until the Avs added Rantanen.