Quote:
Originally Posted by VilleN
Other than Phillips I don't see any issues with how the Flames develop young players. Ruzicka has been developed by the team and is blossoming. Valimaki had a higher salary and looked like dog #### in the AHL, and during training camp - he's responsible for not getting a 'fair chance' not the Flames. Over the last 10 years or so we have developed a lot of drafted players: Gaudreau, Mangiapane, Dube, Andersson, Kylington, etc. Everyone complains about player x not getting a shot until they do. Tons of posters were bitching about Kylington not getting a fair chance, he eventually did and was successful. Same with Ruzicka. Does the organization not get credit for bringing these players along properly and giving them a shot once they felt they were ready? Maybe they see something in Phillips game that they don't like and aren't prepared to risk putting him in the lineup while we're battling for a playoff position. I imagine Arizona would give him a chance, because of course they would. They are trying to lose and can afford to develop him in the NHL. I doubt many competing teams would be throwing prospects into meaningful games to develop them. Especially a player like Phillips who is tiny, and has not shown all that well in preseason auditions.
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Not to pick on your post specifically, but this is my issue with development. You consider Ruzicka a plus because the Flames develop him, but Valimaki's failures on him and not the Flames.
Shouldn't it be one or the other?
I think development is kind of a catchall term that most people (including myself) don't really understand other than to point and say "good" or "bad." In reality, I suspect that most of development falls on the player - are they willing to put the work in to adapt their game if they have to? Are they even able to?
I mean, you look at Crosby who was famous for working on something until he mastered it and then moving on. But the Flames, as any team, presumably try to work with each prospect and work on their weaknesses.
Sometimes they can. Sometimes they can't. Sometimes they're just not willing to. I think how we should look at it is not so much development, but identifying a young player's weakness and if they can be fixed.
But I really think whether or not they can depend more on the player than the team. Of course, teams can royally screw up progress, but unless they're consistent at it, it's hard to point at the Flames and say what did they do right with Ruzicka and what did they do wrong with Valimaki.