Quote:
Originally Posted by FanIn80
Like the goal in developing a player shouldn't be to have them "hone their game at a lower level." It should be to contiuously challenge them to become better and better. Shots and harder, faster and more accurate in the NHL. Cross-crease plays are snappier and are much less bobbled. Breakaways are faster with quicker and more creative moves.
Like think about who plays in the AHL... players who aren't good enough to play in the NHL. There are players on every team in the NHL who haven't never played a single game in the AHL. I just feel like goalies are much more reflexive and muscle memory oriented than players are, and if he's down there for a third year of his reflexes and muscle memory tuned around players who aren't good enough to play in the NHL, what's gonna happen when he plays in the NHL?
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The other side to it is that the AHL is less structured and has worse defensive coverage than the NHL. For a goaltender in the AHL you are seeing far more quality chances against than you would see in the NHL.
While there is a drop in talent in the AHL the biggest difference between players at the NHL and AHL level is their processing speed. How quick they think the game and can recognize problems or opportunities and adapt. In the AHL there are lots of good skilled players and shooters. In the game they cant process fast enough but against an opposing goalie they can generate scoring chances.
Biggest thing for any player developing and especially a goaltender is to get playing time. Far better to be playing 65 games in the AHL than 20 games in the NHL to continue to work on skills, tactics, and confidence.