Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteMoss
'Old' school hockey guys like Sutter believe there is some giant chasm between AHL players and NHL players. But just like there is little difference between the 11th forward and 12th forward on an NHL team - there is likely little difference between the 13th forward in the NHL and the 14th forward in the AHL. Or even the 10th forward and the 17th forward
In all likelihood they are basically going to be the same level of player so there is such little downside to giving these guys a shot. Otherwise you never find out if someone has a little extra juice and can fill a top 9 role for you because you are so worried some guy might not make the safe Trevor Lewis play and cost you 1 game of 82.
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I think this is wildly wrong. The gap between the 13th forward in the NHL and your 14th forward in the AHL is, I think, enormous. It might not appear that way in drills, or in measurables like speed, strength, etc.
But the thing that separates the NHL and players in the NHL from the leagues below it and other leagues around the world is that NHL players convert mistakes into goals so, so, so much faster and more regularly than in any other league. Make a mistake in the NHL and you're almost guaranteed to see a high-danger scoring chance for the other team.
And that's what separates guys who can play in the NHL from those who can't: they either almost never make mistakes, or they are fantastic at capitalizing on those mistakes, or - more commonly - both.
Your 14th forward in the A vs. the 13th in the NHL you're going to see guys who just make more mistakes. Consistently.