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Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher
-I don't think players stagnate at lower levels. There's always things to learn, always things the coaches can help you improve on. If you're a great AHLer you can learn to improve and be an elite AHLer
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Except that players do plateau. Players need to continually be challenged throughout their development. When they are no longer challenged they have potential to plateau and no longer develop. There's an old adage to development in baseball. You don't learn to hit major league fast balls by hitting off minor league pitchers. You don't learn to play at the speed and pace of the NHL game by playing against minor league players. Coaches can't teach you speed and can't teach you to do things at speed. That only comes with experience.
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But I am very convinced that Gillies needed another year in the minors. Goalies take a long time to develop and I think it's much, much better for development to be starting in the AHL vs backing up in the NHL
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I think Gillies is in the minors until Christmas and then gets called up to be back up sometime after that. The only thing I think he needs some work on are his angles and maintaining his net. He looked really good in camp, and they really need to know if he's got it some time this season. Plus, you don't learn to stop NHL shooters by taking shots from AHL players.