Frost isn't competing with Cates or Laughton, if Frost's ceiling becomes a 3C, he'll be traded b/c Cates is a better fit for that role, Desnoyers looks like he's staying at center, we'll see what they do with Poehling, and so on.
I'm sure they're not sold on Gauthier at center, and would love for Frost to step up and solidify his hold on the 2C spot. And it's all about pacing with him, this game was a microcosm of his career so far, pretty much invisible in the first period, dominant in the 3rd. When Frost skates hard and forces the action, he can be a dynamic player, when he glides through a shift, passively waiting for an opportunity to present itself, he often become the 'invisible man.'
Frost simply isn't as nifty as Brink, his speed is what gives him an edge over most forwards, when he doesn't use it, he's taking away what makes him special. TK lacks "shake and bake" and isn't that great of a passer in traffic, but consistently uses his speed to pressure defenses, take advantage of breakdowns and to get back defensively when you think he's out of a play. Frost has a more complete offensive skill package than TK, and is bigger, but he lacks TK's intensity and motor.