Exactly this.
Here's his stats for last year, this year so far, and his projection (just current pace extended for the rest of the season). Columns are Games Played, Goas, Assists, Total Points, Penalty Minutes, +/-
View attachment 939031
He's on pace for a
96% increase in goals, 14% percent increase in assists, for an overall 47% increase in total points. He's also on pace to reduce his penalty minutes by 16.5%. What more could you want from the kid?
He was drafted off potential. The worry was that the second half of last year was fluke and not progress. The start of this season clearly shows last year wasn't just a hot streak. I think if teams knew he would put up these numbers the first 3rd of the season, he wouldn't have been a "reach" at three.