WhatTheDuck
9 - 20 - 8
I wouldn't consider it "rushing" to have an CHL prospect advance to the AHL for their age 20 season rather than return as an overage, that's the normal progression for a prospect that age if they are expected to have an NHL future.
There are only a dozen skaters in the OHL who are playing an overage season and were drafted at some point or have NHL rights owned. There's none that were drafted in 2023, signed to an ELC and returned to junior. A few that were just drafted in their D+2, some other 2023 picks who are questionable to get signed (Konnor Smith among them) and one undrafted FA that the Oilers signed and then sent back. If you think a CHL prospect is worth signing at age 20, it's really uncommon to send them back as an overage. Definitely not "rushing" to send a player along the same path as the vast majority of their peers.
I could have understood going with an atypical path for Myatovic and sending him back, given everything he went through last year. But then you run the risk of him saying FU and refusing to sign before his rights expire this spring as well.
Pitre has been described as playing a pro style game, he just needs to get stronger so he can apply it at the AHL level. Let's see if he can make the necessary progression as a second and third year pro.
There are only a dozen skaters in the OHL who are playing an overage season and were drafted at some point or have NHL rights owned. There's none that were drafted in 2023, signed to an ELC and returned to junior. A few that were just drafted in their D+2, some other 2023 picks who are questionable to get signed (Konnor Smith among them) and one undrafted FA that the Oilers signed and then sent back. If you think a CHL prospect is worth signing at age 20, it's really uncommon to send them back as an overage. Definitely not "rushing" to send a player along the same path as the vast majority of their peers.
I could have understood going with an atypical path for Myatovic and sending him back, given everything he went through last year. But then you run the risk of him saying FU and refusing to sign before his rights expire this spring as well.
Pitre has been described as playing a pro style game, he just needs to get stronger so he can apply it at the AHL level. Let's see if he can make the necessary progression as a second and third year pro.
