Sanheim is directly comparable to McAvoy. He's the Flyers' No. 3 defenseman, with none of the others even in the same conversation as him. They're around the same draft slot with Sanheim being 2 years older. The Bruins have a loaded roster with huge expectations and they slapped McAvoy right into the lineup and give him huge minutes even after having heart surgery. The Flyers' defense has been a dumpster fire for years and Sanheim spent 90 games longer in the AHL learning how to play like Andy MacDonald or something.
Oskar Lindblom was the best forward in a league comparable to the AHL last year and easily one of the 5 best forwards in camp and he spent months in the minors.
Konecny gets benched in games where he's the No. 1 star.
Shayne Gostisbehere is having a Norris-worthy season and he doesn't hit the ice late in tie games.
If you suggest the Bruins' approach is remotely similar to the Flyers' you're just being intellectually dishonest.
McAvoy only got slapped in because they had to play him last year in the playoffs due to injuries, he played well and won a job.
He's simply a better player than Sanheim right now, the comparison isn't apt at all, once you get to the NHL, performance, not draft slot, is all that counts.
Most of the Boston rookies were older players: Heinen (22), Kuraly (25), Grzelcyk (24), Donato (22 on April 9) just recalled, Czarnki (25), 2nd year
The younger players were mostly 1st rd picks: Pastrnak #25, DeBrusk #14, McAvoy #14, Carlo #37
That's the same pattern you see everywhere, top picks come up faster, later picks tend to spend 1-2 years or more in the AHL (and/or 3-4 years in college).