Prefacing this with I haven't seen him play.. Promising stats, but he's playing with Greentree who is certainly no slouch. That team is relatively stacked across the board. I can't help but think of Burakovsky with McDavid and Suzdalev with Bedard.Has anyone been watching Ilya Protas closely? Looks like we just got a steal this past draft...
Between Leonard's slow start at BC and Smith, I'm wondering if Leonard belongs in the AHL next year.I think Leonard was more NHL ready than Smith but a reminder that young guys have a tough time hacking it in the NHL. This nugget was in an article in The Athletic this morning.
Will Smith was a healthy scratch against the Kings on Thursday night and for good reason: He does not look NHL-ready at the moment. The Sharks have done their part to shelter him with the easiest usage on the team, but through six games he has zero points and is sporting one of the lowest xG rates on the team. Some AHL seasoning might be what’s best for San Jose’s prized prospect.
Burakovsky would be a great result for younger Protas, but I agree that Suzdalev is the cautionary tale. It's a reminder to be excited but also not to go overboard.Prefacing this with I haven't seen him play.. Promising stats, but he's playing with Greentree who is certainly no slouch. That team is relatively stacked across the board. I can't help but think of Burakovsky with McDavid and Suzdalev with Bedard.