I'm not saying he has nothing to learn in the WHL but I think a whole year there would be a waste. In my somewhat limited viewings his defensive struggles occur mostly when he doesn't have a size/speed advantage. The AHL would be perfect for him this year as there are plenty of guys who can push those challenges on him in a more sheltered environment than the NHL, but since that obviously isn't an option I think giving him a healthy dose of NHL action is going to allow him to work on his deficiencies more than going straight back to the W after 9 games. Unless he looks completely lost and morale becomes a concern, then the decision becomes pretty easy