ULF_55
Moderator
It doesn't matter if you spend a lot of time in the NCAA, KHL, SEL, or CHL.
Each team has their own system. European hockey is much different than the NHL. And the CHL is different than the NHL.
What I'm trying to state here is that you need to develop these players in your own system. I understand that you will have your free agents and your superstars that you don't need to necessarily develop, but for the other % of players on your roster, you absolutely need to do that.
I don't completely agree.
I think you can use the AHL to acclimatize players to the NHL. Someone like Gunnarsson wasn't developed by the Leafs prior to his NHL employment, but he did get acclimatization in the AHL.
Kulemin was developed for the NHL in the RSL, he didn't develop in his 5 AHL games.
Kadri was developed in the AHL, Bozak was acclimatized in the AHL.