Because it would make more sense for him to play regular minutes than to rotate in and out of the line-up with Engelland and Bortuzzo. The team has 8 defensemen that should be up, but only 1 can pass through waivers and it's Despres. Until Shero figures out who to move and I am hoping it's Engelland, Despres is better suited playing top 4 pairing minutes in WBS to start the year.
You think it was bad when Letang was sent down?
Did he stay down that whole year? No. People have this assumption that once he's down there, he's stuck there. Not the case, unless he's severely out played by Dumoulin and isn't called up because of that, in which case too bad for Simon, work harder next time kid.
It's a cap thing as well as a minutes thing, I mean could he learn while being up? Sure, but playing every other game or so or playing a few and then sitting a few or playing 12-14 minutes vs being top 4 in the AHL, playing PK and PP minutes and close to 20mins...
Yes, horrible.
Only way I'd be happy to see him up is if he's up and a regular fixture on that 3rd pairing playing 15+ minutes a game. For that to happen, Niskanen has to go, it's pointless keeping him as the guy we rotate in and out. I'd rather see a duo of Despres & Bortuzzo, as much as it might scare some people having two youngsters, Bortz is a stay at home type of guy, maybe keeping Engelland gives some sort of veteran to switch in and out, but yeah...
