Agreed. The kids head got so screwed up last year. He's in Hartford, then in the NHL, then back in Hartford then playing 4 minutes a night in the NHL, then back in Hartford then in the playoffs playing big minutes.
Sometimes players take a little longer to develop. I don't think it's effort issues at all, i don't understand where people are getting that idea from. There hasn't been one peep about a problem with his effort.
What it seems to me is that he doesn't quite get what type of player he is. He is a winger and I get the feeling (as i didn't see him much) that in college, everything was on his shoulders and he was playing all areas of the ice. He needs to realize, in the NHL, as a winger, it's up and down on one side of the ice. When he limits his game to that and takes a more simplistic approach is when he looks his best.
I understand why Torts did what he did last year. With the short season, every game was vitally important. But this year is a normal year. Start him in Hartford, get him to understand a game-plan and then call him up when he's ready.
Honestly, with the way last year was run, this is the first real year of his development that i will put weight into. If he completely ***** the bed this whole year, I will have my doubts, until then, i'll reserve judgement.
And i agree with the above poster who said many of you seem to want him to fail just to say i told you so. This kid has very high potential, as we've all seen. Him being successful is a huge bonus
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