Confirmed with Link: Slafkovsky, Guhle, Harris and Xhekaj made the team!!

[BaseballCoach]

Now find me a list of players that were ruined by starting in the AHL.

Seriously? The vast, vast majority of players who failed to hit their potential started their pro careers in the minors

 

[Kennerback]

Seriously? The vast, vast majority of players who failed to hit their potential started their pro csreers in the minors.

For many this is counterintuitive. 3/4 of fans think more AHL means better development. The AHL promotes itself as a development league. And that’s fair game.

But for top 1st rounders success in the NHL is inversely proportional to the amount of “AHL development” time. For example Alexander Volchkov was drafted 4OA. He spent 4 years in the AHL. I’m sure he learned great lessons in humility and it shows he was a fine standup team guy for dedicating so much time on his game in the AHL. He ended up having a 3 game NHL career..

The more games a top 1st rounder gets in the AHL, the worst NHL career he ends up having.

 

[BaseballCoach]

He is simply not NHL ready. Not sure what we're doing here. I expect they are really banking he is a fast learner and etc, but this can't be what's best for his development in the long run....

A "ready" NHL prospect is one who will not be in the pressbox, who does not need extreme sheltering, and not only has more skill than his internal competition, but demonstrates it being actually effective more often than their skills.

You may think AHL development is better than I do, but for you to say that Slaf is simply not ready (as if it's obvious) flies in the face of an entire professional organization's assessment.

As for whether it is best for his development, it has been best for high draft picks for multiple teams, multiple years, multiple players. It is NOT "obvious" that he cannot follow in their path.

If he can't produce, and four out of Pezzetta, Pitlick, Dadonov, Hoffman, Drouin, Armia push him out of a job, that is fine, send him down.

But right now, he has CLEARLY shown to his coaches and GM that he is ready in their eyes - to START developing at the NHL level on a 3rd or maybe 4th line.

 

[Habs Halifax]

He's not going to explode in 9 games and do what's needed to stay all year. But we can disagree, I'm not replying a million times

Does he need to "explode" out though? I think the key here is ice time regardless of NHL or AHL.

 

[BaseballCoach]

What are you talking about mate?

Tampa is actually a good model of how players should be properly developed!

Tampa played Sergachev in the NHL at age 19 knowing full well that this cost them the difference between a second round pick and a sixth round pick in their trade with us.

Well-run teams like Tampa, Colorado and the Rangers seem to be able to absorb the top-ranked rookies right into the NHL because they do not expect miracles right away. They are willing to wait for dividends. They gave Hedman 21 minutes from his very first year at 18. By age 22 he was dominant. But they were willing to wait while he climbed the ladder rather than being impatient.

He's not going to explode in 9 games and do what's needed to stay all year. But we can disagree, I'm not replying a million times

That is not a realistic standard. He just needs to continue to be in the top 8 wingers all year while showing progress. He is starting at #5, and his internal competition is mostly crapola.

 

[HabsForHire]

What are you talking about mate?

Tampa is actually a good model of how players should be properly developed!

Palat spent 2 years in the AHL!
Kucherov spent a year in Russia after being drafted then they sent him to QMJHL for one year and then they started him in the AHL the next year!

Killorn took 5 years before making the team!

Point spent two more years in the WHL before making the team.

Cirelli spent 2 years in the OHL and then played a year in the AHL.

They developed Gourde in the AHL for 4 years before he made the big club.

You could argue they should have sent Hedman to the AHL at the beginning of his career as it took him 5 years before he actually flourished in the NHL, I remember people talking about him as underwhelming for a while.

So who are you really talking about apart Stamkos who was killing it from the get-go and who couldn't be sent to the AHL?

Well said, tampa actually developed their players. Definition of insanity "Always doing the same thing and expecting different results"


Disclaimer ***I'm fine with 9 games*** but if he is still not ready SEND HIM DOWN !!!

 

[expy]

Xhekaj is older than Barron.

If Barron wants to compare himself to Xhekaj, he can wait until he's Xhekaj's age.

At any rate, both are different players with different skill sets that the other will never have. Xhekaj will never have Barron's skating stride. Barron needs to focus on Barron and improving his game with experience.

Xhekaj never really looked like he was missing a stride or was a step behind. His hockey sense is just so much more superior.

 

[Colezuki]

Xhekaj never really looked like he was missing a stride or was a step behind. His hockey sense is just so much more superior.

I dont agree, I think Xhekaj just knows his role and what he needs to be successful, Barron is trying to do too much and isn't ready to take on that much responsibility

 

[expy]

I dont agree, I think Xhekaj just knows his role and what he needs to be successful, Barron is trying to do too much and isn't ready to take on that much responsibility

Trying to do too much? He constantly blunders the simplest of plays, he wasn't even required to do much --

Meanwhile Xhekaj is hitting, defending, backchecking, forechecking, pinching, fighting.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I dont agree, I think Xhekaj just knows his role and what he needs to be successful, Barron is trying to do too much and isn't ready to take on that much responsibility

Barron likes to roam a bit in his own end. He needs to mature in the defensive coverage areas of the game.

Xhekaj plays that physical game and has shown more maturity in terms of playing D.

Everyone has their own path

 

[26Mats]

Xhekaj never really looked like he was missing a stride or was a step behind. His hockey sense is just so much more superior.

Barron's NHL career will be determined by how well and fast he processes the game. Can't just be a great skater.

 

[MasterD]

The more games a top 1st rounder gets in the AHL, the worst NHL career he ends up having.

Probably statistically true, but logically, did they fail to make the NHL because they stayed in the AHL, or did they stay in the NHL because they weren't good enough for the NHL?

 

[Colezuki]

Trying to do too much? He constantly blunders the simplest of plays, he wasn't even required to do much --

Meanwhile Xhekaj is hitting, defending, backchecking, forechecking, pinching, fighting.

I think you misunderstand, I'm speaking about trying to take on more then he's ready for

 

[Kennerback]

Probably statistically true, but logically, did they fail to make the NHL because they stayed in the AHL, or did they stay in the NHL because they weren't good enough for the NHL?

Having played more games in Ligga or the WHL does not correlate as much to NHL failure. AHL has the worst correlation.

 

[expy]

Barron's NHL career will be determined by how well and fast he processes the game. Can't just be a great skater.

Yes, that's obvious, he's very slow on any decision making, even with no pressure on.

I think you misunderstand, I'm speaking about trying to take on more then he's ready for

Same with every non-NHLer.

 

[GobigorGohome]

I want Barron to succeed .Sooner than later please.

 

[26Mats]

Yes, that's obvious, he's very slow on any decision making, even with no pressure on.


Same with every non-NHLer.

It's been obvious since we got Barron that he's had issues processing the game at this stage of his career. Whether he can develop is the issue.

Many saw the skating but ignored the processing, assuming it would come along.

 

[Kennerback]

It's been obvious since we got Barron that he's had issues processing the game at this stage of his career. Whether he can develop is the issue.

Many saw the skating but ignored the processing, assuming it would come along.

That’s really what it is. All the separate components are there. It’s simple things, like making a pass or receiving a pass when being heavily forechecked.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Now find me a list of players that were ruined by starting in the AHL.

Just counting Habs players drafted up to 2019 in the first two rounds (so excludes Mete and many other late picks):

Since the 2005 lockout, Habs prospects ruined and started in the NHL:
Guillaume Latendresse
Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Since the 2005 lockout, Habs prospects ruined and started in the AHL:
Ben Maxwell
Matthew Carle
Danny Kristo
Louis Leblanc
Jarred Tinoirdi
Nathan Beaulieu
Dalton Thrower
Michael McCarron
Jacob deLaRose
Zachary Fucale
Nikita Scherbak
Noah Juulsen
Ryan Poehling
Josh Brook
Jesse Ylonen (maybe not ruined yet but still no impact at D+5 year)

Prospects not ruined starting in NHL:
Carey Price
Alex Galchenyuk
Artturi Lehkonen (at 21)
Mikhail Sergachev (at 19 post-trade by Tampa)
Alexander Romanov
Cole Caufield (basically NHL to start)
Nick Suzuki (acquired post-draft)

Prospects not ruined starting in AHL:
Ryan McDonagh (38 games at age 21 post-NCAA by NYR)
PK Subban
Max Pacioretty (at 19, came up after half-season)

So, in TOTAL:
7 out of 9 who started in the NHL were successful
3 out of 18 who started in the AHL were successful

 

[rickthegoon]

Call me crazy, but I have no fear of Slaf playing 3rd line minutes against opponents 3rd and 4th lines to start his career. He's a mature big boy; he'll adapt soon enough. It's not like St-Louis is planning on playing him against top forwards and D duos .
When things went sour in the past ( Galchenyuk/ KK / Latendresse ) is when these kids were given top line assignments and then penalized by coaching staff for making mistakes. I don't see this happening this season with St-Louis.

 

[LaP]

Barron better get it together. For a guy who's played way more nhl games than the other 3, he looks pretty raw and unsure of himself. I really hope he works out.

Barron is 20 years old and played 7 NHL games and 50 AHL games. You talk like if he would be 23 with 100 NHL games and 100 AHL games.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Call me crazy, but I have no fear of Slaf playing 3rd line minutes against opponents 3rd and 4th lines to start his career. He's a mature big boy; he'll adapt soon enough. It's not like St-Louis is planning on playing him against top forwards and D duos .
When things went sour in the past ( Galchenyuk/ KK / Latendresse ) is when these kids were given top line assignments and then penalized by coaching staff for making mistakes. I don't see this happening this season with St-Louis.

Galchenyuk was not a failure off the bat. By age 21 he was doing pretty well. He hit ppg status at age 22, but got hurt and then did not rehab right, distractions, etc.

 

[schwang26]

Barron is 20 years old and played 7 NHL games and 50 AHL games. You talk like if he would be 23 with 100 NHL games and 100 AHL games.

I get that hes 20, but 57 professional games is still a big jump over Guhle, Xhekaj and Harris. I might be overreacting given his age, but he looked really bad. I expected better.

 

[Apfel Struble]

Call me crazy, but I have no fear of Slaf playing 3rd line minutes against opponents 3rd and 4th lines to start his career. He's a mature big boy; he'll adapt soon enough. It's not like St-Louis is planning on playing him against top forwards and D duos .
When things went sour in the past ( Galchenyuk/ KK / Latendresse ) is when these kids were given top line assignments and then penalized by coaching staff for making mistakes. I don't see this happening this season with St-Louis.

Gallagher and Dvorak are also decent linemates. He won't be playing with plugs

 

[Belial]

Just counting Habs players drafted up to 2019 in the first two rounds (so excludes Mete and many other late picks):

Since the 2005 lockout, Habs prospects ruined and started in the NHL:
Guillaume Latendresse
Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Since the 2005 lockout, Habs prospects ruined and started in the AHL:
Ben Maxwell
Matthew Carle
Danny Kristo
Louis Leblanc
Jarred Tinoirdi
Nathan Beaulieu
Dalton Thrower
Michael McCarron
Jacob deLaRose
Zachary Fucale
Nikita Scherbak
Noah Juulsen
Ryan Poehling
Josh Brook
Jesse Ylonen (maybe not ruined yet but still no impact at D+5 year)

Prospects not ruined starting in NHL:
Carey Price
Alex Galchenyuk
Artturi Lehkonen (at 21)
Mikhail Sergachev (at 19 post-trade by Tampa)
Alexander Romanov
Cole Caufield (basically NHL to start)
Nick Suzuki (acquired post-draft)

Prospects not ruined starting in AHL:
Ryan McDonagh (38 games at age 21 post-NCAA by NYR)
PK Subban
Max Pacioretty (at 19, came up after half-season)

So, in TOTAL:
7 out of 9 who started in the NHL were successful
3 out of 18 who started in the AHL were successful

So in your opinion, all those guys from your list of guys that failed to make the NHL, didn't make it because they got ruined in the AHL? Is that the logic? They would've made it if developed in the NHL eh?