jMoneyBrah
Registered User
I still believe that any prospect likely to become an actual impact player is not going to be harmed by repeating a level at age 19.
The main fear, I think, is that they'll "learn bad habits." I think any player with the talent and drive to become a real impact player is going to already have the ability and drive to continue to learn, regardless of level. If they can't do that for a period of eight months at age 19-20, then I have my doubts they're ever going to do that.
Smith will have plenty of time to be challenged by the pace and skill of the NHL, starting next April. I don't think starting in late August this year instead would be a meaningful jumpstart. The same for Musty, I think.
One thing I’ve always wondered is if graduating a prospect early ultimately caps their development in SOME cases. The example I think of is Vlasic. He secured an NHL roster spot at 18 with his defensive acumen and then never really progressed as an offensive contributor. It’s hard to fault him too much, as in the big picture it’s served him very well. I’ve just always wondered if he got another year in Junior with the directive “add some offensive tools to the toolbox” if he might have been better for it.
I get that what works at the lower leagues doesn’t necessarily fly in the NHL, but having some extra time to experiment and try new things at a lower level maybe adds to a repertoire that you can pull from later on, even if rarely?
It’s certainly not a hill I’d die on, and certainly not for Smith. Just a passing thought I’ve had.