It’s clear the organization is split on what to do with him. This is where player development clashes with coaching. This is on Alain Vigneault. He’s pulling the strings, he’s deciding to sit the very talented youngster.
He’s sat 4 times this year. One game in the press box can be beneficial, in my estimation and experience, anything more than that creates problems in the players’ head. He’s young, he’s in shape, but he’s not used to not playing at the age of 19.
Money isn’t the issue here. Developing this player is. We saw Chris Kreider get yo-yo’d and now Vigneault is heading down that path. If the Rangers aren’t sure, instead of deferring until after the World Juniors, try and get him inserted into the Subway Series although I fear that may be too late but hey in the CHL almost anything is possible.
Some coaches like Vigneault find it easier to coach with veterans in there. I get it. Some don’t want to be teachers. But in this day and age, most coaches are going to have to be teachers because the salary cap restraints demand that more youngsters play if they’re ready. Is he ready?
That’s the million dollar question. He did add an ingredient in their lineup that no other bottom six player can. Is he better than Fast? I think he is. He needs to play more than a fourth liner, that’s another issue.
He’s not a defensive player and the coach seems to want to tighten up that area with good forward play, but that didn’t happen against the Avalanche. Sometimes getting players who can score, with solid goaltending, is enough.
At the end of the day he NEEDS to play. He can’t play in the AHL. Can he play in the ECHL? No, they have a 20 year old age limit as well.
The choice isn’t simple but my sense is many in the organization would have thought this would have been decided by now instead of becoming a sidebar story for the beats.
My solution. Play him in a few more consecutive games. If he fits, he fits, start scratching Tanner Glass because that meaningless tilt last night did nothing for the team. If you don’t like what you see then send him back to the “Q… for the season and worry about the rest down the road. Yes he’d be playing in the Memorial Cup so playing again this season in the NHL seems unlikely. That’s the way it goes.
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