You're exaggerating to make a point. Beaulieu made the big show. Why isn't he better? I look at that player and I don't see a development issue. I see a character flaw. Andrighetto made it.
That's two more than you're ready to admit.
Now if two oe three of McCarron, Hudon, de la Rose and Sherbak make the Habs out of camp this October, will you revise your opinion? MB has stated a couple of times he's happy with Lernout's progress. That's five more prospects.
SL may not be a Guy Boucher but MB has been watching his work. Lapointe and Ramage have also watched him at work. Timmins is his boss. Dudley, Carriere and Mellanby are also in management. That's too many people who have NHL experience to be wrong in their evaluation.
My gut tells me this year and the following years we will see the fruits of this regime's efforts in player development: Hudon, Sherbak, McCarron, Lernout, de la Rose start to graduate to the NHL.
Beaulieu made the show, cool.. but where is he? Gone for a 3rd round pick. He never met his potential and if he doesn't, we don't know if he stays in the NHL. It's hard to call him a success when his first AHL season looked a lot like his last.. and we didn't see a progression in his game UNTIL Gonchar mentored him. Looks like a development issue, to me, doesn't it to you?
Did Andrighetto make it? Because as far as I know, he never played a full season and was traded for one of the worst grinders the Habs have ever employed.
Hudon and DLR have to make the team out of camp, they aren't waiver free anymore. What will always be the SIGN of a developmental coach is what were they when they broke in and where are they now?
Look at Hudon's AHL production, is it really that much different since he broke in? Not really. And when the Habs were dying for offense, did they bring him in? No. So there had to be something in his entire AHL career that needed to be fixed and wasn't.
DLR? He looked great in the SHL.. but he's never developed into an every day player despite them playing him there in his rookie year at the NHL level. Doesn't really look like progress.
Let's look at a different story. Morgan Ellis. He looks great coming out of junior. Struggles in the AHL. He goes to the ECHL, he gets coached up and comes back on fire.
You can look at Lefebvre and his track record for 5 years. There isn't an every day player, there isn't an impact player and the AHL team has only made the play-offs once.. when they wouldnt have if the AHL didn't change play-off eligibility.
Under no metric is he good.
And if you believe he is and he was given turds to polish. Then be angry that the scouting staff hasn't changed.
You CAN'T believe in Lefebvre and support the scouting staff. You can't have it both ways here.