All the half-decent UDFA prospects will be long gone before September. They are being signed as we speak, and most have already gotten themselves a contract.
The unsigned prospects that remain in September won't even be able to hack it in the ECHL for the most part. Some may suddenly get better in the coming years, but I doubt it will show in the preseason, it will take them a long time to improve enough to be legit prospects.
I'd rather have guys like Noreau and St. Croix there than someone who's one level above playing against me in a beer league.
What will St. Croix and Noreau really gain from playing four games in Traverse City? Last year, the only guy we sent with any real NA professional experience was Yogan, and the tournament certainly didn't do him any good. The rest were guys fresh out of or still in junior hockey, or European leagues. That's what we do every year.
You're right in that there's not much out there in terms of unsigned talent, but I don't really understand how it benefits guys that already have a season of professional experience in the AHL and ECHL to play against a bunch of guys with less experience.