It’s not that he’s not useful if he’s not scoring, it’s more that we want him scoring a lot in the pros. Getting a taste of the show and going down for a couple of months is exactly what Kyle Connor did and look at him now. If he’s not putting up the points he’s capable of, let him go down and get the feel of putting the puck in the net. Once he dominates there, get him back up and put him in a role he can succeed in.
Agreed.
I love Dube but if he isn't going to be playing a big role, we have to play the long game with him and that means him playing 20+ a night and growing with Phillips, Foo, Kylington, Parsons, etc. IMO right now it seems our top eight forwards are:
Gaudreau
Bennett
Tkachuk
Lindholm
Monahan
Backlund
Neal
Czarnik
And that is also the group that should be on either of the power play units.
There is then a dropoff to the next group (Dube, Ryan, Jankowski, Frolik, Mangiapane). I think that next group is ALL NHL talent - and all guys who can play PP if necessary. But there isn't ice time for everyone and if you can send someone down, you should. Injuries and slumps happen and you can re-evaluate then.
I don't think they'll demote Dubs for not scoring. He brings other elements to the Flames. Possession, speed that gives the D chills, great on ice vision, energy, enthusiasm. I think he's here to stay.
That honestly sounds like an Ottawa Senators circa 2015 rationalization for keeping Curtis Lazar in the NHL... they even had a great third line of Condra-Pageau-Lazar that was instrumental in them making the playoffs. Long term it probably hurt Lazar's development.
I think Dube is a line driver and his speed is an asset. Give him a few more games to see if he gets hot, but send him down if he doesn't. Let him break through as a pro, and then call him up in January or February after he's really just gotten comfortable as a pro. Jake Guentzal spent some time in the AHL the same year he went after the NHL Playoff Rookie Goal Scoring record.