Era has nothing to do with it and then in the next sentence you state the NHL's current era is safer than any period in league history. I agree with the latter statement, but your statements are contradictory, and that isn't much credit for the fact that Hughes is not scoring yet, though I do think he will break through before long. The thing is we will never know what his rookie year would have been had they been patient with him, as they never would have been, so it is all moot.
My point, which you haven't refuted except to state that the Devils 'wargamed' this (please), is that a European pro league or even college hockey would have been a nice bridge for a slight, highly skilled player like Jack, to take a year and round out his game. He spent last year punking future average college hockey players, many of whom will never sign a pro contract. He has areas that I think he would have done well to focus on in this 18-year-old season rather than take on all the demands of the NHL at once; namely face-offs, shooting (especially from distance), handling physicality (ie bulking up -- easier to do when not playing 82 games), and performing in big games. The AHL doesn't strike me as ideal, you don't have the same passionate fanbase, games generally 'mean less', not the place to develop a killer instinct and put it all together like it could be playing for a Frolunda or Biel-Bienne. Playing in europe or college would have let his skill shine while still playing men and likely thriving at his desired position of center.
If you're curious about recent, more-applicable history, I spent some time in the spring looking at the history for first-overall types over the last twenty years.
Expectations for first-overall picks
