Give me skating and energy with AJF over whatever the current 4th line is offering up, he can’t be any worse. I think it’s still very much up for debate whether prospects are actually well-served by playing in the minors or overseas (the old-school logic) rather than just learning on the fly in the NHL. We are seeing rookie QBs in the NFL starting right away which, while a different sport, parallels what I think should happen in the NHL. Obviously you need a coach willing to deal with some bumps in the road as well but with Trotz likely gone after this year I think that’s a possibility.
People argued that Tom Wilson was rushed to the NHL and that it may have stunted his growth but I don’t know if I believe that. He’s blossomed into a solid top 6 option but I wonder if he could have been there earlier if he was given a shot a few years ago. He had some tough competition on the wing prior to this season (Oshie, Williams, and Burakovsky) so I get why he was mainly on the 4th line but even in 2014-15 the 8-19-43 line got extended playing time with very good results. Also stands to reason that Wilson was the primary driver of the 4th line’s success in prior years given that Beagle seems to be an anchor away from Wilson and that Winnik isn’t really doing anything of note in Minnesota.
TL;DR: I want to see AJF have a shot with the big club.