UsernameWasTaken
Let's Go Hawks!
Hanifin's not going to undo what those guys have done at the NCAA level. He'll step in and get enough minutes and responsibility to justify leaving NTDP.
He's still rapidly improving, so attempts to project him right now may underscore his top end even though he is justifiably hyped high enough.
Yup.
I think sometimes people confuse skill/potential with level of play at a finite moment. Even the most skilled players will, at a young age, be 'out played' by older/bigger competition (when they're 16, 17 yrs old). For example, Connor McDavid was outscored on his own team this year by Dane Fox and Connor Brown. Lol, does anyone on planet think Brown and Fox will be better than McDavid (if either sees much NHL time...which is up in the air). Obv. not.
I don't watch a ton of NCAA games - they're hard to get in Toronto - but the 'level' or ranking on the 'd depth chart' that Hanifin steps in at really has no relevance to his level of potential.