He will only get better the more he plays, I think he's proven that. The more minutes he gets the better he looks, more confident, better defensively, better reads, better decisions when to pinch, when to rush.. As others have said, he is a sponge, and his hockey sense is off the charts. I think he can contribute as soon as this year's playoffs, provided he gets more regular icetime. Expecting him to "continue his progression by watching from the pressbox" is definitely the wrong approach for this kid.