You're likely right! Realistically, we should hope he's a valuable bottom 6 utility player, maybe can bounce around. Maybe he is indeed a great 4th liner, if he hits. Hextall wasn't out to lunch with what he said, even if saying it was questionable.
But there's a difference between expectations and setting ceilings for the kid. Because you just don't know sometimes. He's already a diligent 2-way player; he can improve areas of his game simultaneously, as he should. He doesn't only have time to work on either offense or defense to prepare for some pre-assigned role.
And getting the "NAK Treatment" isn't some positive in my book. NAK was a better prospect than Sushko, and he is fighting for usage scraps because the team has dictated he's a bottom 6 player from the word, "Go." He could have perhaps thrived sooner or greater, with PP time for example. His value could've increased at the least. Flyers are stubborn with this crap. They think they struck gold with how they handled Laughton or something. And yet, lower ceiling players like Leier and Vecchione are force-fed PP time and scoring minutes. **** if I know.
NAK will be on the fourth line next year unless they trade Simmonds (and would probably want a young 3rd line RW back).
They've known this since he went to the AHL, he wasn't beating out TK, Voracek or Simmonds, or playing on the PP.
So his future, for his first few NHL seasons, requires that he contribute in that role - but as Couts shows, you can start in a defensive role, move up to the third line in a couple years, and to the 1st line in a couple more years.
The same holds for Sushko, if he doesn't master this "NAK" type role, he's never making the roster.
Because until Giroux leaves, Giroux, Lindblom, Laughton, Ratcliffe, maybe even Rubtsov, will be ahead of him at LW.
He's not Frost, Allison or this year's #14 if he's a forward, prospects who are projected to top 6.
The problem in juniors is coaches are there to win (much like college), not develop players for their future NHL team, so they often encourage kids to play an offensive game (plus with the constant turnover I'm sure schemes are kept simple) - Hextall wants Sushko to understand that playing two way hockey, not putting up inflated junior scoring numbers, is his ticket to the NHL.
Get on a NHL roster, play hard, take advantage of opportunities (injuries happen, Wally Pipp someone) and you can move up the food chain. Score a few goals on the 4th line, and if someone slumps on the 3rd line . . .
This is a GOOD THING, because it means we're not forcing players with limited talent into big roles (Weal, Cousins on the 3rd line, etc.).
Instead we're slowly developing more talented players, and letting them dictate their playing time.