It's like the chicken and the egg argument though.
Did AA produce because he was given more minutes?
Or, in games he was producing, did they give him more minutes?
It would make sense that when a guy is playing good, the coach gives him more minutes. I'm not going to lie, I have zero clue as when I watch a game i am not watching for this.
Go back through the game log.
Andreas Athanasiou 2017-18 Game Log | Hockey-Reference.com
His promotions were random.
I speculate the first one was at the request of Holland. The Ducks were trading Vatanen.
AA suddenly starts playing 20 minutes a night with Larkin.
3 games 3-2-5 and then he's demoted again.
Again, after Christmas, he's promoted. Only because Mantha got hurt. Blashill planned to move Bert to Z's line and Mantha to Larkin's line, but Mantha got hurt.
Dec. 29-Jan. 16: 8 games 5-4-9. Team goes 5-3.
Mantha returns and plays L4 for a few games before he takes over with Larkin and AA starts bouncing between L3 and L4.
There's not much chicken and egg.
When AA has been given opportunity, he's played well - most of the time.
The major difference in AA's game - and this is on AA -- is that he's not doing a lot with line 3 icetime with Nielsen.
His points/60 is still OK. But it's definitely way down since Mid January.