Quoting: mokumboi
1- Wait, are you talking about the Donato who after being drafted had three college years and parts of two season up and down with Boston (46 games total), then was dealt and scored 16 points in 22 games for MInnesota? This is your corollary proof for what the Blues will do? Oi vey.
And there are players on the Blues and every other team that required more than one "season in the system" and 16 NHL games to reach their potential, especially among those who score big. You cannot possibly be unaware of this.
2- I don't need to cut Thomas slack. I am well aware that by the end of the year he was playing great. I'm simply and correctly asserting that your version (he came in and played well) is inaccurate.
3- Play on international teams is NOT a leading indicator of NHL worthiness. It's a totally different rink and game. Besides, if we're supposed to be swayed by Kostin bagging 14 points in 12 WJC games, then what about Kyrou bagging 10 in 7? Oh, and btw... Kostin has now completed two full seasons in the system at the AHL level, and he still is not playing responsibly at both ends. In fact, some would say he actually regressed in key areas of the game this year.
you clearly are refusing to actually listen to a thing I have stated.
Where is he going to play? Who are you going to sit to give him a roster spot? He's not a 4th line player, he's not better than anyone else in the line up, he's not even the best RW prospect on the team.
He still has value, which is why he will be traded. Because there is no room, and his value is shrinking the longer he stays on the blues.
He is a boom or bust player. He is under weight and doesn't have the strength to play a bottom 6 forward role. He has to play top 2 line if he's going to succeed and they just don't have a spot for him there. Much like the penguins didn't have for Sprong and shipped him out and he played fairly well for ANA. The penguins got a decent defense man in return capable of filling a role.
The blues will make the same kind of trade. Much like Boston did with Donato. He wasn't going to hack it in a bottom 6 role. He could only play on the top 2 lines and there really wasn't any room for him there especially at his production level. They will ship Kyrou off for the same reasons and get something to improve the team in return. Because Kyrou isn't an improvement for the team on what they already have, his production has not been good at the NHL level and he's not even their best RW prospect.
He's a gamble. One they can trade out for something more valuable to them in places they are weaker. The sooner they do that the better the return because another year like last year and his value will not be that high. Most people can see that coming. He's 21, he is 170lbs and the knock on him isn't his ability to shoot the puck. It's that he's not strong enough on the puck or the boards. When you are 170lbs that isn't going to change and at 20 now 21 years old, he shouldn't be that way.
And international play does count for something. They scout those games and judge them highly when judging players. Because those games are against the best players in their age group. Most of which will see pro level of play in either the NHL, Euro leagues or KHL.
As for Klim game his game is fine. Yes he has played 2 seasons in the AHL, but he's been playing as an 18 and 19 year old. Not a 20 year old. 20, 21 you are suppose to make an impact. Much like Donato, when you come in from the NCAA at 21-22 you are expected to make that impact right away. When you come in from the canadian leagues at 20 you get 1 or 2 years.
If you come in to the AHL at 18, unless you are a really great player you can expect to be there till you are 20-21.
But if you aren't showing you are capable by then they aren't waiting on you forever. There are tons of other younger players coming in every year. The average age in the AHL is dropping even faster than the age in the NHL.
Most players are entering there as a 20 year old prospect, getting their 3 years and teams either have a place for you or they don't. They aren't developing a forward till they are 24, 25 years old at the AHL level anymore. The only time that is happening is when teams are holding players back through bad judgement. Much like when the Blues got OS from the penguins. They kept him there and gave up on him and traded him off. He was never going to see a penguins jersey they didn't hold much value in him. The Blues benefited from it. That's the way it works. They replaced him with someone younger and moved on. They trade them out and let someone else deal with it after 2-3 years. But don't think that value doesn't drop in those years. It does. Because everyone else knows when you are looking at a 22 year old player in the AHL that if they had the talent, they would be there by now.
Don't think for one minute the rest of the NHL isn't looking at Kyrou and asking, if he's so great why is he still in the AHL at 22 years old. Because everyone is going to be asking that come next year if he's still on the team sitting in the AHL. Which is where he will be because he isn't out playing anyone there for a roster spot and they are going to give Klim a chance to earn his too, because he is good enough to play at the NHL level. Unlike Kyrou, who lacked the strength to play up there, Klim doesn't. He's proven he can play a high level game. Which is why I think he sticks if/when he gets his place and is the better prospect.
You act like teams will just hold onto everyone forever. It doesn't work that way. You got to give to get and there is always places to improve. If you stand still you get passed up, you have to improve every year. GM know this. Blue depth is on the RW prospect. When they go to improve the team, you can bet that is what is included on a trade. The Reason Kyrou will be the one shipped is they have already seen what he can do, it wasn't great and odds of it improving at this point aren't high. He is what he is.