Historically, a lot of it has been wishful thinking (Galy) and/or a need for a PR sugar high. (Remember all the breathless talk around Mete?)
It’s fine to say that “it’s player dependent,” but that leaves the window open for teams to kid themselves, like we did with Galchenyuk. “Well, this guy is special.” No he wasn’t.
Even the great Carey Price was almost destroyed by being thrown into the deep end and left to sink or swim.
So my view has been consistent: we should err on the side of letting guys marinade in the A.
On the other hand, Hughes has a massive belief in MSL and the developmental merits of the NHL staff. I think that’s a factor with this particular management group. https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/qa-canadiens-gm-kent-hughes-on-evolving-plans-injuries-and-the-patience-of-fans/
Time will tell - I like the coaches - but the early returns are not incredibly promising. Players who surpassed expectations, like Wifi and Guhle, have been injured; and there may be a valid correlation between youthful inexperience and the tendency to get hurt. Meanwhile, Slaf did nothing notable despite being handed an unearned slot - shades of KK - and now he too is hurt. Before he went down for good we repeatedly saw him putting himself in vulnerable positions.
Taking an 18 year old who has never played on North American ice and throwing him into the NHL suggests that this group isn’t much different from the Houle/Gainey/Bergevin era. They may have a different rationale (“MSL is magic!”) but the pattern is the same.
I don’t like it. But hopefully Hugo is right and I am wrong.