Yet Rust gained traction, thanks in no small part to the faith coach Mike Sullivan placed in him. Indeed, when he was called up to the Pens during the 2015-16 season, his numbers with the Baby Pens were hardly dazzling…three goals and six points in 16 games to go with a minus-five. There was nothing in his performance at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton early on to alter that perception. A good player but hardly a star at Notre Dame, Rusty was projected to be a fourth-line energy player… if he made it to the NHL. Rust is a classic example of a player who was afforded the chance to fully develop. Are players given a fair shake? Does a coach show confidence in them and use them accordingly? A player must develop the details in his game in order to succeed.Īnother key factor? Opportunity. Unless you’re a gifted generational talent like Mario Lemieux, you can no longer rely solely on ability to dominate opponents. Last season erstwhile junior hockey stars Samuel Poulin and Nathan Legare struggled at times to adjust to the rigors and speed of the pro game, especially the latter. Why do some players develop while others don’t? Obviously, much depends on the individual and how well they adapt to the pro game, which can be quite a challenge. Kris Letang (62 nd overall), Ryan Malone (115 th) and top-line bookends Jake Guentzel (77 th) and Bryan Rust (80 th) are prime examples. On the flip side, the Pens have gleaned more than their share of talent in the later rounds. For every Marc-Andre Fleury? A Craig Hillier.Įver heard of Gordie Laxton, Stefan Bergkvist or Chris Wells? For every Evgeni Malkin, a Konstantin Koltsov. For every Sidney Crosby, there’s an Angelo Esposito. Indeed, Penguins history is littered with first-round picks who didn’t pan out. As with any sport, player development in hockey isn’t an exact science.
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