Now, it’s bold thinking to suggest that the Boston Bruins can see NHL-ready players coming up from the third-tier, however what isn’t as bold to think is that they could recruit players that go un-drafted for whatever reason, stockpile them and see which pan out.
Whether those players are willing to scrap for a relatively low dollar in the ECHL in light of it being a clear pathway, at least to the Providence Bruins, or whether they like so many do, seek better money in European climbs is the big challenge to such an idea.
The Boston Bruins already have an example of ECHL experience parlaying into big-league experience behind the bench in Bruce Cassidy, who began his bench career with the Jacksonville Lizard Kings and later, the Trenton Titans before eventually graduating to the American Hockey League and finally to the NHL.