Today, young people have to pay their dues when starting a new job. And unlike America in the 1950s where you worked in one place your whole life, young professionals tend to hop from job to job seeking better opportunity.
Such is life in the NHL for young players. The competition is so stiff that young players tend to grasp an opportunity when it presents itself. Unless that opportunity never comes.
The NHL is an interesting league when it comes to its top talent. Unlike other professional sports leagues, most first-round draft picks return either to college or their amateur club teams.