It is widely known that the Montreal Canadiens have not had the best relationship with their ECHL affiliates over time, mainly treating them as an overflow for goaltenders and the occasional spare player for the AHL. Rarely do skaters find their way from the ECHL to the NHL in the Canadiens organization. In fact, the last to do so was David Desharnais.
But why is that? The ECHL offers an option to help players who are slow to adapt to the professional game. Rather than having them be overwhelmed at the AHL level, the ECHL provides a competitive environment where the team can assign players to regain their confidence and find the potential that the organization saw in the player.