The game of hockey is constantly evolving. Once upon a time, NHL defensemen got away with playing good defense and little to no offense. Then, these “diamonds in the rough” known as offensive-defensemen began to show up. Now, it’s almost impossible to maintain your job in the NHL as a defenseman if you can not contribute offensively. If teams want to succeed, they understand that point production from blueliners is a must.
Projecting a prospect’s success or role at the NHL level can become a bit of a crapshoot. Just because a young player demonstrates a particular skillset at one level doesn’t mean it will translate completely into the pros.