There’s been a lot of debate over the decision to send Philip Tomasino to Milwaukee, so I’ll cut right to the chase: he’s young and still has time to develop.
Look, I’ve seen a lot of chatter on social media about it. Some want to blame the current coaching staff, the old coaching staff, and even both coaching staffs. Robby Stanley makes an interesting point here by suggesting that it’s ok to place some of the blame on the player:
Does “blame” need to be placed? Every single person involved in this decision making tree–David Poile, Karl Taylor, John Hynes, Barry Trotz, Andrew Brunette–wants what’s best for Philip Tomasino.
And, while it’s understandable that there’s some concern out there, this move isn’t a reason to sound the alarm. Here’s why:
Leagues are different and so are the results
The biggest mistake people seem to make when it comes to prospects (on any team) is that they see a player have wild success at a lower level, then expect it to translate to wild success at every level. Look no further than Luke Evangelista’s 2021-22 season with the OHL’s London Knights. Evangelista put up an incredible 55 goals and 56 assists in 62 games with the club that season. While his OHL numbers caused many to salivate, he was unable to reproduce either the volume or pace at the AHL or NHL level.
If that last line sounds like he’s being written off, it certainly isn’t intended that way. A few things can be true at the same time. Luke Evangelista stood out in the OHL that season because he was a highly-skilled player that was about to age out of a league for players aged 16-20 years old. He averaged 1.79 PPG that season. Through 49 games in the AHL the next season, he averaged just .84 PPG. This seems like a major dropoff from the previous season, but a few things changed.
Evangelista was a 20-year-old in a league where the average age falls between 24 and 26. There are wild differences between the body of an average OHL player and an average AHL player.
The stakes are higher in the AHL as well. At any given time, an AHL team can be made up of any of the following: hot shot young prospects on the way up to the NHL, undrafted players fighting for an AHL contract, NHL players on rehab assignments, NHL players that cleared waivers and are fighting like hell to get another chance, guys on AHL contracts who are both holding on to their roster spot while trying to make a case for an NHL contract, guys with families to support, players at the beginning of their professional careers, and players at the end of their professional careers. Taking all of that into consideration, .84 PPG doesn’t seem like that bad of a drop-off.
Then, there’s the jump to the NHL, the highest level of competitive hockey in the world. As competition gets more and more skilled, there’s bound to be an adjustment. But remember, the complaint against Tomasino has nothing to do with offense, it has to do with defense.
It’s all about touching the puck
When asked about Tomasino, Brunette continually refers to what he’s doing defensively, especially in late-game scenarios. Of course, critics of the move point out that the Predators need offense right now. However, after the team’s 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils last night, there was little talk of offense:
Those puck battles along the boards and net-front defense are exactly what Tomasino needs to work on. The only way to get better at winning puck battles and defending in front of the net is to get into more puck battles and net-front scrums. In Nashville, Tomasino was seeing 4th line minutes or getting healthy scratched. In Milwaukee, he will likely spend most of his time on the top two lines. Spending more time on the ice each night will give him the opportunity he needs to engage in those defensive situations.
Confidence is king
For all of the time spent at the NHL level, Tomasino is still just 22 years old. Remember when I mentioned that all leagues are different? The combination of returning to AHL-level competition and playing more minutes each night will also likely lead to an increase in offensive production as well. Improving in that area should increase Tomasino’s confidence and when you feel better about the way you play, you play better. It also doesn’t hurt that The Milwaukee Admirals are on an absolute heater right now with 15 wins in a row. And, to top it all off, more time with Karl Taylor, who is outstanding at player development, is never a bad thing.
I’d look for Tomasino’s stint in Milwaukee to pay dividends for all parties involved and expect him to return to Nashville stronger defensively, but also to be refreshed, energized, and confident. No, he won’t come back on a flaming chariot of offense, but he’ll come back ready to prove himself to his team and the coaching staff.
–featured image via Milwaukee Admirals–
