1)You make the unfounded assumption here that I agree that last year was a stellar year in player development for the Canucks. More like adequate imo. This years club is simply not as competitive in the lockout AHL, which needs to factored into any comparisons with last years team.
2)A team that truly controlled the destiny of it's AHL prospects, like, say, Calgary, would have Polasek playing in it's top six. not Hunt or Matheson. It would be Polasek And Sauve And Andersson not either/or Also, not every team benefited to the same extent from the lockout. The whole competitive balance of the AHL was tilted on it's ear with the Wolves being one of the teams that arguably benefited the least from young NHL talent. It's hard for me to condemn the performance of Arniel, three years removed from coach of the year honors in this landscape.
3) You may be right on this one. I personally thought he should have waited until this year to come over from Europe ala Jacob Silfverberg. The Canucks may have blown this one by rushing a project player.