Tampa coach Barry Melrose has kept Steven Stamkos mostly planted on the pine, but look for the top overall pick of '08 to be unleashed soon, not sent back to juniors. Jamie Sabau/Getty Images Allan Muir's Mailbag Submit a comment or question for Allan. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

So, this is how bad things have gotten for Steven Stamkos: His play is reminding everyone of Joe Thornton.

Most times, that would be a real pat on the back. But when the point of comparison is Jumbo Joe's rookie season, well, let's just call that faint praise indeed. Thornton may be one of the game's most explosive forces today, but as a freshman he got less ice time than the national anthem singer and scored nearly as often.

Instead of unleashing the first overall pick, the Bruins forced Thornton to learn the NHL game slowly by osmosis. You can't argue with the results now, but at the time there was an argument to be made that he would be better served by a return to junior hockey than a season spent polishing big league benches with his behind.

Like Thornton, Stamkos is struggling to recreate the success that made him the top choice last summer. Through his first six games, he was averaging barely 10 minutes of action and had yet to register his first point. With the Lightning stumbling out of the gate, coach Barry Melrose obviously feels safer going with his veterans. And that's prompted some to wonder if Stamkos would develop faster playing significant minutes in Sarnia than sitting in Tampa.

But as was the case with Thornton, that option is not really in play.

The Bruins, coming off a league-worst 61-point campaign in 1996-97, built their summer marketing campaign around Thornton and Sergei Samsonov, who was taken seventh overall with a pick acquired in a trade with Carolina. To send Thornton back to the Soo would have been a public relations disaster, just as it would be now for the Lightning, who spent a fortune on their "Seen Stamkos?" campaign.

Stamkos is in the NHL for good. And for better or worse, the mollycoddling that's marked the first few weeks of his career looks to be over. With Brian Lawton officially installed as general manager this week, the first order of business will be to get Stamkos 16-18 minutes a night. Surrounded by veteran forwards capable of lightening his burden -- that was the point of the team's summer shopping spree, after all -- Stamkos will be allowed to learn by doing rather than watching. He'll make his share of mistakes but he'll also get the chance, finally, to prove he belongs in the NHL.

While Stamkos' job is safe, the fates of several other junior-eligible players will be determined over the next week as teams steam toward the 10-game mark.

Luke Schenn

The only rookie who has been subjected to the same scrutiny as Stamkos is Schenn of the Maple Leafs. The fifth overall pick has been victimized by more than his share of bad bounces -- Blake Wheeler's shot caroming in off his leg on Thursday night was just the latest example -- but there's no denying that Schenn has been Toronto's most reliable defender in the early going. Just ask Ron Wilson, who said as much prior to the Boston game. The coach praised Schenn's defensive zone work and ability to rev up the offense with sharp, long-range passing, calling him the ideal example of the modern transition game.

Working against Schenn is Toronto's blueline depth. When Jeff Finger returns, the Leafs will have four established vets with secure jobs, and five others capable of holding down the final three spots. Although Schenn clearly has the ability to contribute, the logical decision is to send him back and avoid wasting a contract year on a squad that's going nowhere. The Leafs say they won't make the call until after game nine, but barring a trade of Ian White or Carlo Colaiacovo, Schenn probably doesn't need to look for an apartment in Hogtown.

Drew Doughty

Doughty, on the other hand, might want to ask his teammates for the name of a good realtor. He's gracefully assumed a significant role on an L.A. blueline that desperately needed him to step up in the wake of Jack Johnson's injury. The lottery's consolation prize -- not a bad one, eh? -- is averaging 21 minutes a game, second only to Schenn among rookies, and is a fixture on the Kings' power play thanks to a skill set that is eerily reminiscent of a young Ray Bourque.

Oscar Moller

Winger Moller is making a strong case to share a pad with Doughty, overcoming questions about his size with some creative playmaking and solid positional play. Moller is carrying a decent load -- about 15 minutes a night -- and has looked more comfortable with each successive game. But the Kings have other options at forward, notably Teddy Purcell, who's been paying his dues at Manchester, and that makes burning a contract year more of a luxury than a necessity. Look for Moller to be returned to Chilliwack of the WHL.