In the 2016-17 AHL season (Dryden’s 1st professional season), the rookie experienced glaring struggles, recording an abysmal slashline of 13G,18A, and 31 points, participating in 70 games of AHL action. Although, despite Hunt’s mediocre performance, the Panthers strongly felt the youngster was fully prepared for NHL style hockey. In the 2017-18 campaign, Dryden Hunt participated in 11 NHL contests, posting an unimpressive line of 0G, 1A, and 1 point, eventually finding himself demoted and returning to the Springfield T-Birds.
Essentially, Hunt’s struggles in adapting to a completely different environment of pro-style hockey carried over from the AHL to the NHL.