Sam "Freaking" Bennett

[GranteedEV]

Backlund is actually a very strong player. His balance and body position is actually one of his best attributes.

Backlund is also 27 years old and in the prime of his career...

It's not even just his physical attributes, Backlund has extremely high hockey iq at the center position. Something I haven't seen yet from Sam Bennett.

And yet, when Mikael Backlund was Sam Bennett's age, he had exactly one NHL game on his resume. I doubt you are comparing apples-to-apples here. You are comparing apples-to-oranges. Something like "using your linemates" is something that comes with experience, even McDavid is guilty of trying to do too much on his own but gets away with it due to being the fastest skater in the league.

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

What opposition is he matched up against though? He definitely is no Jonathan Toews, if the numbers are saying that then they're wrong.

You said "His line still gets hemmed in their own zone too often for my liking."

The numbers don't say "he is Jonathan Toews". They say that against the competition he faces and with the teammates he plays with (who are no Hossa and Saad and Keith and Hjalmarsson themselves by the way), he sees roughly the same amount of rubber directed towards his goaltender as Jonathan Toews. A CA60 of 57 is a respectable number for a veteran NHLer, but it's more than respectable for a 20 year old center.

And again, the quality of teammate part can't be understated. Bennett has spent more ice time with Deryk Engelland than any other skater on this team. Deryk Engelland is reknowned for getting hemmed in. Put two and two together. Quality of Competition is fluid, one shift you might be beating up on a third liner and next shift you're up against Kopitar or Kesler. Quality of Teammate however is consistent because the coach pretty much dictates it.

Anything you supposedly gain from easier competition is usually a wash because you are playing with lesser players. How many simple cycle plays die on Brouwer's stick lately for instance? Replace him with a 60 year old Jagr and suddenly the whole line has the puck a whole lot more and is hemmed in a whole lot less. How many dump and chases become dump and skate backwardses because Versteeg loss a board battle?

He looks like a deer in the headlights when I've seen him play against the opposition's top lines. He'll end up taking bad penalties or be severely out classed.

That's your opinion, but it's certainly not what I see. And, based on how he seems to rave about the kid, it's not how the coach sees it.

Sam's skillset just screams winger to me. He can use his strong puck pursuit abilities on the forecheck and can be physical on opposing defenders. I think he'd be able to pick up more speed as a winger and he'd be able to get his shot off more often as well. I just don't think we're utilizing his strengths at center.

To each his own. I see a center with the potential to have a complete skillset the league has not seen since Peter Forsberg. But I guess people just want to turn him into Dustin Brown or something.

If he was bigger or faster or stronger he might be able mask some of his issues, but isn't the case.

And? Are you implying he has plateaued physically at age 20?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by robaur

Your point doesnt stand though. Pavelski doesn't play center. He plays RW and is also built like a tank with a wikkid shot.

Granlund was struggling massively in his career as a center until Boudreau came and shifted him to the wing, and he's taken off since then.

Kadri struggled for pretty much his whole career until Babcock came in and started moulding and shaping his game.

Dubinsky is the only player that you have mentioned in your list that has consistently played Center and has had decent success as one.

Pavelski has taken 672 faceoffs - that's more than Bennett and Stajan. Does he line-up as centre all the time? No. But he is a Centre, he just splits time on the wing depending on how SJ rolls their lines.

Bergeron, Kesler, Giroux, Stastny, Tavares, Zajac, Toews, Crosby blah blah blah...it goes on and on and on. Bennett is not undersized - that was my point.

In regards to Backlund, Dubinsky and Kadri - it's called player development. It takes time."Massively struggled" - yes, players struggle during development. It's how they get better.

The Flames have repeatedly said they see Bennett as a centre, and damn if his game isn't progressing at a quite promising rate this season. So I simply do not understand this goofy ass fixation with over-hyping Jankowski's ability to come in and take Bennett's spot when Jankowski hasn't proven a dang thing. If you've watched Jankowski play more than 10 games, raise your hand - and then break down why you believe he's better than Sam Bennett. He may very well be one day...but guess what? Jankowski is also two years older than Bennett. Let's see where Bennett is at 22. I'll happily bank on Bennett at 22 being better than Jankowski is at the centre ice position today - why? Simple. He's 20 and he already is better.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Still want to see a Bennett/Tkachuk combo. It could be insanely great.

Originally Posted by codynw

Same, but it would sure be tough to split up Backlund and Tkachuk right now.

Maybe next season?
Gaudrea - Monahan
Tkachuk - Bennett
Jankowski - Backlund

Give Backlund and Frolik another good young player to mentor on their wing.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

And yet, when Mikael Backlund was Sam Bennett's age, he had exactly one NHL game on his resume. I doubt you are comparing apples-to-apples here. You are comparing apples-to-oranges.

I'd say Classic_Sniper is comparing the apple tree to the appleseed. The seed is still sprouting. Let's give it time.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Backlund is also 27 years old and in the prime of his career...

And yet, when Mikael Backlund was Sam Bennett's age, he had exactly one NHL game on his resume. I doubt you are comparing apples-to-apples here. You are comparing apples-to-oranges. Something like "using your linemates" is something that comes with experience, even McDavid is guilty of trying to do too much on his own but gets away with it due to being the fastest skater in the league.

You said "His line still gets hemmed in their own zone too often for my liking."

The numbers don't say "he is Jonathan Toews". They say that against the competition he faces and with the teammates he plays with (who are no Hossa and Saad and Keith and Hjalmarsson themselves by the way), he sees roughly the same amount of rubber directed towards his goaltender as Jonathan Toews. A CA60 of 57 is a respectable number for a veteran NHLer, but it's more than respectable for a 20 year old center.

And again, the quality of teammate part can't be understated. Bennett has spent more ice time with Deryk Engelland than any other skater on this team. Deryk Engelland is reknowned for getting hemmed in. Put two and two together. Quality of Competition is fluid, one shift you might be beating up on a third liner and next shift you're up against Kopitar or Kesler. Quality of Teammate however is consistent because the coach pretty much dictates it.

That's your opinion, but it's certainly not what I see. And, based on how he seems to rave about the kid, it's not how the coach sees it.

To each his own. I see a center with the potential to have a complete skillset the league has not seen since Peter Forsberg. But I guess people just want to turn him into Dustin Brown or something.

And? Are you implying he has plateaued physically at age 20?

Physically he has a lot to grow and is still very raw. But that doesn't mean that once he peaks physically that he will be a great center. To me, Sam Bennett is better off using his skillset at the wing position because that's where I believe his strengths are.

This notion is not new, it's been debated for awhile. Regardless of what the advanced stats say, his struggles at center have been so apparent that there was talk of him being demoted to the AHL a few weeks ago. I didn't want to see that as he's proven to be a formidable winger (last season).

Peter Forsberg showed his dominance early on in his career at the WJHC and as a rookie in Quebec. Sam Bennett has regressed considerably in his first full year as a center. It's not unusual to see former centers who have found more success at wing. I could definitely see a scenario in which Sam Bennett is moved to the wing if he struggled enough in the playoffs.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Physically he has a lot to grow and is still very raw. But that doesn't mean that once he peaks physically that he will be a great center. To me, Sam Bennett is better off using his skillset at the wing position because that's where I believe his strengths are.

This notion is not new, it's been debated for awhile. Regardless of what the advanced stats say, his struggles at center have been so apparent that there was talk of him being demoted to the AHL a few weeks ago. I didn't want to see that as he's proven to be a formidable winger (last season).

Peter Forsberg showed his dominance early on in his career at the WJHC and as a rookie in Quebec. Sam Bennett has regressed considerably in his first full year as a center. It's not unusual to see former centers who have found more success at wing. I could definitely see a scenario in which Sam Bennett is moved to the wing if he struggled enough in the playoffs.

From who? I'd like to see where this talk comes from. Gulutzan and Treliving have both been singing his praises for some time now.

Regressed significantly in his 2nd pro year? His 2nd pro year? Which includes him playing a new position under a new coach, which has also seen the vast majority of our players take a significant amount of time to adapt. I think your expectations for player development are out of whack and arbitrary.

Bennett has made big strides within this season alone, and I guess in the end, I just disagree with you. I don't understand why you think his skillset is better suited for the wing. What parts of his skillset are better suited for the wing? Also, Bennett is actively developing his skillset at the NHL level, so I can't help but think your judgement of his skillset is premature.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Physically he has a lot to grow and is still very raw. But that doesn't mean that once he peaks physically that he will be a great center. To me, Sam Bennett is better off using his skillset at the wing position because that's where I believe his strengths are.

This notion is not new, it's been debated for awhile. Regardless of what the advanced stats say, his struggles at center have been so apparent that there was talk of him being demoted to the AHL a few weeks ago. I didn't want to see that as he's proven to be a formidable winger (last season).

Peter Forsberg showed his dominance early on in his career at the WJHC and as a rookie in Quebec. Sam Bennett has regressed considerably in his first full year as a center. It's not unusual to see former centers who have found more success at wing. I could definitely see a scenario in which Sam Bennett is moved to the wing if he struggled enough in the playoffs.

By talk do you mean one or two posters here? That's what you cite to support your point?

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by the2bears

By talk do you mean one or two posters here? That's what you cite to support your point?

More like the Fan 960 Morning Show, Big Show and Overtime. I actually don't support that notion as he's proven to be effective at wing and I'd rather see him slotted there than down in Stockton. But that doesn't mean people haven't talked about sending him down to the AHL.

[dying4acup]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

More like the Fan 960 Morning Show, Big Show and Overtime. I actually don't support that notion as he's proven to be effective at wing and I'd rather see him slotted there than down in Stockton. But that doesn't mean people haven't talked about sending him down to the AHL.

I do believe that Bennett would require waivers to go to the AHL at this point based on service time and games played.

[Reggie Dunlop]

To me, Sam Bennett channels Joe Nieuwendyk. Similar size, same physical build (sloped shoulders). Same skill set. Throw in some Doug Gilmour grit. He's a player.

[ignite09]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Maybe next season?
Gaudrea - Monahan
Tkachuk - Bennett
Jankowski - Backlund

Give Backlund and Frolik another good young player to mentor on their wing.

Yeah, his name's Mark Jankowski.

[fanman]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Maybe next season?
Gaudrea - Monahan
Tkachuk - Bennett
Jankowski - Backlund

Give Backlund and Frolik another good young player to mentor on their wing.

Was just thinking the same thing. There's no way you break up the 3M line this season.
Lazar could be a prime candidate for the Backlund-Frolik line if he has a good showing at next year's camp, and who better to show him along?

I'd also like to see Bennett and Tkachuk together, just not now.

[belsarius]

Originally Posted by fanman

Was just thinking the same thing. There's no way you break up the 3M line this season.
Lazar could be a prime candidate for the Backlund-Frolik line if he has a good showing at next year's camp, and who better to show him along?

I'd also like to see Bennett and Tkachuk together, just not now.

If you got a problem, yo! they'll solve it; put it on the wing and watch Backlund evolve it!


Bennett-Tkachuk is going to be one nasty tandem to play against for years to come.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by belsarius

If you got a problem, yo! they'll solve it; put it on the wing and watch Backlund evolve it!


Bennett-Tkachuk is going to be one nasty tandem to play against for years to come.

Why not make it even more painful for opposing teams?

Tkachuk - Bennett - Lazar

Lots of hitting, lots of speed, hopefully lots of goals - but for sure, there will be lots of mayhem. I love mayhem.

[Heavy Jack]

Good god does that line have a lot of beef and tenacity. Burke must be going out of his truculent mind thinking about the possibilities with this line up right now.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Still want to see a Bennett/Tkachuk combo. It could be insanely great.

I have to disagree, at least right now. Bennett doesn't have the passing ability or strength along the boards that Backlund does, and so I think Tkachuk's game would suffer. What that 3M line does so greatly is cycle the puck with all 3 of them being strong on the boards & down low, and all 3 of them are slick passers for when the inevitable opportunity arises out of that cycle.

This is not to say that Bennett won't get there, as I think he will, but he's looking like he is still a couple years away from what Backlund is doing today.

[3rd Degree]

What kind of contract do you think the Flames should sign Bennett to? I think they should try and leverage his poor season into a long term, team friendly, 7-8 year deal in the 3.5-4.0 million per year range.

You pay him way more than he would otherwise make over the next 3 years to hopefully have him outplay the rest of his contact. Having a stud on a bargain deal will be very important once Tkachuk cashes in.

To make room for his larger price tag I would suggest giving Las Vegas a 5th round pick to select Brower.

[AC]

0% chance Bennett would sign a 7-8 year deal like that.

He'll get a bridge deal guaranteed.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

What kind of contract do you think the Flames should sign Bennett to? I think they should try and leverage his poor season into a long term, team friendly, 7-8 year deal in the 3.5-4.0 million per year range.

You pay him way more than he would otherwise make over the next 3 years to hopefully have him outplay the rest of his contact. Having a stud on a bargain deal will be very important once Tkachuk cashes in.

To make room for his larger price tag I would suggest giving Las Vegas a 5th round pick to select Brower.

Lol Sam isnt gonna sign a 7-8 year deal at 3.5-4 mill per.

He might sign a 3.5-4 mill deal for 2-3 years with the expectation that he gets a big raise afterwards.

[kukkudo]

Have that odd feeling that Bennett is going to be a totally different player in the playoffs. He will have another gear!