[News] Bennett Out 4-6 Months with Shoulder Surgery *UPDATE* Back Skating

[RyZ]

Bennett has to go back to Kingston as soon as he is ready for contact. Im a little bit suprised that some want to see him in regular season NHL games this year. Go to Kingston, get back into the swing of things for the last 10-20 games in the regular season and take the team as far as possible in the playoffs playing #1 C minutes. Way better for his development than playing 12 mins a night at the end of the year up here after missing 3/4 of the season.

[GioforPM]

I didn't think he actually stood to make the team out of camp (at the time we all didn't know he was playing with one arm basically). So I'd like to see him go to junior for the rest of the year and we will see what he can do with a fully healed shoulder. I'm excited that he basically was at least a bubble if not on the team in his condition.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

With that kind of heart I'm surprised you don't cheer for the Oilers. If you don't think there's a chance that a team can overcome three points in 47 games, I don't know why you watch sports.

Hemi-Cuda is one of a handful of people on this forum who seem to relish in being an absolute downer in what should be nothing more than an enjoyable pass-time. He whined and lamented all the way through the last few years of the team about how terrible it was and is now doing the same during the rebuild.

The last two weeks have been especially bad with "Well I guess we suck again and are still going to suck for years so everyone better get used to it" posts, like it was a complete unknown that this is year two of a rebuild which everyone knows will be a long process.

I just don't understand why the sector of people who do nothing but complain about how bleak things are don't walk away from hockey for a few years. I can't fathom what it would be like to have a hobby that's supposed to be entertaining turn into an enduring source of ongoing negativity.

[PeteMoss]

FWIW - Kingston is currently 7th in the conference and 6 points up on 9th for a playoff spot. As long as they don't finish 8th, they should have a shot at advancing a round in the playoffs with Bennett. They'd be in very tough to beat Oshawa (Hunter Smith's team) even with Bennett.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Bennett has to go back to Kingston as soon as he is ready for contact. Im a little bit suprised that some want to see him in regular season NHL games this year. Go to Kingston, get back into the swing of things for the last 10-20 games in the regular season and take the team as far as possible in the playoffs playing #1 C minutes. Way better for his development than playing 12 mins a night at the end of the year up here after missing 3/4 of the season.

I do not see an issue with rewarding your top prospect by giving him a game late in the season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I do not see an issue with rewarding your top prospect by giving him a game late in the season.

Reward him for what?

[Galakanokis]

I think a few games in the NHL to show him what it is like, the pace, speed and strength of defenders is not a bad idea. Gives him a much clearer picture of how hard he will need to work in the off season. I'll say the same for Porier and Klimchuck. Give them a cup of coffee and dangle that carrot out there and see how they respond in camp. With that said, I completely understand him going straight to junior once healthy.

It's been a pretty good year as a Flames fan when you completely forget all about your best prospect and a guy with the potential to be an absolute stud.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Galakanokis

I think a few games in the NHL to show him what it is like, the pace, speed and strength of defenders is not a bad idea. Gives him a much clearer picture of how hard he will need to work in the off season. I'll say the same for Porier and Klimchuck. Give them a cup of coffee and dangle that carrot out there and see how they respond in camp. With that said, I completely understand him going straight to junior once healthy.

It's been a pretty good year as a Flames fan when you completely forget all about your best prospect and a guy with the potential to be an absolute stud.

Poirier is different because he's a regular AHLer now, not a junior. But why does the taste of the NHL come this season and not next?

[lanny9]

I don't think it would be a good idea to have him go straight into the NHL, the kid is coming off an injurie,he will not be up to speed, nor physically ready for it so why send him out there risking another injury. He needs to go back to junior where he can get his conditioning back up to where it is and hopefully help his team go as far as they can in the playoffs. A playoff in junior would help him down the road more than a couple meaningless games in the NHL imo,which if they ever entertained the thought it would mean we are out of the playoffs ourselves cause they aren't going to throw him in if we are in the hunt for a playoff spot.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Reward him for what?

Successfully rehabbing his shoulder? He is the highest pick the organization has ever had, and showed why in his brief pre-season stint. If he is healed up and ready to go, and the Flames are out of the race why not give him a game? Give him a taste of real NHL action and a better understanding of what he will have to do to stick next year?

Every time Treliving talks about Sam he glows about his compete and dedication during the rehab. Perhaps that is another reason he deserves a game?

When Backlund came over from Sweden to join the Kelowna Rockets mid season he got a single game with the Flames don't see the harm in giving Bennett 1-2 when he is ready to return to action

[Rick M.]

I don't see Bennett playing a game at ANY level until his conditioning is up to scratch and his shoulder has healed 100 percent and his upper body strength is such that a repeat injury is unlikely. When those criteria are met, I don't see why a short NHL stint would hurt.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

With that kind of heart I'm surprised you don't cheer for the Oilers. If you don't think there's a chance that a team can overcome three points in 47 games, I don't know why you watch sports. They might not make it to the playoffs, and not many expected them to, but to say it is unrealistic they are out with 57% of the season remaining is the same attitude why the Oilers say they can't come back in any game when they are down by two goals. Yes they've lost 8 straight, but they are still right there even after losing those eight straight.

If the Flames can't make it in, how would Minnesota, Dallas and Colorado have any chance? The playoffs should just start in January and we don't need to waste anyone's time. Season's over folks? What if we win 3 of the next 4? Doesn't matter. You're three points back. What if we beat Winnipeg? Doesn't matter. You're out..

If the Flames go .500 from here on out (a very generous assumption at this point) that leaves them with 84 points, well below the cutoff for playoffs. Minnesota, Dallas, and Colorado have all proven they can get it done recently so that's why I put them ahead of the Flames. Calgary tanked just when the schedule became a little tougher, and it's not going to get any easier in the coming months, so going by their track record hoping for playoffs is a pipe dream

That's why I'm hoping Treleving doesn't even consider the playoffs when looking at moves to make, for Bennett and otherwise. Maybe it's good the tank happened when it did, instead of later when ownership saw playoffs as a real possibility and pushed to make shortsighted moves to try and get there

[smiggy77]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Successfully rehabbing his shoulder? He is the highest pick the organization has ever had, and showed why in his brief pre-season stint. If he is healed up and ready to go, and the Flames are out of the race why not give him a game? Give him a taste of real NHL action and a better understanding of what he will have to do to stick next year?

Every time Treliving talks about Sam he glows about his compete and dedication during the rehab. Perhaps that is another reason he deserves a game?

When Backlund came over from Sweden to join the Kelowna Rockets mid season he got a single game with the Flames don't see the harm in giving Bennett 1-2 when he is ready to return to action

And risk re-injuring himself because he has 0 days of nhl experience and will be entering unchartered territory? no thank you.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Poirier is different because he's a regular AHLer now, not a junior. But why does the taste of the NHL come this season and not next?

I don't know, the off chance that he's a regular NHLer next year? It's a carrot not a reward. Basically this is what to expect next year get ready for it. The Flames are not going to throw into any games if he is physically not ready to play so I am not worried about him injuring the shoulder again.

Why have any junior/AHLer play late in the season if it is not going to help your playoff chances?

[Miniac]

Originally Posted by RyZ

Bennett has to go back to Kingston as soon as he is ready for contact. Im a little bit suprised that some want to see him in regular season NHL games this year. Go to Kingston, get back into the swing of things for the last 10-20 games in the regular season and take the team as far as possible in the playoffs playing #1 C minutes. Way better for his development than playing 12 mins a night at the end of the year up here after missing 3/4 of the season.

Totally agree.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

And risk re-injuring himself because he has 0 days of nhl experience and will be entering unchartered territory? no thank you.

Can he spend some time practicing with the Flames once his rehab has progressed far enough? I really don't see how that could harm him.

Can he spend some time on an AHL conditioning stint once he's completely cleared for contact and strong enough to compete? Again, I have no issue with that as long as he's medically and physically strong enough.

If he could get through the above 2 scenarios without any setbacks then I could endorse him playing a few games with the Flames before being sent back to Kingston for the remainder of the season.

I believe he was very much in the running to get his 9 game cameo this season before it was decided he should have surgery. If he went through the proper rehabilitation procedure and then worked his way onto the team mid season I don't see how it could possibly hurt his development. He could go back to Kingston in the best condition that could possibly be asked of him.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

If the Flames go .500 from here on out (a very generous assumption at this point)

At present they are two points above .500 after an eight-game losing streak. Why is it in any way a generous assumption to think they will go .500 the rest of the way?

I said before the losing streak started that this team reminded me of the ’85-86 Flames in the way it was put together. That team was on a 100-point pace before its 11-game losing streak, and on a 100-point pace for the remaining games after the losing streak. The difference, of course, was that in a weak division and in a 21-team league, they could make the playoffs comfortably even while writing off those 11 games, a luxury that no longer exists. But so far, I don’t see any positive evidence that the team should be judged by its last eight games exclusively, and not by the previous 27.

Calgary tanked just when the schedule became a little tougher,

Actually, according to Sagarin’s strength of schedule data, the Flames’ schedule has actually been easier since they started losing. You are trying to construct a narrative that flies in the face of the evidence. If you think the Flames only did well because they had a ridiculously easy schedule, the facts will not support any such claim.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Can he spend some time practicing with the Flames once his rehab has progressed far enough? I really don't see how that could harm him.

Can he spend some time on an AHL conditioning stint once he's completely cleared for contact and strong enough to compete? Again, I have no issue with that as long as he's medically and physically strong enough.

If he could get through the above 2 scenarios without any setbacks then I could endorse him playing a few games with the Flames before being sent back to Kingston for the remainder of the season.

I believe he was very much in the running to get his 9 game cameo this season before it was decided he should have surgery. If he went through the proper rehabilitation procedure and then worked his way onto the team mid season I don't see how it could possibly hurt his development. He could go back to Kingston in the best condition that could possibly be asked of him.

Once the doctors clear him as healthy, the Flames have to act.

They could assign him to Adirondack for a conditioning stint (14 days), send him to junior, or add him to the 23 man roster. In order to do that, they would have to make room for him.

If they did add him to the roster, they could then have him practice and not dress for games if they wanted.

If they add him to the roster, and he plays 10 games, he would trigger a year of his ELC.

The conditioning stint would not count for that.

[dammage79]

In regards to an AHL conditioning stint for Bennett. What separates Bennett and Grigorenko from last season and the NHL not allowing it to happen?

I don't remember much of the Grigorenko situation but was it because he was not injured? Or was it a certain amount of NHL gp are needed to be assigned to the AHL on a conditioning stint?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by dammage79

In regards to an AHL conditioning stint for Bennett. What separates Bennett and Grigorenko from last season and the NHL not allowing it to happen?

I don't remember much of the Grigorenko situation but was it because he was not injured? Or was it a certain amount of NHL gp are needed to be assigned to the AHL on a conditioning stint?

John Vogl @BuffNewsVogl
Basically, the NHL concluded that Mikhail Grigorenko did not have "general body soreness" and was not eligible for conditioning loan.

Sabres were trying to sneak him down on a conditioning loan when he had nothing to recover from, in an attempt to circumvent the NHL/CHL transfer agreement.