In my opinion, the best linemates for Bennett are players that play with a lot of pace to their game. That is why I was really happy with the Lazar acquisition - I really think those two are going to fit in well together.
Throw anyone next to Backlund, and that player will have a good year. This is a bad example because of the preceding sentence, but it fits for Bennett here as Backlund plays with a lot of pace.
Tkachuk I see as having a lot of the same characteristics as Bennett, but he doesn't play with that pace. However, as long as there is another player on that line that can play at the same speed and who also has a non-stop motor, I think Tkachuk will fit in really well. I am with Mastadon on this one for next season (or even in the playoffs, depending on how things are going and if they need to spread things out):
Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Jankowski - Backlund - Frolik
Tkachuk - Bennett - Lazar
Bouma - Stajan - Brouwer
To me, that is a difficult team to play against. Jankowski is a rookie, but he isn't really 'raw'. He has taken a long time developing in the NCAA and Leaman made a point of throwing him in every situation. He won the NCAA championship while doing an excellent job of limiting Eichel. He is leading the Stockton Heat in scoring in his first season, and still being relied on to play in every situation. Kid can come in and play on the Backlund line and do really well. I don't see the point of keeping him in Stockton until a center spot opens up - if he doesn't get to play center, that's ok too. He can at least get his ears wet in the NHL and play with one of the NHL's best 2-way centers for a season - that seems like a really good trade-off. Then, you gauge what is happening with Bennett and/or Lazar in terms of their ability to play center.
There are many centers in the NHL that played center in junior, entered the NHL as a winger, and slowly got transitioned back into center as they found themselves on teams that were either very deep at center (like Seguin in Boston) or that took more time developing at center and were brought along slowly but surely (like Galchenyuk thus far - though not my favorite example).
Playoffs are a different demon, and you try to win. If someone like Jankowski makes for a better center TODAY, then sure, play him at center at fit Bennett on the wing.
I just think it would be ridiculous to give up on what could possibly be the highest ceiling center the Flames have organizationally and convert him to wing just because he has better numbers on the wing. EVERYONE gets better numbers on the wing. Take off the defensive responsibilities, and it is natural for their point production to increase.
I think Bennett is doing just fine and growing into that position well. Give him time. Is he hurting the team? No. He is giving the Flames solid defensive time, and his speed is difficult for teams to handle. It is just unfortunate that he is paired with two guys that don't play at that speed at the moment (thus why I am very eager to see Lazar and him being turned into a combo down the road).
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