Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbsy
Based on the premise of your data, it is clear that if the flames want Bennett to grow and flourish offensively, they will have to either put Bennett on the wing or break up Monahan/gaudreau or Tkachuk/Backlund/Frolik.
Personally, I'd like to see tkatchuk/Bennett paired up with strong offensive opportunities (pp and offensive zone starts), even if that means sacrificing frolik/Backlund to see more defensive time (something they excel in anyways).
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Yeah, Bennett came into the league and was probably placed into the most difficult position to produce compared to his peers and not to mention that he's the only top drafted centerman that is actually still playing down the middle of the ice. Nylander rode shotgun to Matthews. Ehlers to Schiefele. Draisaitl to Hall and then to McDavid. Pastrnak to Bergeron. Reinhart to Eichel. And Bennett to... Versteeg?
The Bennett vs. Draisaitl comparison is a funny one. In their draft seasons, Bennett was seen
unanimously as the superior prospect
http://www.mynhldraft.com/2014-nhl-d...pect-rankings/
There are 13(!) different end-season rankings of the 2014 top prospects. Bennett tops Leon in every single one.
Draft+1 season: Bennett still being hampered by that shoulder is forced to miss nearly his entire season. Where as Draisaitl is gifted a spot on the roster out of camp after MacT called him Kopitar at the draft. Leon looks horrible and way in over his head and is forced back to juniors after 40 games. Bennett comes back for the final 10 games of his junior season and puts the Fronts on his back and wills them to the playoffs putting up over a 2ppg. Bennett impressed the Flames brass so much they decided to give him the call up for the final regular season game and the playoffs. In short, he was outstanding.
At the end of the 2015 season Bennett was once again seen as the superior prospect to his counterpart Draisaitl.
I'm not so sure it would be Draisaitl about to cash in on this big payday instead of Bennett if he was allowed to ride the coattails of two separate superstars in his following two seasons as opposed to sparse gifted minutes with Backlund, and then a heap with Brouwer, Chiasson, Engelland types.
All in all, Draisaitl certainly has surpassed Bennett, but as we've seen, their situations are far from static and I for one am not of the belief that Draisaitl is anything more than a product of his circumstances. I can't see reason why Bennett cannot swing back ahead in the near future.