[Flash Walken]

Disagree.

Going long stretches without points has been the story of bennetts career thus far.

January 2016:

“Guys that come from junior that score 50 goals in the season, definitely it’s a big change,” acknowledged Flames winger David Jones about the adjustments from making the jump to scoring in the National Hockey League. “I think sometimes you have to take pride in little victories — making a nice play or driving to the net or getting a good shot on net.

“Sometimes, it’s not always the goal; it’s the process … if he keeps playing the way he’s playing, they’re going to come.”

And when it does come, Jones assures that a domino effect usually follows.

Which should come as welcome news for the 19-year-old who has five goals and nine assists in the first 37 games of his first full NHL season.

“I think this is the longest slump I’ve ever been in,” Bennett said the other day. “It can get frustrating at times but if I keep working away, eventually something is going to go in.”

And, at this point, he’s desperate to try anything to break out of it.

“I try and change things up,” Bennett said. “Whether it be my game day routine or changing things on my stick, I’m always trying to find a way to mix things up a little.”

Craig Conroy can’t explain put his finger on why it’s not happening, despite having three or four good chances on most nights. But he is keeping faith in their young rookie.

“It happens … especially for a young guy that’s always gotten points, everywhere,” said the Flames assistant general manager. “It hasn’t been hard for him. But now, you get a little frustrated. He gets opportunities, they just haven’t gone in. Hopefully he gets one or two and it starts going for him. But he does everything right … huge positives. But maybe the production isn’t where he wants it.”

Bob Hartley is aware of Bennett’s mounting internal pressure as well as the ups and downs of being a first-year pro.

March 2016:

This season Bennett has scored just 12 even-strength goals through 66 games, four of which came in a 6–0 rout of the Florida Panthers back in January. Like many young players, he’s prone to long droughts: His last goal came on February 11 against the San Jose Sharks. Given the experience he gained in his first taste of the NHL, in the playoffs no less, it’s been no surprise that even through his tough stretches he’s remained hard-nosed about how things have been going.

​​​“In junior, you don’t normally go a couple of games without scoring,” Bennett told the Canadian Press in February. “It was definitely different, but it’s a different league and it’s a lot tougher. I knew that coming in.”

One not insignificant factor is that Bennett has had to adjust to left wing instead of center, the position he grew up playing and the one he was drafted to play. Coach Bob Hartley insisted in December that the Flames are "…treating him the same way we treated Sean Monahan in his first year and we have kind of our own recipe.”

January 2017:

The embattled 20-year-old had gone without a point for 12 straight games -- a span in which he took only 16 shots on net and went minus-6 -- so this was a welcome positive moment even though it was an utterly meaningless goal. It'd be huge for Bennett to keep the momentum going Thursday in Ottawa, the Flames' last game before the All-Star break; if he does, that would be a great sign for the resilient fantasy owners (mostly in keeper formats) who've stuck with him.

We're now going on 2018, and he's pointless in 14 games.