Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee
The decision to sell on Bennett was a year ago or more, when the Flames didn't want to take the risk of holding onto an asset that was starting to show serious signs of not developing into what the Flames were hoping for. In fact I recall a thread a year ago or more where this very question was being debated, and of course it seemed like to me at the time that the majority of posters wanted to hang on. Well, nothing's guaranteed.
The Flames have definitely held on too long with Bennett and should have traded him, but not now. Before. Now is too late. Now the Flames aren't getting what they invested into him (4th overall selection).
No, now you hang on, and hope the asset can eventually get to a serviceable player (which by the way, has a very low probability of happening) but today? Today he's a borderline fringe NHLer. I also don't think he puts forth the effort required game in and game out that he could.
I may not have been more disappointed in any Flames prospect in the organization's history. He was the highest selected, had the highest potential (seemingly), and he's been (being?) ruined by Gulutzan.
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Which one is the fringe NHL player:
53GP - 3G, 12A, 15PTS
53GP - 7G, 11A, 18PTS
73GP - 10G, 15A, 25PTS
“very low probability” is such an odd comment, unless you’re weighing the general hockey playing population vs. likelihood of becoming a high performing NHL’er?
Making judgements on players, so scathing, when they’re contributing NHL players at an incredibly young age makes little sense. I wonder just how many of you who are proclaiming Bennett a bust/a bad pick said the same about Backlund? Jankowski? Or how much are you failing to disconnect Bennett’s draft spot from his performance? Which is silly. Look at the draft year, the top end of the draft wasn’t strong, especially for forwards. Remove your own expectations that were driven by the draft spot, look at him as a 21 year old and give the kid some time. Jankowski is 2 years older than Bennett. Look at him and ask yourself “who else?” could we put into the lineup with the same potential, who has accomplished what he has accomplished at his age.
Everyone wanted a rebuild when we started to do it. Many claimed to be okay with taking on the pain that a fan does of a rebuilding team. Look how it has gone. We’ve had to invest almost no time in player development. Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Hamilton...we’ve been incredibly lucky to have our picks and prospects go the way they have. So to look at Bennett, the only one who appears to be a bit of a later bloomer, and proclaim failure? Eeesh...patience really is a virtue, and with how spoiled we’ve been I guess that means we never had to develop it.