[Poe969]

Some are calling Bennett a bust, some just want to trade him. I'm not saying 100% that he'll be a bust but I do want to trade him. IF (and that's a big if) Bennett turns his game around and turns into a legit top 6 player, it likely won't be for a few years. The Flames need help now, sure they're going to want good players in a few years but they're in win now mode and have spent a lot of assets to get to where they are...and that still isn't good enough. To improve the team right now they need to add a really good player, if trading Bennett+ gets you that player and it makes the team a legitimate contender you have to go for it even if it means losing a player who will be really good in the future.

If the Flames want to improve their team, they'll have to give up value, or at least they'd usually have to give up value. This trade is just another cost cutting move by the sens, to me it looks like they want to make sure they have enough room and money to sign Karlsson long term. If all the sens want to do is save money then they can be taken advantage of. They want cheap assets that will help the team but are still cost controlled, Bennett is under a good contract and likely won't get much of a raise at all until he really improves so he probably holds value to the sens.