People really want Bennett to succeed, which I totally agree with, but there is also a lot of needing for it to be someone else's fault that he hasn't yet. Sometimes, it just takes time. Bennett has absolutely been given the same opportunities that other young players have been given. He was put on Backlund's line for a season and did pretty well but not as well as Tkachuk did in his rookie season. He was given the same role as Monahan had in his first season when he put on a 20+ goal season and didn't do as well. He has been put with Jankowski on a line that starts primarily in the offensive zone and Jankowski has more goals than he does. Quite frankly, there have been long stretches where Bennett played like garbage and was allowed to play through it.
Hopefully Bennett puts it together. And perhaps with a stint on the top line at this point in his development that will happen. But that doesn't mean that the Flames were holding him back. For whatever reason, Bennett has taken time to become an effective NHLer, and he may not even be that consistently yet. It's not anyone's fault. It is just the way it works sometimes. Backlund also took time to develop into a good player.
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Harry, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it, don't wait for it, just... let it happen. Could be a new shirt at the men's store, a catnap in your office chair, or... two cups of good, hot, black coffee.
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