First off, apologies for bumping an old thread, but i was a bit reluctant to open a new thread to discuss sam bennett, although a poll on "what to do with sam bennett" would likely provide some interesting insight on the fan base temperature on the kid at this point.
I would like to share my personal opinion on Bennett, and it starts with the fact that I do not think it would be wise to trade him. First, because I think there's more there than has been shown, and secondly, his value at this stage is so low, I dont think it would even be worth their while.
I like sam bennett, for a few reasons:
1) He's fast, and can skate with the puck
2) He's tenacious, and his boardplay ability has improved immensely this season
3) He's physical and can play with an edge
My main issues with Bennett:
1) Like many young players, he suffers from confidence issues, which create major swings in the quality of his play.
2) He is no where near ready confidence wise, and unfortunately NHL gameplay wise, to be able to drive his own line, be it from Center or playing the wing.
3) I think he's extremely concerned with offensive success, and likely the reason i find most of the dumb penalties he's taking aren't in the defensive zone, but trying to be overly aggresive in winning the puck back in the offensive/neutral zone.
One interesting stat that i overheard on the fan a few weeks back was that Sam Bennett (i can't find anything online to back this up) was second on the flames in high danger scoring chances. How he didn't have more to show for it definitely feels like it's a confidence issue for me..... If we see this trend continue, i suppose we can look at his raw skill (shooting, etc) and determine it's not NHL grade, but i don't think that's the problem.
Anyways, my real beef and reason for this post is the flames development in sam bennett and how they have chosen to invest in his development as the highest draft pick in franchise history.
Over his past 3 seasons, here are a list of his 5on5 most frequent linemates, and his season totals:
2017/2018: Jankowski, Hathaway, Jagr (GP: 82, PTS: 26, G: 11, A: 15)
2016/2017: Brouwer, Chaisson, Vesteeg (GP: 81, PTS: 26, G: 13, A: 13)
2015/2016: Backlund, Frolik (GP: 77, PTS: 36, G: 18, A: 18)
He's been put in a position to develop and drive a line by himself the last 2 years, with guys that are frankly barely NHLers at this stage of their careers.
People are quick to crap over his progress, especially compared to other forwards from that draft, but let's just peruse their linemates over the last 3 seasons for a second:
sam reinhart (15/16: ROR, E.Kane, McGinn, Eichel, 16/17: Eichel, M.Foligno, E.Kane, 17/18: ROR, Wilson, Poiliout)
leon draisatl: (15/16: Hall, Purcell, 16/17: McDavid, Maroon, 17/18: McDavid, Maroon)
william nylander: (15/16: played<25 games, 16/17: Mathews, Hyman, Kadri, Komaraov, 17/18: Mathews, Hyman)
nicholaj ehlers: (15/16: Shieffle, Wheeler, Perreault, Bumistrov, 16/17: Shieffle, Laine, Wheeler, Little, 17/18: Laine, Little)
(got this data from
https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/players)
I can't help but feel the flames have no idea how to handle prospects that just aren't successful/stars right out of the gate at the NHL level. Monahan, Gaudreau, tkachuk are the other top end prospects that the flames have, but each basically killed it almost immediately after starting in the NHL. Flames seem like they have no idea how to progress Bennett. So they are sheltering him by giving him 3rd line time, ok, but then playing him with NHL-grade 4th liners and then everyone getting disappointed in the point stats?
I LOVE the "well he should earn his ice time" rebuttal. I would even perhaps buy it if it weren't such a paradoxical concept with this coaching group. Let's play brodie/hamonic together ALL season, and not start a single game trying a different pairing, well because they need to learn to get better playing together so let's be patient. Or everyone's favourite, well the PP/PK need something more, let's throw brouwer out there to fix it.
this all leads to me really wanting the flames to take the following position come training camp. A top 6 role is bennett's to lose day 1 of camp. No, i'm not gifting him the spot, but he's starting there in camp with the hope that he runs with it.
It's no surprise that his game saw noticable jump when he was put on a line with Jagr, and then again when he was briefly put with Gaudreau. It was DEFINITELY not enough to excuse him from having a subpar season, even during those brief stints, but the flames need to some how do better to, for the lack of a better phrase, coddle their young talent, putting them in spots and roles that helps them build confidence.
If they "sven baertchi" the young guys who have an up and down beginning to their careers, then they can only hope for lottery top 5 picks, and the rare 4th round sleeper pick here and there to build out talent.....