Quote:
Originally Posted by transplant99
I hope you're right and he has some sort of progression this year, I just don't see it there in his game though. His problems are not physical ones, they are mental. As such there is little that more time will change, but maybe a coach can get inside his head and flip a switch.
|
Some of his mental problems are merely confidence issues. Sometimes all a young player needs is to get on a bit of an offensive roll and then confidence floods back, he starts playing more instinctually, stops doubting his instincts and everything clicks into place. It's a very fine line with some young offensive players.
Its certainly not too late for Sam. Look at how inept Paul Byron's offence looked for the early part of his career. Look at the age he broke out offensively. Look at how inept Sean Couturier's offence looked for the early part of his career. Look at the age he broke out offensively. Heck look at the age that Nathan McKinnon really broke out as well, he just had a 40 point increase at age 22. Guess what age Bennett is turning this year.
There are endless examples of young, skilled players who lost confidence in their offensive game early in their career and yet regained it and exploded offensively. There's no reason to think Bennett can't be yet another example of that in the next year or two.