Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
how does this compare to team averqges? Wasn't the team averaging a similar increase shots, chances and danger chances? Didn't you say there was a 10% increase in shots based in how they were counted?
Can't you explain that away with coaching? Didn't the whole roster show improvements in that regard as compared to Hartley's tenure?
How did Bennett's rates change once he was moved to Jankos wing, up or down?
Wasn't a criticism of Gulutzan that he was coaching for corsi?
If a tree falls in the forest but it doesn't register as a goal or assist, does anyone notice?
My whole point is that Bennett does not produce enough tangible offense to justify getting too 9 icetime, especially in light of his penalties.
If he is creating a bunch of advances stats metrics that aren't translating to tangible offense, doesn't that give weight to my argument.
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Lazar vs Bennett
Lazar is a former first round draft pick that is having trouble at the NHL level with the speed of the game mentally (my opinion). He has wheels, but he can't finish or generate chances at this level. Because of that he slips down the roster on a thin team (last year), and is now staring down a possible trip to the AHL as he appears to have become replacement level.
Bennett, a former 4th overall pick has struggled to produce at the NHL level but not to Lazar's extent. He is however showing signs of generating offence because his on ice stats suggest his line is creating than they are getting rewarded for.
One is in trouble, one has stats that suggest he may be figuring it out.
You can lump it into advanced stats but this isn't voo doo. The Flames are creating offence with Bennett on the ice based on shot and scoring chance counts. There is nothing mystical about his numbers at all. Good stuff was happening when he was on the ice last year to a degree that was greater than his line's production.
I'm leery of trading a guy with numbers like that as he may be turning a corner.
Your coaching reasons don't hold water because this isn't just perimeter shots and corsi padding. His scoring chance rates were even better. But yeah both he and Jankowski saw their numbers improve when they were put together, but not just Bennett with the gains.
This past season if you look at all forwards league wide that played 750+ minutes Bennett was ranked
40th in CF/60 (doesn't speak to quality)
136th in SCF/60
101st in HDCF/60
He may never figure it out and bring the production, but this is the wrong time to right him off. Lists like these aren't guarantees but there is little doubt that it's exactly the type of numbers teams are looking for when they go shopping for change of scenery players or players not getting a chance in stacked rosters.