Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
Sorry, but this is poor evaluation. Bennett is a line driver and a strong two way player. Virtanen is a guy who can shoot the puck really well. Bennett is far more valuable in every way, and point totals never tell enough of the story.
If Calgary was offered a 1st and a 3rd for Bennett, they would refuse that trade, the player is worth more to them on the ice than a 1st likely will be. He's our 6th leading forward scorer, by the way. Frolik may have higher PPG but we both know that's inflated by empty net goals. And Bennett hasn't had the luxury of James Neal having finish.
I also believe his passing in the defensive zone and neutral zone are way better than the offensive zone. In the offensive zone he seems to be afraid of getting his pass picked off, so he makes the safe low reward play, but in the other two zones he really sees the ice. Watch how consistently the team breakout goes through him, whether it's a play on the walls as a winger or his play down low as a center. I always get a kick out of people who say he's a bad center when he has aspects of his game that rival Backlund. Jankowski is the anchor on that line holding them back.
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Look, the guy is a useful NHL player. I'm not saying he's not. I don't want to get rid of him.
I am saying there are areas of his game that, to this point, have prevented him from being the player we thought we were getting when he was drafted 4th overall. They are his passing and hockey sense. And a limited moveset.
Sam Bennett is allegedly one of the six or seven most skilled forwards on the team. Once it became clear that Bennett was never going to be close to what Monahan is as a centre, Bennett got a chance to be Elias Lindholm. Blame Gulutzan all you want, but who's fault is it that didn't work? Johnny? Sean? Glenn? No, it's Sam's fault.
Bennett has never had sustained success on the 2nd line with Backlund and Tkachuk. Is he unable to play right wing?
The last time Bennett forced his way onto the 1st powerplay unit, he was wearing a 63.
I'm not out of patience with Bennett, I don't think he sucks, and I know people develop at different rates. I just don't think he's as good as we hoped he'd be. And that's okay.