Quote:
Originally Posted by Kovaz
I think the Bennett vs. Draisaitl comparison really illustrates how important opportunity is when developing a player. You need a young player to feel some offensive success so they can develop a feel for what works at the NHL level. And they need to have room to make mistakes, learn what doesn't work, and the get back out there and try again until they (hopefully) figure it out.
Bennett spent the better part of two years watching every decent play he made die on Troy Brouwer's stick. Is it any wonder he turned into a player that doesn't know how to use his linemates? I distinctly recall being impressed with his ability to win a puck in his own zone and start a breakout when he was first playing C, but it so rarely turned into offence. I think he got stuck in a horrible feedback loop where he couldn't produce, started trying to do too much and put too much pressure on himself. And meanwhile we had two other better lines so making mistakes meant his ice time got cut. Not a recipe for success.
Meanwhile, Draisaitl got 20 minutes a night, tons of open looks created by McDavid, and no matter how badly he played on a given night he's still getting double-shifted in the 3rd because they don't have a plan B. You could hardly create a better situation to develop a player.
You can argue all you want about a difference in talent between the players, but if you could go back in time and give 20yo Draisaitl 12 minutes a night between Versteeg and Brouwer and give 20yo Bennett 20 minutes a night on McDavid's wing, we're talking about very, very different players today.
Of all the things Gulutzan did wrong, Sam Bennett's misdevelopment has to rank at the very top.
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Pro players that have been playing at an extremely high level of minor hockey/major junior for 10-12 years just lose everything from identity to baseline puck skills because they were forced to play with grinders for a season? That is such a convenient excuse for a player that came into the league as blue chip as they come.
Sam Bennett is directly responsible for Sam Bennett's development, or lack thereof. The excuses for this guy need to stop. Even if he's not given a golden ticket like Draisatl, he did nothing to prove he should be promoted up the lineup as guys like Monahan, Tkachuk and now Mangiapane have done with the same coaching staffs. Not even close.
You can live with the lack of production if he's giving the team hard nosed, intelligent, third-line minutes. What this has become this year is just a complete disaster where he's taking twice the amount of needless minor penalties compared to points he's able to muster. What happened to the guy that was doing so many thing right last year? Or is this 2nd or 3rd regression this season all on the Peter's coaching staff as well?