I think it's definitely a chicken-and-egg problem. But the guy's been buried with #### linemates since his second year, and it takes more than a 5-10 game stretch on the wing once or twice a season to turn that around. Even in his rookie year, he only spent 23% of his ice time with Backlund-Frolik, and no more than 5% with any other combo, half on the wing and half at C. And then ever since he failed to produce with the corpse of Troy Brouwer stapled to his hip as a 20 year old C, he's been bounced up and down the lineup from wing to C to wing. Even that season, once Alex Chiasson replaced Brouwer down the stretch that line was damn solid and was excellent in the playoffs. Alex ####ing Chiasson being an upgrade says all you need to know about his linemates.
Sure, Bennett isn't blameless here. He tries to do too much and doesn't use his linemates. But does anyone honestly think spending crucial formative years watching clean passes clank off Brouwer's stick right to a defender had no impact on that? Or watching Jankowski meekly pretend to forecheck after you dump the puck in? You tell a guy "we need you to produce" and give him useless linemates and limited ice time - what do you think is gonna happen?
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