Quote:
Originally Posted by Lil Pedro
What a load of crap, Bennett has had every opportunity to move up in the lineup and stay there over the last 5 years, but his inconsistent play and dumb penalties have reduced him to places lower in the lineup. He wasn't capable of playing centre early on (which was fine), so they put him on the wing. He never excelled there nor show that he could play higher up in the lineup other than for a game or two. Even when there was an injury in the lineup and he slotted higher, he didn't take a position away from someone else. That's the coaches fault? I think this organization has given the highest draft pick in team history lots of chances to succeed; Bennett hasn't taken hold of any of those opportunities. He's a prime candidate for a new team next year.
|
Lots of chances to succeed? like when he had a really strong rookie season with Backlund then immediately got demoted the following year? It could have been to try him out as a centre but then they put an essentially rookie centre (because he hadn't played there in the NHL before) with a carousel of old slow offensive blackholes until it got to the point that they demoted him even further with worse players.
Whenever he has shown chemistry with someone they either have gotten hurt or he's been demoted again.
Then GG came in and stifled any offensive creativity he had with his system but still demoted him for not producing even though it was partially his fault for the lack of production.
Then Bennett consistently showed up each time the Flames made the playoffs and eventually forced their hands to move him up the lineup (way too late I might add) but then was immediately put on the 4th line to START training camp the following year. Why not see if he can continue that play with better players?
This year when Bennett replaced Ryan during his injury was the best hockey outside of the playoffs I have ever seen from Bennett. And the numbers showed they were basically just as effective as when Ryan was there.
So why not leave him there and let him gain confidence knowing you are in the home stretch before playoffs? Imagine playoff Sam Bennett who starts with confidence on a line he has chemistry with?
Plus Ryan has a history of making those around him better so it makes logical sense to me to leave Bennett where he was since they were producing the same as before and see if Ryan can get the most out of the fourth line players like he did with Mangiapane and Hathaway thus giving the flames 4 strong lines instead of three by wasting Bennett at left wing with a centre who doesn't seem to give a crap and a rotating RW of replacement players.
So ya I do think they haven't given him a proper chance to succeed and I think this is an opportunity for them to do so at a position where he is obviously more comfortable.