[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

20 forwards have played over 1000 minutes for the Flames over the last three seasons - here is Bennett's rank at 5v5

Goals per 60: 0.68 (T-8th)
Assists per 60: 0.71 (15th)
Primary Assists per 60: 0.5 (T-10th)
Points per 60: 1.39 (12th)

Shots / 60: 7.82 (7th)
ixG/60: 0.8 (2nd)
iHDCF/60: 4.29 (5th)
Rebounds Created Per 60: 1.07 (1st)
Rush Attempts/60: 0.53 (6th)

Minor / 60: 1.26 (1st)
Penalties Drawn/60: 0.93 (7th)

Giveaways/60: 1.94 (9th - Tkachuk & Johnny are 1st...tends to happend when you have the puck)
Takeaways/60: 2.25 (8th)
Hits/60: 8.6 (6th)

CF/60: 62.4 (6TH)
CA/60: 57.2 (15th)
CF%: 52.2% (10th)

xGF/60: 2.54 (5th)
xGA/60: 2.28 (15th)
xGF%: 52.6 (8th)

On ice shooting %: 6.45 (14th)
On ice save percentage: .921 (9th)
PDO: .985 (15th)

Bennett is a guy that's had bottom 6 production, but has generated much higher volume of shots/chances/rebounds than his production and has some bad luck from a percentages perspective. Biggest negative against his game is he's taken too many minor penalties.

Really his role for next season is exactly what it should be - third line forward with the potential to be more if he can keep up his play at C with more talented linemates.

Gaudreau & Tkachuk are the proxy for the top two lines on this team. Here's Bennett's WoWY for those guys over the last three seasons.

Bennett+ Tkachuk:

312 Minutes
53.4% Corsi For
52.0% Expected Goals For
52.6% Expected Goals For

PDO: .989 (8.38 Shooting %, .905 sv percentage)
15 GF, 14 GA

Gaudreau+Bennett

238 Minutes
53.3% Corsi For
44.2 HDCF%
46.4 Expected Goals For

.958 PDO (4.96% Shooting, .908 SV)
6 GF, 11 GA

Bennett with Neither

1826 Minutes
51.9 xGF
56.7 HDCF%
53.7 xGF%

.987 PDO (6.3% Shooting, .924% Sv)
59 Goals For, 72 Goals Against

So Bennett was played outside of the top 6 because really he's actually been able to drive his own line to positive results without playing in our top 6 (w/o Tkachuk or Gaudreau). Problem is his line hasn't been able to finish their chances with a 6.3% on ice shooting percentage.

And make no mistake Bennett is the one driving the strong play on that line.

Bennett without Jankowski, Tkachuk, or Gaudreau

CF% 52.1%
HDCF: 55.4%
xGF%: 53.1

28 GF, 31 GA

Jankowski without Bennett, Gaudreau, Tkachuk

CF%: 49.4%
HDCF%: 46.3%
xGF%: 49.9%

GF: 24, GA: 38

Bennett's advanced numbers are pretty consistent with whoever he plays with and they are generally strong, but Jankowski was just lost away from Bennett. Giving Bennett time with consistent linemates not named Mark Jankowski will be the biggest thing in him potentially taking a step forward.

Comparing Jankowski and Bennett's with/without is pretty damn useless. Most of their time apart since Jankowski made the NHL saw Bennett move into the top 6 to play with Backlund, the other would stay in the bottom 6 and play with whomever replaced Bennett. It's a forgone conclusion that Bennett's with/without compared to Jankowski would favor him significantly without looking at a single number.