Originally Posted by GranteedEV
pretty valid. Quality of Teammate is the greatest driver for production in the NHL across the board.
Not really, no.
Gaudreau entered a team that was being pencilled in for the Connor McDavid sweepstakes. Contrast that with Sam Bennett, who entered a team that had previously made the playoffs, made a major offseason blockbuster addition to shore up its greatest weakness, and if not for league-worst goaltending, had expectations of making the playoffs and contend for a division title.
The one similarity here is that rookie Gaudreau was put on a terrible line with Joe Colborne and Paul Byron to start his career, and failed so spectacularily that he was made a healthy scratch five games in.
...Then he was played for the rest of his rookie season with Jiri Hudler, a 70 point forward who actually led this team in point, and if I'm not mistaken, led the NHL in even strength points, even if it was a fluke year, he had a midas touch that year. His rookie season was also his age 21 season after a three year college career.
And finally, Gaudreau is a natural left winger, so this isn't an apples-to-apples comparision with Bennett, who was drafted to be a centre - a far more challenging position. There are four wing positions in the top six, and only two centre positions in the top six. And not all natural centres are comfortable on the wing - case in point, Mikael Backlund walking into Geoff Ward's office last year to explicitly state that he did not feel effective on the wing.
Monahan entered a team that was being pencilled in for the... Sam Bennett sweepstakes. He also had two full seasons in the NHL under his belt when Sam Bennett made his NHL debut.
Monahan was given far more responsibility as a rookie - and failed pretty immensely in doing so. But that's alright, because a team that expects to be bad, can afford to give players opportunity. That's why you see a guy like Thomas Chabot blowing up in Ottawa after they trade away Erik Karlsson.
There were two clear vacancies for top six center spots when Monahan the team, which he and Backlund both took hold of. These were not vacancies when Sam Bennett joined the team.
Those vacancies did not exist when Sam Bennett entered the team.
A winger.
He entered a team that had two top six wingers (Johnny Gaudreau and Michael Frolik) and two top six centres (Mikael Backlund and Sean Monahan). It was obvious that there was a vacancy for his position as there are four top six winger positions. This was the same team that cycled the likes of Troy Brouwer and Alex Chiasson in its top six.
You have to realize though - that Sam Bennett is not a natural winger. The Flames drafted him to be a centre - and made a decision at that time to develop him as a centre.
And yes, he "passed" Sam Bennett in some key areas. That's not an indictment on Sam Bennett. This is an elite offensive talent here, arguably the best player on our team. The idea that they are supposed to be filling the same niche is inherently flawed. You don't go ask Jonathan Toews to fill Patrick Kane's niche. You don't go and ask Anthony Cirelli to fill Nikita Kucherov's niche. You don't go and ask William Karlsson to go fill Mark Stone's niche.
Fun fact, Andrew Mangiapane is older than Sam Bennett.
And he's also, get this - a natural winger. You know who's not a natural winger? Sam Bennett. He's a centre. You know who else is not a natural winger? Mikael Backlund. He's a centre. These players' skillsets don't shine in the exact same facets as a goal scoring winger like Mangiapane.
And further to that, he's got an elite knack for goal-scoring that is complementary to his linemates.
And despite all that?
24 year old Andrew Mangiapane, playing almost all of his sophomore season with Matthew Tkachuk and one of Backlund and Lindholm down the middle, scored 17 goals and 15 assists in 68 games (38 point pace)
19 year old Sam Bennett, playing a portion of his rookie season with Backlund and Frolik, and a larger portion of his rookie season with guys like Marcus Granlund, Joe Colborne, and Lance Bouma, scored 18 goals and 18 assists in 77 games (38 point pace).
Yup.
Um, what? Rasmus Andersson is a defenseman. Are you really comparing a defenseman to a forward? But sure, let's consider this:
Rasmus Andersson did not get a consistent opportunity in our top six last season, until after Travis Hamonic got injured.
Did Sean Monahan or Mikael Backlund get injured? I do not believe so. And I'd argue Sean Monahan and Mikael Backlund are profoundly better ice hockey talents than Travis Hamonic.
Now you're supporting your already weak argument by making predictions? What?
Because unlike Andrew Mangiapane, Matthew Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Sam is not a winger.
Because unlike Sean Monahan, Sam did not enter a team that expected to finish dead last and win the lottery.
Because his unique circumstance made him one.
Conroy, a member of this organization, had an interview earlier this offseason lamenting the organization's inability to find a role for the player. What role is he supposed to grasp, when the organization can't figure out what role they want him to grasp?
Yeah, he hasn't been a great 4th line left winger.
Maybe because he's not a winger, and because playing with 4th liners does not do anyone any favours, unless that's their ceiling, which we've clearly seen is not Sam Bennett's ceiling.
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