Quote:
Originally Posted by TOfan
On the topic of Mangiapane, I find it curious that the same argument that Bennett has been continuously saddled with deadweight and is the victim of circumstance could just as easily be applied to Mangiapane.
Difference being, that when Mangiapane was playing 4th line mins with Ryan and Hathaway he excelled and forced his way up the line up. Right past Sam Bennett, no less.
|
While Mangiapane was playing with Ryan, Bennett was playing with Jankowski and Neal.
Really, I think this entire situation only exists because the Calgary Flames are just a generally poor quality organization when it comes to the on-ice product.
Our bottom six has been complete garbage since Treliving took over, and now in his 7th year - he has never fixed it. He inherited Monahan, Gaudreau and Giordano - and they have effectively been the driving pieces of this team. During the years of peak Giordano, Treliving could never add meaningful depth to the team, could never hire a quality coach, and could never acquire a top-15 goalie. This has all driven the poor performances in the playoffs, and why I personally have such a high level of annoyance towards this Bennett situation.
Bennett is our best playoff performer, and between the end of the playoffs and beginning of the season, the team continually pushes him back down the roster with garbage signings. They may have their reasons, but they clearly aren't in any way valid reasons - because year in and year out we've seen the same story play out with more garbage signings of irrelevant players. Seeing where Benny started this season was where I kind of just accepted that he needs to go elsewhere. There is no way in hell Leivo or Simon deserved to be higher in the roster than Bennett, and no way in hell would anyone competent have looked at Lucic-Bennett-Nordstrom line and thought "that's got potential".
I flat out don't believe the organization hires good pro scouts, nor do they hire good coaching staffs. It drives so many of the problems that this team has had year in and year out, and it is why in the 7 years of Treliving we just haven't become anything more than we were in year 1 when it comes to actual on ice results in the playoffs, which is what the endgame of everything is all about.
I hope the Flames can't spin this situation into a win for the team, and I hope Benny does well elsewhere - more importantly, I hope it happens quickly.
^^^ I meant to say “CAN” spin this situation into a win. Brilliant typo.