Quote:
Originally Posted by Boreal
This isn’t the first Bennett trade request. I think if he can find some momentum with the 13/23 he won’t be going anywhere. He’s Treliving’s first draft pick. If they can work this out I think Brad has zero concern for what the media discusses.
It also confirms what noobs the there stooges are in the afternoon at the FAN960. “We will never see Sam Bennett in a Flames jersey again.”
These guys are insiders.
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Perhaps without the Ryan injury Sam Bennett never dresses for the Flames again, but we'll never know. If Bennett doesn't move it will probably be because the GM looks in the mirror, and has a growth moment himself. Bennett's public request is a statement that the GM has failed in attempting to bolster his chosen core with veteran components. Brouwer, Neal, Czarnak, and now perhaps Simon and Leivo are evidence of Treliving's affinity for predictable types, and history has suggested that this approach has produced nothing beyond mediocrity. Continuing down this path, with this core will result in more of the same. The circular conversations on this site and coaching carousel are supportive of this observation.
In respect to Sam Bennett, maybe he gets moved, but his public statement is something this team needs. From body language it has always appeared that Gaudreau and Monahan (particularly Gaudreau) do not feel comfortable playing with the predictable, unpredictability of Sam Bennett. What these guys need with them is a more random element, that forces them out of their comfort zone. The league understands that Monahan's game is not handling the puck, so they pressure the puck to Gaudreau and then commit multiple bodies to disrupt his possession at pressure points. With Bennett on their line, there is another element who can beat a player one on one with some speed and handle. While Bennett needs to refine his game as to when and where he can take on a defender, adding this dimension to that line will force defenses take a different approach to the line in the neutral zone. All three of these players will need to make adjustments, and the predictability it appears Gaudreau and Monahan crave, will largely evaporate, but the possession game they prefer has been shown to be easy to control at 5 on 5, because only one of that pair is capable of consistently beating a defender one on one with a puck on his tape.
We will see what transpires, but a change has been needed and maybe this event will facilitate this change. The Lindholm line is fine, a third line centered by Backlund always has the ability to be more than effective, and if the trio of Gaudreau, Monahan and Bennett can manage to mold their games to some form of, "chaotic cohesion," this could be a dangerous squad for a few years. Might be easier said then done, but I would hope the guys in the room agree that doing things their way hasn't been working well. If they are satisfied with the results over the past few years then this team has bigger issues than the dissatisfaction of Sam Bennett.....