Quote:
Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
Then you have a lot of people explaining why the direct observations of him finding success is ... lucky, or unsustainable
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For the record, no one is dense enough to think Bennett hasn't experienced a ton of puck luck and unsustainable percentages in his favour.
But the flip side of that is this:
Bennett's on-ice shooting percentages and on-ice save percentages as a Flame were so bafflingly low, they were virtually unsustainable on the other side. That they kept being sustained caused someone like Bingo to conclude that Bennett is what he is, but in reality, we know for a fact that most players (other than the Crosby tier generationals) don't drive on-ice shooting percentages. A few of the Stamkos ilk can drive their own individual shooting percentages, which pull the on-ice percentages up, but typically, shooting percentages and save percentages are not controllable.
This was, in many ways, the reason why Elias Lindholm's success as a Flame was considered "a guy about to pop". His on-ice shooting and save percentages in Carolina were bafflingly low much like Sam Bennett, and saw themselves get to a level expected of a top six forwards here, where he was regularly on the ice with guys like Johnny Hockey.
So yes, Bennett's on-ice shooting percentages SHOULD regress down to something sustainable as a Panther. But they probably will NOT regress to the unsustainably low percentages they were in Calgary.