Quote:
Originally Posted by Bingo
But like Bennett I don't just blame the team when a young player doesn't do much with opportunity.
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Unlike you, I just don't see the opportunity you're talking about.
Bennett never got a top six centre opportunity here, even though that's what he was drafted to be. I know you think those stints as RW with Gaudreau and Monahan were opportunity, but that largely ignores how ineffectively Monahan was playing as a centre during that span, and the fact that I'd sooner expect Bennett to be more effective as a left side defenseman than as a right winger just based on his skillset/comfort areas. Back in 2017-18 when Monahan was done for the year was a no-brainer time to see if Bennett could salvage the season, and instead we put Nick Shore up there with Gaudreau while Bennett remained a 3LW. How could you be satisfied with that?
Kylington, up until game 3 of this season, never got a top four defenseman opportunity here, even though that's what he was drafted to be. JThe time when Hanifin was out last year was a no-brainer time tos ee if Kylington could thrive as Tanev's partner... instead we saw Nesterov promoted to that role while Kylington sat in the pressbox.
The focal point of my frustration is that the Flames operate on the following logic:
Prove us wrong that you don't belong in the bottom of the roster.
Most teams in the league, even Tampa (who were willing to have a nobody in Cirelli centre a former star in Stamkos!) operate on a different type of logic:
Prove us right that you do belong at the top of the roster.
For all the flack Edmonton gets, that's actually how guys like Puljujarvi and Nurse and Bouchard and Yamamoto* are thriving for them. Those guys aren't the problem for them, but they had to get some real opportunities right at the top of the lineup.
*Yamamoto is a question mark still, and he might prove Edmonton wrong altogether. But it's still a better way to see what you have IMO.