Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM
Neal has been as good as Bennett the last couple games.
"Roadblocked" is such an exaggeration when it comes to Bennett - you make it sound like the coaches are out to get him and are deliberately doing things that don't work as well as putting him up there.
Bennett can't do what Backlund does - there's no way he can take Backlund's assignments.
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I never said the coaches are out to get him. All im saying is that with our roster, the only way he sees a significant increase in ice time or a role in the top 6 is by someone up there getting injured. It isn't saying he's being treated unfairly or anything, just a statement that currently at LW the options above him aren't going to be losing ice time, and the options at C are in the same boat. so he really can't get more ice time no matter how well he plays because the coaches seem to want to roll the top 6 ~37 minutes a game give or take (including PP time) and that means there is ~ 23 minutes to divvy up between the bottom 6.
All of this is moot at this point and until bennett starts scoring at the same rate as Thachuk and Gaudreau would he even have a true case for closer to equal ice time with the backlund line.
Neal is able to move up the lineup because the coaching staff sees frolik as more of a third liner than they do Thachuk or backlund.
Again, all im saying is that Bennett has definitely done more than neal over the first 15 games to deserve more ice time, but because of his position and handedness, he won't get that opportunity, and I'm not saying that in a bad way, just stating a fact.