Hands Up:

[killer_carlson]

Hands up for anyone who said that the Flames penalty minute leader as at Feb 8 would be

...

Mikael Backlund

[JohnnyTitan]

Wow - my gut would think Bennett. Seems like he's always going to the box for a stupid penalty....but Backs has him by 13 minutes....which I'll assume is 9 more minors. That is a surprise.

Bennett has 43 minutes. Assuming one fighting major, that's 19 minor penalties in 54 games. Feels like he's taking way more than a penalty every ~3 games. Things that make you go hmmm......

[ColoradoFlamesFan]

does Backlund's game misconduct for throwing his stick factor in?

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ a lot of why it feels like that is the amount of discussion Bennett generates here

[getbak]

Originally Posted by ColoradoFlamesFan

does Backlund's game misconduct for throwing his stick factor in?

Yes. If you look at just minor penalties, Bennett is first with 19, Hamilton is second with 18, and Backlund is third with 17 (although, one was a double-minor, so it's the same PIM as Hamilton).

[JohnnyTitan]

Ah right - the stick throw. That makes sense!

Not that those aren't PIMs...but the eye test tells me Bennett / Hamilton are costing us a lot more. Check!

[theg69]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTitan

Wow - my gut would think Bennett. Seems like he's always going to the box for a stupid penalty....but Backs has him by 13 minutes....which I'll assume is 9 more minors. That is a surprise.

Bennett has 43 minutes. Assuming one fighting major, that's 19 minor penalties in 54 games. Feels like he's taking way more than a penalty every ~3 games. Things that make you go hmmm......

I would agree with you.. Although I think Bennett's penalties seem more obvious and frustrating because it seems as though most of his penalties come in the offensive zone. Backlund gets penalties because he has to defend against the other teams top line all the time.

Plus, Backlund gets way more icetime than Bennett... with that factored Bennett does take more penalties for the time he is on the ice.

Backlund - 0.054 PIM per minute of ice time. Although I didn't account for the 10 min misconduct here for the stick throwing,

Bennett - 0.057 PIM per minute of ice time.

Tkachuk is about 0.054 as well for interest sake.. Meaning for the type of game he plays, he's actually been fairly disciplined this year.

[Erick Estrada]

Backlund takes bad penalties as well. He's just not a whipping boy so people forget them a lot quicker.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTitan

Bennett has 43 minutes. Assuming one fighting major, that's 19 minor penalties in 54 games. Feels like he's taking way more than a penalty every ~3 games. Things that make you go hmmm......

He had that long stretch in November/December where he hardly took any (also the stretch where he played his best hockey of the season).

In 22 games from November 18 to January 4, Bennett only took a total of 2 minor penalties.

[BloodFetish]

[ColoradoFlamesFan]

Tkachuk is rubbing off on Backlund

[transplant99]

Backlund leading this team is an indictment on how soft this team really is. I have no issues with MB and the penalties he has taken, yeah a couple may have been bad ones, but he is playing great players every night and will have to grab/interfere at times.

This is more about other guys on the team being giant pillows...guys who's job it is, is to engage other teams sandpaper and get in their face.

Ferland is one of those guys as is Hamonic...but mostly Im looking at you Troy Brouwer....quit being a lump out there, get involved, punch someone in the nose and make a damn difference.

[schteve_d]

I, like others, would have guessed Bennett without hesitation! Huh.

[neo45]

I’m just guessing they haven’t been as far away from the net as Bennett’s
have

I am a big Bennett supporter but one negative to his game that is just undeniable is his ability to take stupid penalties. It’s been a problem with him since day one.

[ResAlien]

I assume penalties/60 is a better metric than total penalty minutes to account for differences in ice time?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Backlund leading this team is an indictment on how soft this team really is. I have no issues with MB and the penalties he has taken, yeah a couple may have been bad ones, but he is playing great players every night and will have to grab/interfere at times.

This is more about other guys on the team being giant pillows...guys who's job it is, is to engage other teams sandpaper and get in their face.

Ferland is one of those guys as is Hamonic...but mostly Im looking at you Troy Brouwer....quit being a lump out there, get involved, punch someone in the nose and make a damn difference.

Ferland is a top line winger with 20 goals not a fourth line goon. Last thing this team needs is more penalties.

This soft garbage is stupid...look at the leagues top teams

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Backlund leading this team is an indictment on how soft this team really is. I have no issues with MB and the penalties he has taken, yeah a couple may have been bad ones, but he is playing great players every night and will have to grab/interfere at times.

This is more about other guys on the team being giant pillows...guys who's job it is, is to engage other teams sandpaper and get in their face.

Ferland is one of those guys as is Hamonic...but mostly Im looking at you Troy Brouwer....quit being a lump out there, get involved, punch someone in the nose and make a damn difference.

Ferland is now a first line winger. No need to take roughing penalties. Plus he's had concussions and I'm not happy when he fights. Hamonic is a shut down defender and not a bruiser. I don't see why it's his job to be a tough guy. Again, it hurst the team if he gets a coincidental minor. Brouwer has fought more than anyone else on the team IIRC. And always as a punishment for someone taking liberties (with Smith and Gio, for example).

Calgary is as gritty as most teams, IMO. Tkachuk, Bennett, Gio, Lazar - those guys are always mixed up in scrums. Even guys like Frolik seem to engage in post whistle stuff a fair bit.

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Backlund takes bad penalties as well. He's just not a whipping boy so people forget them a lot quicker.

Backlund earns a pass because he's a solid player and I'd almost say he's elite defensively. Hamilton is a young top pairing defenseman who puts up solid offensive numbers. Bennett doesn't have those luxuries. He's a struggling 3rd liner.

I'd like to look at the context of the penalties as well. I don't know for sure but my gut tells me Bennett's would be dumber penalties at worse times.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Backlund leading this team is an indictment on how soft this team really is. I have no issues with MB and the penalties he has taken, yeah a couple may have been bad ones, but he is playing great players every night and will have to grab/interfere at times.

This is more about other guys on the team being giant pillows...guys who's job it is, is to engage other teams sandpaper and get in their face.

Ferland is one of those guys as is Hamonic...but mostly Im looking at you Troy Brouwer....quit being a lump out there, get involved, punch someone in the nose and make a damn difference.

Nah. That's outdated mentality. Penalties in today's NHL are less an indication of toughness and more an indication of lack of discipline. I can't think of a single game this season where the Flames being tougher would have made a difference in the outcome. Lack of finish, poor defense, poor special teams for sure but toughness is highly overrated in today's NHL and if anything the less you spend in the penalty box the better.

[savardandjokinen]

Backlunds past PIMS are much lower than this season, I think it’s just a rare occasion