[Rumour] Flames recall Sam Bennett. UPD: Flames still deciding on AHL or NHL

[dammage79]

Bennett has no business going to the AHL, had no business going to the OHL. But I do get the why of him being sent down after a major surgery. He should be up with the Flames and should jump right in.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I respect your continued efforts to defend the guys in the NHL, in comparison to the kids. And I agree with you, generally.

But we aren't talking Wolf or Granlund here.

Bennett is substantially better than them.

I think the "no risk" move is getting blown out of proportion right now, and people simply jonesing for another one of our future all stars to join the team (or so are the expectations) is blinding some of the logic. I agree this is far more compelling a case than a Wolf or whoever call up, thus the debate.

But I think there are some serious risks to this potential call up that fans calling this a no brainer aren't taking seriously enough and at least pausing to consider. Thankfully, it appears the Flames are, which ever way they chose to go.

1. For Bennett there is the added risk of showing up in a playoff race, knowing the fans think you are the tits, knowing you just took someone's spot who's been playing hard all year away and then you don't deliver? What doe that do to his confidence? I don't think people are really worried about him being too successful and Svenning it. This risk is bad for his long term development.

2. Risk that he actually takes some time and doesn't play well, makes us worse and we miss. Missed opportunity for other young players to benefit from playoff action, so hurts the long term rebuild of the team. Short term bad for us fans and Flames business.

3. Potentially Bad for team culture and locker room dynamics if we jettison a player that's got us this far for an unproven rookie, especially if we miss. People seem to live playing here now, tough thing to gamble on unless you are sure he's an upgrade because team culture is a huge reason they've come this far.

I get everyone is saying he made it out of camp, and no doubt he did...sort of. Obviously his injury game the Flames a bit of an out on how to handle him, but I don't doubt for a second that he at the very least based on what I saw earned his 9 game cup of coffee From there TBD. But a lot has changed since then, he was injured all year long, and this team turned out to be better than we ever imagined with out him, and now we have 4 games left and sit 1 point up on the playoffs. Have to re-evaluate given all the changes.

Don't get me wrong, I also know that one of the outcomes is he comes in and provides an instant extra threat, or is at the very least on par with the likes of Colborne and Raymond. I just think there is a LOT at risk and to consider with this move, and it's not the "no brainer" with no downside many are suggesting, there are many potential and realistic outcomes with this decision that run the spectrum IMO.

[Red Menace]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

That's not what I said.

I am calling you out on the statement that if Bennett doesn't immediately prove he is better than half of the roster then he has been overestimated.

There is a thing called a learning curve.

OK my statement could be strictly speaking incorrect....who cares.
That's not the point.

My point was that I think Sam is already better than our bottom 6 fwds...who are frankly among the worst in the NHL. (Despite a few of them having plenty of room to improve in years to come)

[1qqaaz]

http://flamesfrom80feet.blogspot.ca/...ould-join.html

I agree with a lot of the points that Haynes makes in this article. Especially reasons 1, 13, 15, and 20. I'm having a hard time justifying AHL time at this point...

[Enoch Root]

you are blowing all of those risks out of proportion

Bennett isn't feeling fan pressure, he is BEGGING for the opportunity

And the chemistry argument is invalid - he was here for months

[ColoradoFlamesFan]

I have to say, I love the fact we are all talking about; the flames being close to a spot in the playoffs and all of the great talent we have.
So many previous years all we had to focus on, was who we might draft and free agency.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

you are blowing all of those risks out of proportion

Bennett isn't feeling fan pressure, he is BEGGING for the opportunity

And the chemistry argument is invalid - he was here for months

How is the chemistry argument invalid, he hasn't played a game for us.

Also, what often gets lost on my end as I logic these things out on the board is my emotional thoughts. Just because I think the way I mentioned in my posts, doesn't mean that I'm not sitting here hoping to find out he's been called up to Calgary. Trust me, if I heard that I'd be extra excited about the game tomorrow and my mind would start wander to visions of him coming in and delivering instant success, helping us beat the Oilers and giving the faithful up north just another reason to hate our rebuild even more. I just completley understand why this is seemingly being debated so diligently by the Flames brass, cause I do think legitimately it's not a no brainer.

[J epworth]

Think the aspect people are forgetting is Bennett has been with the team all year. He's not coming in from out of nowhere and taking someone's spot, he's coming back to the locker room he's spend the majority of the year in. He's part of that team, and I personally think it would be bad for the locker room if we refuse to play someone who really could help the playoff run. The guys in the room right now know how good he is, he is part of the team culture and he deserves to be a part of the team right now.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

How is the chemistry argument invalid, he hasn't played a game for us.

Also, what often gets lost on my end as I logic these things out on the board is my emotional thoughts. Just because I think the way I mentioned in my posts, doesn't mean that I'm not sitting here hoping to find out he's been called up to Calgary. Trust me, if I heard that I'd be extra excited about the game tomorrow and my mind would start wander to visions of him coming in and delivering instant success, helping us beat the Oilers and giving the faithful up north just another reason to hate our rebuild even more. I just completley understand why this is seemingly being debated so diligently by the Flames brass, cause I do think legitimately it's not a no brainer.

I agree with this. This decision is harder than it looks, many of us are failing to recognize that.

[Aeneas]

What a great time to be a Flames fan. Upcoming game against the crew up north that has playoff implications for us...in April!

That and a really great looking young player that just might be better than Gaudreau and Monahan could possibly play in this game.

It doesn't get much better than this.

[ThatsRobbery]

John Shannon tweeting that Bennett might be heading to Adirondack

[Red Menace]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I agree with this. This decision is harder than it looks, many of us are failing to recognize that.

Every decision the team makes should be given weight and considered thoughtfully by the whole braintrust.
Perhaps the term "no-brainer" is an exaggeration, but after analyzing the current roster and the quality of their play the last month (or all season in fact), I don't find it very difficult to believe that a prospect of Bennett's quality would be an improvement.
Of course these decisions are hard and all factors should be measured accordingly.

The debate should not be about how hard the decision is.....it should be about what the decision should be....

[D as in David]

If he comes to the NHL, I doubt he will play against the Oilers considering he won't have had a chance to even practice with the squad prior to the game. If the Flames lose, there's a good chance they won't make the playoffs, you could put him into the game against Arizona as a "Hail Mary" type of play. They'd also have time to see him in practice to get a read on how he looks with the team.

If they beat the Oilers, they still don't have to play him but they would have kept their options open.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

As per my other post, those opinions though are anchored on thoughts that he is for sure an instant upgrade on our top 9. I'd say its debatable at this point that he will be over the next 4 games, and I'd suggest the fact the Flames are seemingly not sure what to do means they also aren't convinced either. Took Johnny a while to adjust at this level, it will likely take Bennett some time too, time we don't have at game 78 of the season.

Last thing Flames should do is upset the massive scoring output of raymond and colborne. If Sam comes in and only pots a couple we would miss out in all the intangibles that raymond and colborne bring.

Very intangible; as in not measuable by any device invented by man objectively or subjectively. Seriously, do you now how hard it is to have zero affect on your environemnt like those guys? 400 lbs of emotionless lifeless meat is hard to find.

[CliffFletcher]

I'd estimate Treliving has publicly used the words "patience" and "long-term plan" close to 100 times this season. I don't think that is unintentional. He is trying to shape fan expectations that when short-term and long-term goals come into conflict, long-term will win out every time.

This talk of rewarding fans and rewarding Bennet is kinda goofy. The fans have been rewarded with a far better season than 90 per cent of them could have anticipated. And the real rewards for fans are going to come in 3-5 seasons. Patience. Long-term.

And I'm not sure what management is supposed to be rewarding Bennett for. Being highly-skilled? Being an intense player? What has he done that makes him different from what other prospects have done in the season that would catapult him over them into the lineup? I get that he's the most talented prospect in the system. I just don't see what warrants a special 'reward' from management.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by ThatsRobbery

John Shannon tweeting that Bennett might be heading to Adirondack

Thanks for reading CP John. No, your 20 old crt monitor does not have a touch screen and your timex does not allow you to tweet out.

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by ThatsRobbery

John Shannon tweeting that Bennett might be heading to Adirondack

I can't stand Shannon, what is this his 3rd tweet about how Bennett is going to the AHL?? It's funny because it started out as a for sure and now it's a might be. How about wait for a definitive response from the Flames brass before tweeting stuff like this?? /mini rant

[flambers]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I'd estimate Treliving has publicly used the words "patience" and "long-term plan" close to 100 times this season. I don't think that is unintentional. He is trying to shape fan expectations that when short-term and long-term goals come into conflict, long-term will win out every time.

This talk of rewarding fans and rewarding Bennet is kinda goofy. The fans have been rewarded with a far better season than 90 per cent of them could have anticipated. And the real rewards for fans are going to come in 3-5 seasons. Patience. Long-term.

And I'm not sure what management is supposed to be rewarding Bennett for. Being highly-skilled? Being an intense player? What has he done that makes him different from what other prospects have done in the season that would catapult him over them into the lineup? I get that he's the most talented prospect in the system. I just don't see what warrants a special 'reward' from management.

Flames need to look at the current line up and then look at Bennett if he was inserted would they be better....

Offensively 3rd and 4th lines and 2nd Power play are struggling. If Bennett was added would this improve....


That's the only thing they should focus on...

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

How is the chemistry argument invalid, he hasn't played a game for us.

Also, what often gets lost on my end as I logic these things out on the board is my emotional thoughts. Just because I think the way I mentioned in my posts, doesn't mean that I'm not sitting here hoping to find out he's been called up to Calgary. Trust me, if I heard that I'd be extra excited about the game tomorrow and my mind would start wander to visions of him coming in and delivering instant success, helping us beat the Oilers and giving the faithful up north just another reason to hate our rebuild even more. I just completley understand why this is seemingly being debated so diligently by the Flames brass, cause I do think legitimately it's not a no brainer.

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I agree with this. This decision is harder than it looks, many of us are failing to recognize that.

Or maybe people HAVE given it consideration and have come to their conclusion.

Based on many of his comments this season, I believe Treliving is determined to take a slow and cautious approach. Which I respect.

However, sometimes you have to recognize the situation and have the balls to make a decision. This is one of those times IMO, and if he wimps out with the safe approach, I think he will have made a mistake here.

[DiracSpike]

But what really is the safe approach? To me it's not the AHL, assign him here so he's here for sure, you don't have to play him if you don't want to. If they're worried about svenning him than just sit him the presser. To me the benefit of being around the team and practicing with them is greater than the benefit of lighting up scrubby dub dubs in the A.