What is up with Sam Bennett???

[Poe969]

Bennett is fine, he'll get better but it'll just take time. Management should be looking at other teams for players like Sam who are slumping but still have lots of potential. Not a lot of players come into the league and are really good every year, it's common to have an off year early on but as long as he learns from it and improves everything will be ok.

If the Flames could take advantage of a team and scoop up a decent young RW and/or D because they aren't playing up to expectations this year it would be great. If a team pushing to go far this year wants to make a dumb trade and give up a good young player, the Flames should take advantage even if it means lowering the odds for this year. Just looking through some names, guys like: Parayko, Orlov, Beau Bennett and guys like that would be ideal to pick up IMO. The team should look at picking up young players, not trading them away.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

And more specifically, Draisaitl's success. With Draisaitl on his way to a 70pt season, there has definitely been a loss of patience with Bennett and an insecurity that Draisaitl is going to be a better player. My perception anyway.

look at how much Draisaitl was mocked for being a bust and overrated.
he's doing fine now, and that's while also being an Oiler.

you have to expect growing pains with a younger player.
I agree with everyone who says it's too early to worry. just have to stay the course.
sometimes it seems people want a player to fail just so they can later say "I told you so"

[EldrickOnIce]

Of course Bennett will be fine. It's just 'fine' is a little disappointing. I expected (had hoped) he would be better than fine. Elite maybe. And though it's still too early to cap his development, it's less promising that I'd hoped it be by now. This one is still wait and see.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

And more specifically, Draisaitl's success. With Draisaitl on his way to a 70pt season, there has definitely been a loss of patience with Bennett and an insecurity that Draisaitl is going to be a better player. My perception anyway.

Even if Draisatl does end up being the better player, I still maintain that he would not have been a very good fit in Calgary. He is having a lot of success this year on McDavid's wing. Would he look as good playing with Monahan and Gaudreau? I seriously doubt it.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Even if Draisatl does end up being the better player, I still maintain that he would not have been a very good fit in Calgary. He is having a lot of success this year on McDavid's wing. Would he look as good playing with Monahan and Gaudreau? I seriously doubt it.

He has played what? 2 games on McDavids wing?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Weitz

He has played what? 2 games on McDavids wing?

Way more than that:

http://dobberhockey.com/frozenpool_l...ations&sent=go

ES he's played with McDavid a lot, maybe more than any other player.

[Rick M.]

The weakness of Draisaitl in his draft year was his lousy skating. To his credit he has greatly improved in this area.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Way more than that:

http://dobberhockey.com/frozenpool_l...ations&sent=go

ES he's played with McDavid a lot, maybe more than any other player.

Thats weird, since they got put together a couple games ago I wouldn't be able to recall them playing together.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

The weakness of Draisaitl in his draft year was his lousy skating. To his credit he has greatly improved in this area.

Yes he has. And with Monahan already in the lineup I was concerned about adding another slow centre. I still think that Bennett is a better fit for the Flames.

[icecube]

Not sure what games you're watching, Draisaitl is a stud already.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by icecube

Not sure what games you're watching, Draisaitl is a stud already.

Who are you talking to?

[Regorium]

IMO Bennett is a year behind due to his shoulder surgery and being one of the youngest in his draft class. So maybe he breaks out next year like Draisatl and Reinhart did this year.

However, I was hoping he'd be one of those special players that could hit 50-60 points in their first full season and be that 80-90 point #1C, and it's no longer really looking like that's the case. He'll still be solid, but not sure if we can win it all with him just being solid.

[Har-Calgary]

I honestly think with Bennett it's between the ears more than anything else. The kid is really talented but I think his NHL career hasn't quite gone the way he had hoped, pile that on to the fact that he seems to be in the doghouse quite a bit for his dumb penalties. At times he does seem a bit disinterested and frustrated but I think most would be in his situation. I just hope he's mature enough to know that the only person he can really point the finger at his himself and that he still has a tremendous amount of talent and still has all the time left to become a superstar. He's a kid, he'll figure it out, and when he does, watch out.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Regorium

IMO Bennett is a year behind due to his shoulder surgery and being one of the youngest in his draft class. So maybe he breaks out next year like Draisatl and Reinhart did this year.

However, I was hoping he'd be one of those special players that could hit 50-60 points in their first full season and be that 80-90 point #1C, and it's no longer really looking like that's the case. He'll still be solid, but not sure if we can win it all with him just being solid.

If by "being solid" you mean playing as a 50–60 point-centre, then I think your fears are exaggerated. Sub-80 point centres who lead their teams to Stanley Cups are actually relatively common. I still think there is time for Bennett to develop into a better-than-"solid" player.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Har-Calgary

I honestly think with Bennett it's between the ears more than anything else. The kid is really talented but I think his NHL career hasn't quite gone the way he had hoped, pile that on to the fact that he seems to be in the doghouse quite a bit for his dumb penalties. At times he does seem a bit disinterested and frustrated but I think most would be in his situation. I just hope he's mature enough to know that the only person he can really point the finger at his himself and that he still has a tremendous amount of talent and still has all the time left to become a superstar. He's a kid, he'll figure it out, and when he does, watch out.

This is basically what I see as well.

[Flamefan1]

Bennett is doing fine. He is playing 12 to 13 minutes a game on the 3rd line with decent players but not stars. Draisaitl is playing 21 minutes with a superstar. You cannot compare until you put Bennett on a line with Gaudreau and play him 20 minutes. When he did play with Gaudreau he got a lot more points.

[icecube]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Who are you talking to?

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Of course Bennett will be fine. It's just 'fine' is a little disappointing. I expected (had hoped) he would be better than fine. Elite maybe. And though it's still too early to cap his development, it's less promising that I'd hoped it be by now. This one is still wait and see.

Yeah, I don't think anyone is saying Bennett is a bust. But I know I was hoping he'd be an elite scorer, and elite scorers these days are usually showing something by game 120. The main issue is he doesn't seem to know how to use his linemates, and tries to do too much alone. That's not uncommon for young players, but it's something he needs to address sooner rather than later.

To use Tkachuk for comparison, although he isn't nearly as good a skater or dangler as Bennett, he has way better vision and patience, and knows where to be and where to put the puck to help his linemates. And that ultimately makes for a more effective NHL forward than mad one-on-one skills. Hopefully Tkachuk's example can help show Bennett where he needs to work on his game.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

And more specifically, Draisaitl's success. With Draisaitl on his way to a 70pt season, there has definitely been a loss of patience with Bennett and an insecurity that Draisaitl is going to be a better player. My perception anyway.

Draisaitl has a pretty good line mate

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Weitz

He has played what? 2 games on McDavids wing?

more than that and PP time