Bennett

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

Bennett got his first point tonight and wasn't a minus player. Baby steps.

It was Lucic scoring. I can smell the chemistry.

And Dube is returning....

[NewFan]

Just put Bennett-Backlund-Mangi line and play them against other team's top line for 5 games. Say them just shut down the team's top line. Now they have a clear role and Bennett will be gain confidence to play against top players.

[Camronius]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

Yes they do...

Derrek Ryan is still somehow beloved around here and he has been unequivocally our worst player since March 17 last year.

Wow this is a hot take.... worse than lucic? Than Bennett? Than Rinaldo? Than Rittich? Than.... just walk yourself out of all credibility sorry...

[N-E-B]

Originally Posted by Camronius

Wow this is a hot take.... worse than lucic? Than Bennett? Than Rinaldo? Than Rittich? Than.... just walk yourself out of all credibility sorry...

Lucic was one of our better players in the playoffs and is currently out scoring Ryan 3-1 so far this season. It’s no stretch at all to suggest Lucic has been better than Ryan.

I don’t think I’ve seen Derek Ryan do one noteworthy thing this season. He’s been hot garbage.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

Lucic was one of our better players in the playoffs and is currently out scoring Ryan 3-1 so far this season. It’s no stretch at all to suggest Lucic has been better than Ryan.

I don’t think I’ve seen Derek Ryan do one noteworthy thing this season. He’s been hot garbage.

Is there some kind of theme emerging where when you have a player on a line with 2 weaker players, they end up being underwhelming?

[JohnnyB]

I don't see how any team with playoff aspirations doesn't see value in Bennett. He elevates his game several notches when games matter most.The Flames have special need of that given how some other players seem to dip in the playoffs, but that type of spirit is a big contributor to playoff success. I wish he brought it all the time, but bringing it when it matters most counts for a lot.

If just cruising to a first round exit is the plan, then might as well switch him out for another regular season performer that wilts in the postseason. Would be great if the Flames could actually win a few rounds though.

[Poison]

Yes. Please. Plllllllllease get rid of that non skilled, "oh he will", "put him on a better line", "hes playoffs", "we'll regret getting rid of him", plugger 1st rounder and take Johnny with you. Night

[Bingo]

I wouldn't say the Bennett opinions are formed in stone.

Honestly, the give him top line or give him second line minutes portion of the site have really quieted down over the last year and a half. So I'd say the % of CP that sees him getting anywhere near his draft pedigree is pretty much melting away.

The draft pedigree is certainly reason enough to want him to succeed, and additionally be given the opportunity to make sure we've looked under every rock before giving up on him that just makes sense.

What I've never understood is the group that seems down right excited when it's not working out. That puzzles me.

He had a great playoff ... he didn't have a great camp ... he was given a center role on the fourth line and then got promoted not because of his own good play, but how bad the Mangiapane, Backlund, Ryan line looked. Since then his metrics have improved (they couldn't get worse), while Ryan's has tanked. But Bennett hasn't produced at all ... that's not his fault solely, but he needs to prove he can be part of a production third line unit and it's not happening, and it hasn't happened for years.

[CSharp]

So Janko goes out, in comes Ryan as the new whipping boy So, after Ryan goes out, who's the next in line to shield Bennett?

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by New Era

The bar for Bennett is so low now. That is what is frustrating. Other players don't get this latitude.

From the Bennett fandom perspective, that would make his ceiling that much more...higher!

[Young Guns]

Ryan has not been good offensively but has been fine in our own end. Nordstrom and Simon are the real issue.

Simon, playing with Gaudreau and Monahan has 1 point and only 1 shot on goal in 4 games. He seems to skate like the wind but never really accomplishes anything besides turning the puck over. They desperately need someone better on this line.

Bennett is one of the few players we have that will actually throw a body check. He is not the problem.

[Bingo]

Hopefully Dube comes back and the trickle down fixes the fourth line to some degree.

[SeanCharles]

I hope they try:

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Dube
Gaudreau-Monahan-Mangiapane
Lucic-Backlund-Bennett
Simon-Ryan-Leivo

Or

Bennett-Backlund-Leivo
Lucic-Ryan-Simon

Let’s see what Mangiapane can do with Johnny and Mony.

[CsInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I wouldn't say the Bennett opinions are formed in stone.

Honestly, the give him top line or give him second line minutes portion of the site have really quieted down over the last year and a half. So I'd say the % of CP that sees him getting anywhere near his draft pedigree is pretty much melting away.

The draft pedigree is certainly reason enough to want him to succeed, and additionally be given the opportunity to make sure we've looked under every rock before giving up on him that just makes sense.

What I've never understood is the group that seems down right excited when it's not working out. That puzzles me.

He had a great playoff ... he didn't have a great camp ... he was given a center role on the fourth line and then got promoted not because of his own good play, but how bad the Mangiapane, Backlund, Ryan line looked. Since then his metrics have improved (they couldn't get worse), while Ryan's has tanked. But Bennett hasn't produced at all ... that's not his fault solely, but he needs to prove he can be part of a production third line unit and it's not happening, and it hasn't happened for years.

You basically nailed it.

Every Flames fan wanted Bennett to succeed.

The problem is weve been having the same cycle over and over. Hes totally underwhelming in the regular season, then he has an opportune if not solid playoffs. The off season comes, some on this site argue nonstop about how good he is, needs to slot in to the top 2 lines. Then the season starts. He plays bad, Bennett people cry foul, he needs to be in the top 6. Other people, including every coaching staff hes had, believe his play doesn't warrant it.

Then it's his linemates fault. Then it's the coaches fault. Then it's the refs fault. Then it's the GMs fault. Then it's the organizations fault. This has gone on for how long? Five years. When is it time to blame Sam Bennett for his play?

Some still treat him like the 4th overall, lowest pick in Calgary Flames history 18 year old Sam Bennett, that hes oozing with potential and the Flames have this sinister plan to hold him back, others see a complete bust.

In the middle are the people that recognize hes a 3rd or 4th liner, basically a guy that can be replaced but he does bring it in the playoffs. Frustrating.

The people that seem downright excited when he isn't playing well are the people that have fought with the Bennett is awesome crowd year after year and they're tired of all the excuses and exaggerations about his play. They really aren't excited that the lowest draft pick in Flames history is barely holding a spot in the bottom six.

[SeanCharles]

Bennett succeeded at 3C in the playoffs.

That is where he should be played this season.

Lindholm at center screwed that all up cause we aren’t pushing Backlund to the wing or 4th line.

Bennett is a 3rd liner and I think he is better as a center than a winger, the problem is he is behind 3 other guys here so he is pushed to the wing again.

We should try and trade Bennett or Backlund for a RWer to play in the top 6.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

Bennett succeeded at 3C in the playoffs.

That is where he should be played this season.

Lindholm at center screwed that all up cause we aren’t pushing Backlund to the wing or 4th line.

Bennett is a 3rd liner and I think he is better as a center than a winger, the problem is he is behind 3 other guys here so he is pushed to the wing again.

We should try and trade Bennett or Backlund for a RWer to play in the top 6.

You are not getting a top-six winger in a trade for Bennett. And I don't believe for a second that he is capable of doing what Backlund can do, so here we are.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

You are not getting a top-six winger in a trade for Bennett. And I don't believe for a second that he is capable of doing what Backlund can do, so here we are.

I think a question is whether Lindholm can handle other teams’ top line as well as Backlund has in the past. I think your best defensive centre has to be on one of the top two lines, otherwise you are keeping said top two lines off the ice too much. Or you are not having hard matchups, leading to line mismatches like people have complained about recently.

Lindholm certainly has the tools to do Backlund’s job plus contribute more offensively. But will he?

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

You are not getting a top-six winger in a trade for Bennett. And I don't believe for a second that he is capable of doing what Backlund can do, so here we are.

I agree and that’s why I think Backlund should be the guy we trade.

Lindholm is taking over his responsibilities as the top shutdown center so we wouldn’t need Bennett to do that.

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

I agree and that’s why I think Backlund should be the guy we trade.

Lindholm is taking over his responsibilities as the top shutdown center so we wouldn’t need Bennett to do that.

I think we need to trade Backlund, Lindholm, and Monahan so that Bennett can be THE centerman the Flames have drafted for. Anyone else to throw on/under that bus? OMG LOL!!!

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

In the middle are the people that recognize hes a 3rd or 4th liner, basically a guy that can be replaced but he does bring it in the playoffs. Frustrating.

The people that seem downright excited when he isn't playing well are the people that have fought with the Bennett is awesome crowd year after year and they're tired of all the excuses and exaggerations about his play. They really aren't excited that the lowest draft pick in Flames history is barely holding a spot in the bottom six.

You're probably right.

If we lose the extremes on both sides of this argument, we'll all come out more sane.

He isn't going to be a first or second line player.
He isn't a replacement level player.
He's a disappointment given his draft position.
Where do we go from here?