Bennett Playing Costs Flames A Year of His Rookie Deal

[codynw]

If he gives you the best chance to win, play him. Sends a terrible message to everyone from Bennett to the rest of the team to the fans. And plus, if anything scratching him would just piss him off and he'd be more likely to be difficult when it's time for him to get a new contract.

[Passe La Puck]

What kind of dick bag Scrooge sends an top employee home to avoid having to pay him?

[Har-Calgary]

Keep in mind that Mony and Johnny are both from last year, so Bennet would be the only major RFA we'd be concerned with in three years. I assume when they structure Johnny/Mony's deals, they'll keep Sam in mind. We're a cap-floor team, unless we get Malkin, the cap shouldn't be an issue. Not to mention if we were to get a Malkin-esque player it would surely be for at least one of those three. Brodie's the only other potential big payoff I can think of.

I can understand the OP's concerns and I applaud him for being bold enough to post this, that's what these threads are for. Money matters boys and a team's success is highly dependent on how well it's managed. That being said, this a no brainer to me. You play Bennet because he's been one of our best forwards in the playoffs. You play Bennet because he's not an idiot and he knows what's at stake here, he'll be grateful that they kept him in. You play him for the experience. You play him because we're only down 2-0 and playing him gives us our best chance to win.

[squiggs96]

The San Francisco Giants were in a similar situation in 2010 with Buster Posey. They chose to use (I hate the word burn in this situation) a year of his contract in 2010, meaning he'd be a free agent one year early. The reward for that? He's won three World Series title, the NL rookie of the year and an NL MVP trophy. What happened to Posey's contract? Well, the Giants gave him the richest deal in their history by signing him to a 9 year, $164M deal.

When your biggest problem is your star player needs to be rewarded, you're doing fine.

[Geeoff]

This is the most important game the Flames have had in 11 years. You ice the best lineup possible.

[ResAlien]

Kind of surprised anyone would say sit him. That would be a ridiculously bush league, Oiler-esque, penny pinching move that would fly in the face of everything the organisation has said and done this year. It's embarrassing to even think about.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

The only real cost to the team for this is going to be a couple million dollars in 2017-18. And given the difference between his ELC bonuses and a second contract without bonuses, it may not even be that much.

The 41 games for waiver eligibility is the big one, and Bennett won't hit that.

Not that that would matter much either seeing as how I think this kid is on the team for good.

[lazypucker]

If the Flames had lost the first 2 games like 9-0 each time then I will contemplate sit out Bennett as we would know that we will probably be swept by the Ducks.

As now we are somewhat competitive I will continue to play Bennett, even though it may be only a few games more...

[Huntingwhale]

I don't care about a year off his ELC. I don't pay his salary and neither does anyone here. Does anyone here still care that Backlund only played 1 game in 2008-2009 and didn't burn an extra year off? Does anyone care that Iginla only played 2 games in '95-'96, and therefore didn't burn an extra year off his ELC? Non-issue. Management owes it to the team and all those involved to ice the best roster possible.

[GioforPM]

One year closer to a bridge contract that might be cheaper because he will only have played a couple years rather? No change to his RFA status?

It's a genius move!

[CaptainCrunch]

This is the NHL you put the players on the ice that give you the best chance to win comrades.

Who really cares about the strategy of the extra year, chances are with the way that Bennett was playing in training camp the result would have been the same.

Now if you please, your papers.

[Darkwater]

Bennett with a huge home game. GWG.. GFG!!!

[St. Pats]

Regular season / send him down
Playoffs / put the best team on the ice

He is part of that best team. That's really all there is to it / easy decisions.

[CroFlames]

This is the first time everyone in a single thread agreed with each other.

We're in the 2nd round of the playoffs for Pete's sake. You do everything you can to win. We may be the outsiders in terms of odds to win the Cup, but we're still in this. If we dispatch the Ducks, why can't we dispatch two additional teams who I believe wouldn't be as difficult as the Ducks?

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Passe La Puck

What kind of dick bag Scrooge sends an top employee home to avoid having to pay him?

This sums up my feelings nicely

[northcrunk]

Today really showed me why the Oilers are so bad. This is the only thing Edmonton fans can try and latch onto to try and smack talk the Flames. Pretty funny considering their moves with Draistadl this year. They really are delusional. This is a text from my buddy "We'll have the best player in the league soon, and a brand new state of the art arena. Nurse coming up, LB in 2 years. Throw in a top flite cach and free agents that want to sign here, the sky is the limit".

sigh, I felt a bit of pity for the fans earlier in the season but they really do deserve the hot garbage that is the Oilers.

[Imported_Aussie]

The Flames want to be an organization that players want to play for. Screwing Bennett here would have an impact to how players/agents perceive this team. The team is trending up, and to lure and retain talent, you have to treat them honestly. If he is fit, one of the 12 best forwards available and fits the lineup Hartley wants to ice, he plays. End of story

[Buck Murdock]

We're just 4 wins away from eliminating the ducks, we need all hands on deck!!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CgyFlamesftw

Should see HF main boards. All the oilers laughing and having great off season talk because of this. Rather have Bennett burn elc in playoffs than draisaitl in regular season.

Some people are complete morons. I'll never understand that.

"They're not going to win the cup so they're stupid to burn a year of his ELC hurr durr!"

Idiots.

Its the second round of the playoffs, what exactly should we be waiting for?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

The Flames want to be an organization that players want to play for. Screwing Bennett here would have an impact to how players/agents perceive this team. The team is trending up, and to lure and retain talent, you have to treat them honestly. If he is fit, one of the 12 best forwards available and fits the lineup Hartley wants to ice, he plays. End of story

Which thankfully, he genuinely is. In fact, he is top 6 in my book right now. He's obviously still got lots of learning to do, but he's been stepping up when other guys have gone into a rut or lull.

Right now my top six are Mony, Johnny, Hudler, Bennett, Jones, Stajan. Although I don't necessarily want Stajan playing in the top 6, he is certainly been good in these here playoffs.

An interesting stat when all is said and done: guys like Bennett, Johnny & Mony will have more playoff experience that Gio, the Captain. In a way, I believe that will be a positive thing going forward. It'll give the young guys hunger to keep that quirky stat going, and I think Gio will be both proud of them, but hungrier as well to get back to the playoffs. Nothing but good can come of this