2014 Draft

[Par]

Going back to the 2014 NHL draft, would you have picked William Nylander or Nikolaj Ehlers over Sam Bennett? Or would you move down and take Dylan Larkin?

[TheScorpion]

No.

Sam Bennett is a very good hockey player. He's streaky sure, but he's 20, and he's maturing into a good NHL player.

Would you have also traded Backlund to Philadelphia in 2013 for a 3rd-rounder?

[Monahan For Mayor]

At the time no, but today I take Pastranak and don't look back.

Only because I have serious questions about Bennetts IQ.

[Par]

Originally Posted by Monahan For Mayor

At the time no, but today I take Pastranak and don't look back.

Only because I have serious questions about Bennetts IQ.

At the draft, they said his IQ, is 5/5.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN8RyRqPpU4

[Monahan For Mayor]

Originally Posted by Par

At the draft, they said his IQ, is 5/5.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN8RyRqPpU4

Yes and since then we have learned. He makes many Juniour level moves, doesn't utilizie his line mates very well, takes some very bad penalties, and has struggled with positioning all over the ice.

Now of course some of that is going to improve as he is still young. But IF it doesn't improve greatly he will never be a #1 centre.

[indes]

I think the disappointment in Bennetts development is a bit overdone on this forum.
We got spoiled with Monahan and Gaudreau coming in and lighting it up but this happens
all the time with players, especially centers. He's being put in the center position and learning to play a two way game right now,
which cuts down on his offensive productions and usually does for a young player learning the defensive side.
My bet is that after this year solidifying his two way play and getting more confidence in the center position is that he really breaks out next year.

Take it for what its worth but its pretty common for a players offensive production and creativity to drop off while they focus on the defensive side of the game.

[handgroen]

troll thread is bad

[DomeFoam]

I prefer the glass half full...like we could've picked Virtanen or Dal Colle.

[Par]

Originally Posted by handgroen

troll thread is bad

When I was making this thread, not once in my brain or my heart, did I think/feel, I was trolling anyone.

I made this thread because I was looking at the scores and standings and William Nylander and Nikolaj Ehlers came up.

Why would you say this is a troll thread?

[Par]

Originally Posted by DomeFoam

I prefer the glass half full...like we could've picked Virtanen or Dal Colle.

Very true but Dal Colle, has not played in the NHL yet, so we can't really judge him yet.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Par

When I was making this thread, not once in my brain or my heart, did I think/feel, I was trolling anyone.

I made this thread because I was looking at the scores and standings and William Nylander and Nikolaj Ehlers came up.

Why would you say this is a troll thread?

You have a history of terrible terrible threads.

[DomeFoam]

Originally Posted by Par

Very true but Dal Colle, has not played in the NHL yet, so we can't really judge him yet.

His development and progress has been but an ounce of what Bennett has already gained/experienced. Theres clearly a reason he's not in the NHL yet. Even more magnified by the fact the Islanders are starving for his contribution on the wing and he still can't make it.

[Bear]

Originally Posted by Par

When I was making this thread, not once in my brain or my heart, did I think/feel, I was trolling anyone.

I made this thread because I was looking at the scores and standings and William Nylander and Nikolaj Ehlers came up.

Why would you say this is a troll thread?

The thread is fine and the questions reasonable. Ignore the princesses who get butt hurt anytime someone suggest a flames player might be inferior to another player in the league.

For the record - I'd still take Sam. He's not developed as quickly as I hoped but isn't being gifted PP minutes to pad his stats and is scoring at a decent pace 5v5.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

You have a history of terrible terrible threads.

Cough.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Monahan For Mayor

At the time no, but today I take Pastranak and don't look back.

Only because I have serious questions about Bennetts IQ.

Today maybe you'd do that. Did you feel that way at the time? Doubtful. You'd be the laughing stock of this site if you even suggested that 2 years ago, and with good reason. There was a pretty clear cut line in the sand over who the top picks were that season. Pastranak wasn't even close to being up there.

I don't see Bennett as a disappoint at all. Not even close. As said in previous posts, he's being asked to play and learn the defensive side of the game and it will cut into his offensive numbers.

Look how long it took Backlund to get to where he is. Are Flames fans willing to be patient that long? Probably not. We have been spoiled by Monahan, Gaudreau and Tkachuk. All players most of had destined for the AHL at some point, yet all are impact players for the most part. Just because Bennett hasn't reached some people's expectations doesn't mean you redraft him in the different position. He was ranked as the #1 skater for a reason.

And it's also foolish to try to redraft after 2 seasons. These ranking change literally year by year until everyone's prime is done. Only recently have we been able to redraft the great 2003 draft.

[GranteedEV]

Imagine Jets fans making this kind of panic about 20 year old Scheifele's IQ / linemate usage.

Let's be real, Bennett has one thing going against him and that is the fact that he shoots left, just like Tkachuk, Gaudreau, Backlund, Monahan. He doesn't have a power play niche like those four (though presumably he should replace Backlund's niche in the future.)

He is still one of the most minute for minute productive 5-on-5 players on the Calgary Flames (third-best, behind only Versteeg and Tkachuk) . He is also a centre who will only get better at draws and board play and transitional reads and shot generation and defensive coverage. And he is probably already our second best PKer after Backlund.

Comparing him based on raw points to offensive wingers like Ehlers, Pastrnak, and Nylander is just wrong. Only guy drafted after him that is actually playing centre is Larkin and even then Bennett has won more draws than Larkin has taken and is doubling him up in EV assists.

Maybe OP should make Alexander Wennberg VS Sean Monahan thread.

The only way you could get me to worry about Bennett is if the Flames put him back on Matt Stajan's LW, which was always a terrible move on so many levels.

[ComixZone]

Nope. Bennett all the way. Nothing any of those players has done makes me rethink that pick at the time, or now.

...franchise struggles to find good centres for the better part of two decades, and now 2 years into Bennett's career, and 3 years into Monahan's career, a large number of impatient fans are already turning their backs on them because of...well, what exactly?

The disappointment in Bennett (and Monahan) on this forum reeks of impatience, lack of understanding of player development, as well as an immature "grass is always greener" perspective.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

No id still take Bennett. Impatient much?

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

The disappointment in Bennett (and Monahan) on this forum reeks of impatience, lack of understanding of player development, as well as an immature "grass is always greener" perspective.

This 100%


The amount of people completely devoid of the notion that development isn't linear and often takes time is astounding.

As is the 'what have you done lately' prevailing attitude ranking players by current point totals at any given time in a year.

[Vinny01]

I was thinking about starting a Bennett discussion thread so the topic is a good one but no doubt I take Bennett 10/10 in a redraft. I am guilty of having overly inflated expectations for Benny. I believe in the preseason poll before last year I had him scoring 70+ as a rookie.

He missed and white year of junior, came back late and dominated, but when he stepped in our lineup in the playoffs I was very impressed with him. 4pts in 11 games isn't insane numbers wise but he was very noticeable every game in a good way.

36pts as a 19 year old is pretty solid. I think we all expected/hoped for a Monahan/Gaudreau like sophomore year that doesn't appear to be coming. He is still likely to get 20 goals and 40pts this year which is very solid for a 20 year old.

He is a core piece of this team and still potentially the top line center of the future. The one player I didn't want over him at the draft that I have changed my tune on is Draisaitl. I was so happy when we got Bennett but Drai has proven to be elite a lot sooner