What is up with Sam Bennett???

[dabrit]

I don't know about everyone else but I've been very disappointed with Sam Bennett. On many nights he's invisible out there, always seems to be getting knocked off his feet, is tentative on the puck has absolutely 0 consistency and just doesn't seem to take the puck to the net anymore.

I don't know about you but when this guy was drafted (and was our highest ever draft pick I might add) I saw him overtaking Monahan and becoming our number 1 center.

The best he has ever looked was in his rookie season when he got injured he was arguably our best player in the preseason, and when he came back for the playoffs was putting on a show, he showed his skill tenacity and determination to get the puck to the net win battles in the corner etc.

Last year too he at times showed signs of brilliance( 4 goal game for example) but then would just disappear and remain of the scoresheet for upwards of close to 20 games.

When you go back at look at the things he was doing in the OHL( yeah I get that junior is junior) he showed an elite set of skill, physicality and a great shot who was just as good at dishing the puck as putting it in himself highlight reel goal after highlight reel goal.

In my eyes he just seems to be regressing never seems to know where to go, doesn't hold onto the puck doesn't play between the circles and just isn't stepping up.

Thoughts on what might be the issue?

[belsarius]

2nd year pro who has got himself in penalty trouble and is struggling to find that line in his game. He needs to play with an edge but gets himself in trouble with dumb penalties when he does. I'm not too worried about him yet, he is still young and has loads of talent.

[TOfan]

Still lots of time with Sam. Not too uncommon to see young centre men struggle to find their way (Backlund).

He might be better suited to play wing at the NHL level though...

[Matty81]

Young centres like him and Monahan need lots of patience. Its a tough position to learn at the nhl level and it seems like they peak later than wingers.

His positioning and faceoff skills need work and he has been undisciplined. As a result he is not getting the icetime and his production has tailed off. Once he got dropped from the 2nd powerplay unit for Frolik his scoring chances basically halved.

All that said, I don't see a lot of reason to worry. He is still a very good skater and has good puck handling skills and a solid shot. He still has a fairly slight build as a lot do at his age and I think will fill out. I think he will be a solid second line centre at his peak at worst.

[devo22]

20 years old, 2nd year pro, growing pains, still adjusting to playing center in the NHL.

Some fans really have no patience anymore.

[dabrit]

Originally Posted by belsarius

2nd year pro who has got himself in penalty trouble and is struggling to find that line in his game. He needs to play with an edge but gets himself in trouble with dumb penalties when he does. I'm not too worried about him yet, he is still young and has loads of talent.

Yeah he does take far too many penalties and it seems like most are in the offensive zone not the defensive zone...which I guess is good in someway that he isn't cheating defensively but bad in that he is cheating offensively.

I'm wondering if adding that 10 pounds of muscle has been a detriment to his game and has slowed him down or something. Maybe he'll adapt in the next couple of years...I just worry that the team will grow impatient and trade him before he blossoms then we watch him develop to an awesome talent somewhere else.

[dabrit]

Originally Posted by TOfan

Still lots of time with Sam. Not too uncommon to see young centre men struggle to find their way (Backlund).

He might be better suited to play wing at the NHL level though...

Perhaps you might be right. You could probably argue that right now our number one center is Mikael Backlund and our #2 is Sean Monahan and Bennett #3...he should be higher than this though.

Maybe they should put him on the wing again for a bit boost his confidence or maybe a short stint in the AHL to get him going again.

[868904]

I still think he bulked up too much. In his playoff appearance and last season, his speed and quickness allowed him to elude defenders with quick turns and pivots. He just doesn't seem to have that quickness now. He's definitely stronger now, but I think quickness is much more important for his game.

He's also not attacking the net this year. He's spinning and looking to make a pass or make a shot from the slot. I can't recall seeing him take the puck to the net much this season.

[ComixZone]

2nd year pro, 1st year as a centre, new head coach.

I find your lack of patience disturbing.

[TheIronMaiden]

Bennett has 9 goals and 9 assists in 42 games. That's not top line production, but it is nothing to turn your nose up at, especially when talking about a 20 year old.

IMO, there are two things which make his "average" play acceptable. First, he has played mostly on the third line, with third line calibre talent. Hockey is a team sport, who a player is playing with is very important to production.

Secondly, Bennett's ELC is expiring, its not all horrible that he is not a top producer on this team. His "average" play might end up getting the Flames a deal on his next contract.

Also, Bennett played his best hockey at the end of last season. I would not be shocked to see him heat up down the final stretch.

[Heavy Jack]

On pace for 18/18 again basically. Not bad in his 'sophomore slump' season. I think it's harder to compute this because we have been so spoiled with Johnny and Mony and now to a certain extent Tkachuk. Sam is fine, the flashes of brilliance are there and he is gonna be a star in the near future.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

20 years old, 2nd year pro, plays the toughest position in the game. Oh, and also going through it on a team with expectations, which is different than what happened in Mono's first two years, so the microscopes are out and fans are led patient to wait for development.

[dabrit]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

2nd year pro, 1st year as a centre, new head coach.

I find your lack of patience disturbing.

I would agree with you except in his rookie season he was playing better than on this season.

It's not like he's been average from the get go if that was the case I'd understand his not so great numbers but having already seen how well he can play when he puts his heart and mind into it it's just frustrating to see him be a non factor.

If he wants to play with better line mates then he's got to earn those minutes and actually score a PPG next time he get's a shot or start dictating play the way he has shown he is capable of doing at times.

He's faster, more physical and has more skill than Monahan he should be pushing to take Monahan's spot IMO not hanging around on the 3rd and 4th lines.

[DJones]

Anyone think he could play on the right wing?

I think jankowski is better suited to be a 3C and I want to keep Backlund forever. At some point you have to move someone to the wing

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by dabrit

I would agree with you except in his rookie season he was playing better than on this season.

It's not like he's been average from the get go if that was the case I'd understand his not so great numbers but having already seen how well he can play when he puts his heart and mind into it it's just frustrating to see him be a non factor.

If he wants to play with better line mates then he's got to earn those minutes and actually score a PPG next time he get's a shot or start dictating play the way he has shown he is capable of doing at times.



He's faster, more physical and has more skill than Monahan he should be pushing to take Monahan's spot IMO not hanging around on the 3rd and 4th lines.

More sheltered minutes, played a bunch of wing, a less structured system. His rookie year was a lot easier for him also.

Also, I think you are badly under sting Monahan in you assessment there, but that seems to be envogue around here these days.

[IamNotKenKing]

From his draft year he is 8th in goals and 8th in points, and had major surgery, such that he missed virtually that entire year.
Also, he's still 7th in points and 5th in goals on our team. Only 1 goal out of a 4-way tie for 2nd.
I still think he should be OK. Likely finding the right side of the edge still to play on.

[GranteedEV]

It's tough for a center to be the fastest player on his line in a system like these where the center leads the breakout and is constantly on the ice with defensemen who struggle to make a quick and accurate first pass. Just a year ago Sidney Crosby looked like his run of NHL dominance was over and he was just an average top 6 guy who wasn't strong offensively or defensively.

It took a string of things to get the best player on the planet going:

- A coaching change to promote a speedier offensive system with centres playing less deep defensively (not that I want that right now, playing deep is important for both Monahan and Bennett's development)

- Shoring up the Penguins' blue line with Daley and Schultz (two strong puck movers, one who can skate unlike Wideman and one who can do everything our bottom pair can't)

- getting rid of guys like Perron and Kunitz who didn't fit with Crosby and adding Conor Sheary out of the minor leagues, who finally found chemistry with Crosby, something even Phil Kessel hadn't done.

And that's the best center in the league in his prime years. Sam Bennett is pretty much still in his first calendar year of playing center in the NHL, on the third line, who's struggled on the PP where young players usually make their money, on a team where our entire middle six has been slumping at ES for a while (Gaudreau, Monahan, Chiasson, Versteeg have all produced on the PP, where Bennett isn't even playing).

Just relax. Every good center has struggles at this age. Horvat had one of the worst +/- in the league last year at age 20 and right now looks like he's trending to be elite. MacKinnon struggled at 20, he's starting to find his footing. Draisaitl struggled at 19 more than Bennett ever did and looked like a bust, then found chemistry at 20 with Hall that got his career going. Monahan looked worse at age 22 in the first quarter of this season than Bennett does right now and he's hardly tearing it up right now either outside of the PP (2 ES pts in the last 13GP).

[Jackpot_Smooth]

How long did it take Galchenyuk to finally come around and solidify his #1 spot. Players develop at different rates, he'll be fine. The flames have the luxury of being able to take time with him with Monahan and Backlund (and Stajan). Seguin spent the first 2 years on the wing as well didn't he?

[flamesfan55]

I would like to see him on the right wing with Jonny and Monahan. I think he needs to be on a scoring line. I never saw him suited as 3c. I think have him on the line for awhile build confidence and tell him to play his game with some edge.

[PlayfulGenius]

Perhaps the main issue is Expectation... his developmental trajectory seems on par with players like Jonathan Huberdeau and Ryan Johansen (players also picked 4th overall)... hopefully he turns out to be even better than those guys.

Neither Galchenyuk nor Drouin broke out any sooner than Bennett...and they were both picked at #3 in their drafts.