[Rumour] Friedman: Ducks really like Sam Bennett

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Didn't Gaudreau play a fair share of games with Bennett and Chiasson last year?

I like the thought of Tkachuk and Bennett ultimately being paired together. Both guys can get under opponents skin. Ultimatelymwhen the Flames are contending I could see it being the Tkachuk-Bennett line being the group that goes against other teams too skilled players.

That's why I put Tkachuk with Monahan there. Give the Monahan line a shift disturber instead of having it be the Lady Byng line.

Bennett does that for his line, and then if you put Lazar or Ferland on the Backs line, they make it a frustrating line to play against as well.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

That's why I put Tkachuk with Monahan there. Give the Monahan line a shift disturber instead of having it be the Lady Byng line

I have liked that idea for a while as well. I think Tkachuk could transition well to RW (he's very effective on his off-wing going back to the CHL) and his grit and (especially) his IQ would work well with Monahan and Gaudreau.

I thought he was served well on that line with Backs and Frolik this year. Guess it depends on if he's ready to make the jump in ice time or if he could use more time learning on that same line.

Ultimately I think he could be that top line winger we're looking for.

[5by5]

What if we already have all the desired forward pieces that seem to be missing? Mostly a Drouin type LW & a 1st line RW,

Gaud - Mona - Tkac
Bennett - Backs - Fro
Ferly - Jank/Lazar - Versteeg
Bouma - Jank/Lazar/Stajan - Brower

Gio - Ham
Legit #2/3 - Brodie
Alzner/Russell/Kulak - Stone/Andersson
Bart/Farm

My Reasoning;

- Tkachuk gets similar type linemates and position to what he had in junior. Would be an awesome line and he will also look after Johnny.
- Bennett plays LW where he belongs. He will be an even better winger with the centre experience, his improved defense and physical maturity.
- Moving Bennett to wing, means team can keep Backs long term. The guy just knows how to play hockey. Bleeds yellow and red and most importantly, a development success.
- IF Janko has finally arrived, him and Lazar should play 3rd and 4th line cntrs.
- Leaves lots of Extra monies for spending on Def and Goaltending. Stone, Alzner and Russell are all legit #5's. We need a legit #2 or #3 to play with Brodie.
- Cordell wrote on Hockeybuzz if the Flames shore up a really good partner for Brodie then elite goaltending is not such a big concern. I concur. Flames are one piece away from a truly elite def.
- Move Brodie back to RD. He has one of the best backhand passes in the league. Playing him on the L side, virtually eliminates this part of his game and it showed.
- Snide and Snipe on every line? Yes, No, Maybe?

[Cliche]

Does Friedman's observation affect Sam Bennett's contract negotiations at all? More than anything else having it reported that another gm in the same conference is a fan of their play affect with term or asking price as a player. I remember both colborne and Backlund having sub $2 million contracts as bridge deals, for about the same points performance. When asked about numbers on Friedman had ballparked somewhere around $2-3 million aav. Was 21 year old Mikael Backlund with 10g 15a worth 3 million a year?

If anything this may be a very subtle form of tampering for a player that went through a sophomore slump in a contract year.

[TheScorpion]

The thing is, Backlund was a 24th-overall pick. Colborne was a 16th-overall pick who had just been acquired for a fourth-rounder.

Bennett was a 4th-overall pick. That's bound to bump the price up just a little, I think.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I also believe that a number of people really haven't noticed Bennett developing. They see how many goals and points he produced, and think: "He wasn't really good this past season".

Like Getback posted earlier, Bennett had very poor defensive acumen for a center coming into the league. Monahan in comparison had really high acumen. Remember that in Monahan's second year, Hartley was using him straight up as a shutdown center, and then had to have a talk with Monahan about not worrying THAT much about defence and making sure he is providing offence while being defensively responsible. (Hartley was so underrated for teaching defence).

Bennett didn't enter the league with the same skill-set as Monahan. However, I think it is fair to say that Bennett has already closed the gap there defensively speaking, especially in the last half of the season. I saw a guy that started to 'get it'.

The trouble with Bennett right now offensively is that I think it is a combination of being too aggressive at times (and sometimes rightfully getting disciplined for it as it results in bad penalties) which I think makes him second-guess himself, and the other part being poor linemates.

I remember in the preseason how surprising it was that Bennett, Tkachuk and Brouwer had chemistry. The season started, and suddenly they didn't have it. I think Bennett really needs someone that can play with pace. Brouwer is too slow.

I am a believer that you can pair a fast winger with a slow center, but that you can't pair a fast center with a slow winger. Bennett needs a guy that not only has speed, but has the ability to use his skill at high speed like Bennett does.

I really believe that organizationally, the very best winger for Bennett would have been Poirier. I am really hoping Poirier manages to overcome whatever it is that is personally interfering with his development (and though I really feel badly for him, the silver lining is that at least there is some sort of underlying reason as to why he has taken a step back last season).

Just get Bennett away from Brouwer at all costs. Byron would have made for a really good partner for Bennett I think. Even Colborne (he always looked slow, but he moved pretty well and had some soft hands) I think would have made for a much better partner than Brouwer.

Long story short, Bennett is actually developing quite nicely by rounding out his game and maturing on the ice, but the Flames need to find someone that can play at his pace (I think he can do high-end skilled moves at full speed, something that nobody else on the team not named Gaudreau does, though a lot of his high end moves is about give-and-goes right on the stick and bulldozing his way to the net with a the ability to find ways to get pucks on net).

I am hoping they plant Jankowski on his wing to start the year and see what happens, as I think Jankowski does a really good job of controlling the ice around him with his reach and skill, and has the ability to be both a solid playmaker as well as a shooter. His skating and skill I think will allow him to work much better with Bennett than Brouwer I would say.

[Cortez]

Just stop. Stop talking about trading Bennett. I realize it's not everyone mentioning trading Bennett, but to everyone else- just stop. Bennett has the potential to be a top 3 player on our team. We need to have some ####ing patience. I think everyone can agree that we've seen some glorious spurts from him that make us giddy about his potential. Let's give a 21 year old a chance to adapt and learn how to play in the NHL. I honestly think he can be someone that we remember 20 years down the road- I'm just fearful that the organization moves him before he becomes something special

[GullFoss]

The biggest problem with Bennett continues to be his size. Needs to get up to 200lb. When he does, I'd put money on him being the best forward on our team for a long time to come

[GioforPM]

I've often thought, if and when they get consistency taken care of, that a Tkachuk-Bennett-Ferland line would have so much potential. Imagine the penalties drawn, the faces washed, the goalies crashed. The other teams would absolutely hate to play against them.

[bax]

Originally Posted by Cliche

Does Friedman's observation affect Sam Bennett's contract negotiations at all? More than anything else having it reported that another gm in the same conference is a fan of their play affect with term or asking price as a player. I remember both colborne and Backlund having sub $2 million contracts as bridge deals, for about the same points performance. When asked about numbers on Friedman had ballparked somewhere around $2-3 million aav. Was 21 year old Mikael Backlund with 10g 15a worth 3 million a year?

If anything this may be a very subtle form of tampering for a player that went through a sophomore slump in a contract year.

Might have to take off the tinfoil hat

[Tinordi]

First step is getting Troy Brouwer the hell away from Bennett.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

First step is getting Troy Brouwer the hell away from Bennett.

Or the Flames period.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

First step is getting Troy Brouwer the hell away from Bennett.

And Stajan. Stajan fell off the map after Brouwer was put on that line - up to that point Stajan was probably the best 4th line center in the NHL.

[Roof-Daddy]

This is why if Brouwer is still in CGY next fall, I'd like to see Frolik play left wing and put Brouwer with him and Backlund. Better chance they pull him forward than there is of him pulling them back IMO.

Then you also free up Tkachuk to put with Johnny/Mony or Bennett, which is what Bennett sorely needs.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

This is why if Brouwer is still in CGY next fall, I'd like to see Frolik play left wing and put Brouwer with him and Backlund. Better chance they pull him forward than there is of him pulling them back IMO.

Then you also free up Tkachuk to put with Johnny/Mony or Bennett, which is what Bennett sorely needs.

That's... actually a really good idea, I could see that line working for sure. Make the forward lines something like this and I'd be sold.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Lazar - Stajan - Hathaway

I really, really like the look of that lineup.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

This is why if Brouwer is still in CGY next fall, I'd like to see Frolik play left wing and put Brouwer with him and Backlund. Better chance they pull him forward than there is of him pulling them back IMO.

Then you also free up Tkachuk to put with Johnny/Mony or Bennett, which is what Bennett sorely needs.

If Brouwer can't play well with Backlund, he can't play well on the Flames. That's for sure.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Bennett - Versteeg
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Lazar - Stajan - Hathaway

I really, really like the look of that lineup.

Yikes. That's one too many really's.


Really hope we see some improvement on that group from last season.... whether it be by trade, or some young players stepping up (or both).

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

This is why if Brouwer is still in CGY next fall, I'd like to see Frolik play left wing and put Brouwer with him and Backlund. Better chance they pull him forward than there is of him pulling them back IMO.

Then you also free up Tkachuk to put with Johnny/Mony or Bennett, which is what Bennett sorely needs.

While I like the idea, this could also backfire and set us up for another slow start.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

I have liked that idea for a while as well. I think Tkachuk could transition well to RW (he's very effective on his off-wing going back to the CHL) and his grit and (especially) his IQ would work well with Monahan and Gaudreau.

I thought he was served well on that line with Backs and Frolik this year. Guess it depends on if he's ready to make the jump in ice time or if he could use more time learning on that same line.

Ultimately I think he could be that top line winger we're looking for.

Agreed. I've liked Ferland with Backland and Frolik too, so it's not like taking Tkachuk off that line is the sacrilege so many claim it to be

[bigrangy]

I would like to see Brouwer with Backlund and Frolik so that he can get the Backlund bump and get traded at the end of the year. NHL GMs will forget about his season this year after Backlund carries him for a year.