Sam Bennett as a center or winger?

[rain_e]

I personally think the points will come for Bennett and people who say he is a bust are probably the same people who think Ferland deserves to be on this team because he gets the odd goal when he isn't missing the net.

[Toonage]

nm

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by rain_e

I personally think the points will come for Bennett and people who say he is a bust are probably the same people who think Ferland deserves to be on this team because he gets the odd goal when he isn't missing the net.

OK, tell us (1) why Ferland doesn't deserve to be on the team, and (2) why this is so blatantly obvious that you can make with the snark about anyone who doesn't see it.

[dfsflamesfan]

If Jagr can somehow develop some chemistry with Jankowski and Bennett, perhaps they can become a poormans Huberdeau-Barkov 3rd line. I see that they have the tools to become similar, just hopefully some consistency and time can get them there.

[rain_e]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

OK, tell us (1) why Ferland doesn't deserve to be on the team, and (2) why this is so blatantly obvious that you can make with the snark about anyone who doesn't see it.

Fine Ferland deserves to be on the team but he definitely isn't a first line winger. I wrote that out of frustration after reading all the garbage ageing written about Bennett.

If it came down to choosing either Ferland or Bennett on this team does the majority really feel like Ferland is the better player? They have played a similar amount of games and had very similar production.

I think it would be a huge mistake to give up on Bennett via trade how they were discussing on Sportsnet.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by rain_e

Fine Ferland deserves to be on the team but he definitely isn't a first line winger. I wrote that out of frustration after reading all the garbage ageing written about Bennett.

OK, I can get behind that.

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by rain_e

Fine Ferland deserves to be on the team but he definitely isn't a first line winger. I wrote that out of frustration after reading all the garbage ageing written about Bennett.



If it came down to choosing either Ferland or Bennett on this team does the majority really feel like Ferland is the better player? They have played a similar amount of games and had very similar production.



I think it would be a huge mistake to give up on Bennett via trade how they were discussing on Sportsnet.

Bennett’s been bad for a while not just this year. Zero points this year and long stretches last season. Long leash at center which was failure and will force Flames to pay up for Backlund. At wing he still has no points.

Not blind hate but reality backed by stats. Long leash from draft position and not living up to it. Right pick at time and this happens.

No trade value so really no choice on giving up yet. Maybe he can be a ok 3rd line winger but ceiling of being Flames highest pick ever and franchise center seems unlikely.


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[Harry Lime]

I'm thinking Bennett must be a first class ladies man, because there are about four posters on this forum who I'm pretty sure he stole their girlfriends.

[RT14]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Bennett’s been bad for a while not just this year. Zero points this year and long stretches last season. Long leash at center which was failure and will force Flames to pay up for Backlund. At wing he still has no points.

Not blind hate but reality backed by stats. Long leash from draft position and not living up to it. Right pick at time and this happens.

No trade value so really no choice on giving up yet. Maybe he can be a ok 3rd line winger but ceiling of being Flames highest pick ever and franchise center seems unlikely.


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There’s dozens of examples of young players who struggle with consistency early in their careers, often for years before becoming great top line or top six forwards. It happens often and it’s amazing how little patience a lot of fans have towards it. Even on our team now, Backlund is a good example.

I think one factor that never comes up is even though he was our highest draft pick ever, unlike the other 3 picked before him he hasn’t been gifted with our teams most talented players to work with and the amount of ice time that comes with it. While I do think Monohan was a more NHL ready player out of the draft due to size and maturity, his “leash” was a lot longer because we needed him to be our #1 Centre and there wasn’t any other legitimate options to be worthy of not letting him develop on the top line often in his first year and almost exclusively in his second year.

If you reverse the order of when they were drafted and let Bennett play his entire first NHL season on the top line with Johnny and Hudler without much risk to be demoted, I’d bet he’s a completely different player today. Instead he’s left to figure his crap out centering a line with the offensively handicapped Brouwer most of last year and now with two new, young linemates for last few games this year.

I’m sure there’s a lot of factors leading to where he’s at so far this year but his talent we drafted him for hasn’t disappeared, he’s just stuck in a rut and I’m confident he will get on a role again soon and if he can get comfortable with a couple decent linemates for an extended time, we will be seeing signs of why we drafted him more consistently.

[pepper24]

Monahan is bad example because he forced Flames to keep him up after 9 game test run by putting up something like 6 goals in that span.

Since then he had averaged nearly 30 goals and 60 points per season. He drives top line as others drive him. He’s getting goals whoever he plays with. Leads his 2013 draft class along with 2012 class in goals. Night and day better than Bennett. Same with Tkachuk.

Backlund is better comparison for sure. We’ll see how patient Flames. Doesn’t need to be Monahan or Tkachuk but zero points and struggling on 3rd line isn’t working either.


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[edslunch]

Originally Posted by RT14

There’s dozens of examples of young players who struggle with consistency early in their careers, often for years before becoming great top line or top six forwards. It happens often and it’s amazing how little patience a lot of fans have towards it. Even on our team now, Backlund is a good example.

I think one factor that never comes up is even though he was our highest draft pick ever, unlike the other 3 picked before him he hasn’t been gifted with our teams most talented players to work with and the amount of ice time that comes with it. While I do think Monohan was a more NHL ready player out of the draft due to size and maturity, his “leash” was a lot longer because we needed him to be our #1 Centre and there wasn’t any other legitimate options to be worthy of not letting him develop on the top line often in his first year and almost exclusively in his second year.

If you reverse the order of when they were drafted and let Bennett play his entire first NHL season on the top line with Johnny and Hudler without much risk to be demoted, I’d bet he’s a completely different player today. Instead he’s left to figure his crap out centering a line with the offensively handicapped Brouwer most of last year and now with two new, young linemates for last few games this year.

I’m sure there’s a lot of factors leading to where he’s at so far this year but his talent we drafted him for hasn’t disappeared, he’s just stuck in a rut and I’m confident he will get on a role again soon and if he can get comfortable with a couple decent linemates for an extended time, we will be seeing signs of why we drafted him more consistently.

Reasons yes, but he was a star offensive in junior, a whole other level above Monahan. He simply is not showing anywhere near that level of talent in the NHL. It's not like he's wowing every game and is just snake-bitten, he's looking decidedly average at best. Sure he has some nice moments, maybe the advanced stats are looking up, he shows some tenacity - all good, but until he starts scoring with regularity he is major disappointment.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Reasons yes, but he was a star offensive in junior, a whole other level above Monahan. He simply is not showing anywhere near that level of talent in the NHL. It's not like he's wowing every game and is just snake-bitten, he's looking decidedly average at best. Sure he has some nice moments, maybe the advanced stats are looking up, he shows some tenacity - all good, but until he starts scoring with regularity he is major disappointment.

Everyone agrees that he is currently a major disappointment. The issue of contention is: what does the future hold? And how some people can look at this kid and think there is no future there, is beyond me.

The focus should be on getting him going, not on running him out of town. And getting him going means simplifying his responsibilities, and putting him in positions to succeed (i.e. good line-mates). And then giving it time to happen.

And no, he hasn't had more than enough time already. I mean, he's had time, but the focus has been too much on the 200 foot game and learning the C position. He needs to be let loose, told to just have fun, and given enough time to let it happen.

He has only had 3 games on the wing and there is already significant improvement. No, he hasn't gotten on the scoresheet yet, but with any luck at all he would have. And he has been more physical, more energetic, and more engaged.

It will come. And I think it's coming soon.

[Itse]

In retrospect it Bennett is probably one of those guys that would have benefitted from "over-ripening". Hindsight etc.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Everyone agrees that he is currently a major disappointment. The issue of contention is: what does the future hold? And how some people can look at this kid and think there is no future there, is beyond me.

The focus should be on getting him going, not on running him out of town. And getting him going means simplifying his responsibilities, and putting him in positions to succeed (i.e. good line-mates). And then giving it time to happen.

And no, he hasn't had more than enough time already. I mean, he's had time, but the focus has been too much on the 200 foot game and learning the C position. He needs to be let loose, told to just have fun, and given enough time to let it happen.

He has only had 3 games on the wing and there is already significant improvement. No, he hasn't gotten on the scoresheet yet, but with any luck at all he would have. And he has been more physical, more energetic, and more engaged.

It will come. And I think it's coming soon.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in the run him out of town camp, but I understand where people can have a very negative view of him and his future. I hope he has a breakout soon and that turns it around for him.

I think back to a moment - was to last year or the year before - where he was in a slump, finally score a goal, and made a big deal out of pantomiming taking a monkey off his back. I think he may just have a fragile makeup and a hard time dealing with adversity (not exactly uncommon for people who have cruised through life/sports in the past). Maybe he just needs a really good run. But something's got to change.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Itse

In retrospect it Bennett is probably one of those guys that would have benefitted from "over-ripening". Hindsight etc.

He was caught in the trap of too good for junior, too young for AHL, and the one year he might have cooked in junior he was injured. It would have been unpopular, but in hindsight last year might have been a year to send him down, but he was coming off a decent rookie season so that wasn't going to happen either.

[mikephoen]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Everyone agrees that he is currently a major disappointment. The issue of contention is: what does the future hold? And how some people can look at this kid and think there is no future there, is beyond me.

The focus should be on getting him going, not on running him out of town. And getting him going means simplifying his responsibilities, and putting him in positions to succeed (i.e. good line-mates). And then giving it time to happen.

And no, he hasn't had more than enough time already. I mean, he's had time, but the focus has been too much on the 200 foot game and learning the C position. He needs to be let loose, told to just have fun, and given enough time to let it happen.

He has only had 3 games on the wing and there is already significant improvement. No, he hasn't gotten on the scoresheet yet, but with any luck at all he would have. And he has been more physical, more energetic, and more engaged.

It will come. And I think it's coming soon.

I think it's been 5 games, no? Ever since Jankowski got called up.

Not that the difference between 3 and 5 games really changes your point anyway.

[keenan87]

Put me on the boat of making a deal surrounding Sam Reinhart for Sam Bennett. I really think this might happen this next off-season.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by mikephoen

I think it's been 5 games, no? Ever since Jankowski got called up.

Not that the difference between 3 and 5 games really changes your point anyway.

wow, it is 5 games already... as you say though, point's the same

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by keenan87

Put me on the boat of making a deal surrounding Sam Reinhart for Sam Bennett. I really think this might happen this next off-season.

Flames would have to add, but I'd be all for it. Classic 'change of environment' trade.

[Bingo]

I keep thinking about the off season and how Gulutzan pointed to Bennett twice as a guy he was expecting big things from. You don't say that about projects that you're about to run out of town.

They think he's close, and believe in the guy.

I don't know if I've seen a player so effected by confidence as this kid though. He needs a bounce or two so he can relax and then just play his game.