The Legend of Sam Bennett

[Bonded]

Would have been interesting too see if they shut down Monahan with his hip injury and put Bennett in his place how it would have turned out.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

https://twitter.com/user/status/1393210377043791873

Yup, that's why his trade request seemed inevitable and fair, he clearly wanted a better fit. He earned a bigger role / better opportunity after another strong playoffs and we apparently asked what position he wanted to play. But when he said centre he was gifted the 4C role with Nordstrom. Then he realizes he's not going to get a shot at centre, so he'd accept a winger position if it meant a bigger role as he watched Simon, Leivo, Ritchie, etc. all get better unearned opportunities in comparison.

I get that Monahan, Lindholm, Backlund, and Ryan were all ahead of him on the centre depth charts for various reasons... but his success in the playoffs and so far in Florida as the 2C seems to suggest the team failed to find a proper fit for him at his natural position here.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Would have been interesting too see if they shut down Monahan with his hip injury and put Bennett in his place how it would have turned out.

Naw. Flames would rather play a hurt Monahan, who sucks when he's hurt.

Asset management FTW!

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by AC

I get that Monahan, Lindholm, Backlund, and Ryan were all ahead of him on the centre depth charts for various reasons... but his success in the playoffs and so far in Florida as the 2C seems to suggest the team failed to find a proper fit for him at his natural position here.

Yup, and it's not exclusive to this season, you could argue he never really got an extended run at center with skilled linemates. Any shot he got was the limited time with Monahan and Gaudreau at winger. Here are Bennett's most used line combinations season by season (>10% TOI - Top 6 opportunities in bold)

15-16
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik (26.8%): 50.8% xGF; 18 GF - GA 10

Had limited time at center with okay linemates but was rightfully eased into the league on Backlund's wing. This was the only line he spent more than 10% of his time with in his rookie season. (Could argue that was mismanagement in itself since it seems like he spent most of his time that year bouncing around linemates.)

16-17
Bennett - Brouwer - Versteeg (20.8%) : 39.1% xGF; GF 7 - GA 5
Gaudreau - Bennett - Chiasson (13.5%): 63.8% xGF; GF 4 - GA 4
Chiasson - Bennett - Versteeg (11.34%): 49.0% xGF; GF 5 - GA 7

When you have a young 4th overall center you should always play him with Troy Brouwer, Kris Versteeg, and Alex Chiasson. He looked pretty good in his 134 minutes centering Gaudreau though.

17-18
Bennett- Jankowski - Hathaway (28.7%): 56.9% xGF; GF 11 - GA 10
Bennett - Jankowski - Jagr (10.1%): 55.6% xGF; GF 5 - GA 2

This year is when Gulutzan seemed to decide that Bennett at center was done, and shifted him full time to Jankowski's wing. I think the story here was Bennett-Hathaway-Janko had some success, so GG didn't see reason to move away from it. Bennett was part of an effective 3rd line for us that season.

18-19
Bennett - Backlund - Tkachuk (24.2%): 53.6% xGF; GF 10 - GA 9
Bennett - Jankowski - Neal (19.6%): 37.5% xGF; GF 6 - GA 10
Bennett - Jankowski - Czarnik (12.2%): 63.9% xGF; GF 4 - GA 6

Had a good year outside of having to drag James Neal around, but once again majority of the time was on the wing under Peters as well.

19-20
Bennett- Jankowski - Rieder (13.0%): 50.9% xGF; GF 0 - GA 0
Bennett - Lucic - Ryan (12.1%): 61.3% xGF; GF 3 GA 2

Once again majority of his time was in the bottom 6, playing on the wing.

20-21

Gaudreau - Monahan - Bennett (17.1%): 46.3 xGF; GF 4 - GA 1
Lucic - Bennett - Dube (10.2%): 51.2%; GF 2 - GA 4

Got a shot playing top line winger after his trade demand, but really the whole team wasn't playing great at this time. So really he didn't get much of a shot at center with strong wingers at any point in his career in Calgary, outside of a small stint with Gaudreau on his wing in 16-17, where they had moderate success.

Just as another piece here is Bennett with Gaudreau by season for his time in Calgary.

2015-2016: 107 Minutes; 51.5% xGF; GF-6 GA-4 (Center)
2016-2017: 197 Minutes; 56.9% xGF; GF-5 GA-5 (Center)
2017-2018: 149 Minutes; 48.6% xGF; GF-4; GA-8 (Wing)
2018-2019: 53 Minutes; 42.4% xGF; GF-2 GA - 1 (Wing)
2019-2020: 37 Minutes; 36.4% xGF; GF-0 GA - 2 (Wing)
2020-2021: 110 Minutes; 48.9% xGF; GF-4 GA-4 (Wing)

Stronger results earlier on when Bennett was at Center, but not as much success with Bennett playing the opposite wing of Gaudreau. But still seems crazy that our 4th overall pick, who was meant to be our top line center, played 653 minutes with our best Winger over 6 seasons. And really only 300 of those minutes as a center during his first two seasons.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Would have been interesting too see if they shut down Monahan with his hip injury and put Bennett in his place how it would have turned out.

Except they wouldn't have put Bennett there. They would have put Lindholm there, like they ended up doing. Unless you are talking post-Sutter and the 3 game Mangiapane-Monahan-Dube line. Or after that and the Mangiapane-Monahan-Ritchie line.

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Bad news: Looks like Sam Bennett is set to leave the team at the end of the 2021 season.

I wanted to make this joke, but was certain the Venn diagram of Flames fans and cycling fans was pretty razor thin. Thanks for proving me wrong.

[ComixZone]

Yeah, listening to 31 thoughts…I’m full in, fire Treliving. His coaching hires and the lack of opportunity that Bennett got robbed this organization of a future, and of any success.

It’s on the coaches and it’s on the GM who hired such incompetent coaches.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yeah, listening to 31 thoughts…I’m full in, fire Treliving. His coaching hires and the lack of opportunity that Bennett got robbed this organization of a future, and of any success.

It’s on the coaches and it’s on the GM who hired such incompetent coaches.

Yeah I change my old poll vote to he should be fired.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Yeah, listening to 31 thoughts…I’m full in, fire Treliving. His coaching hires and the lack of opportunity that Bennett got robbed this organization of a future, and of any success.

It’s on the coaches and it’s on the GM who hired such incompetent coaches.

What was said?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by FBI

What was said?

Just talking about the lack of opportunity. How he performed in the playoffs with more minutes and special teams, and then came back this season to a diminished role yet again. How it’s nice to have an organization (Florida) believe in you and give you an opportunity.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Would have been interesting too see if they shut down Monahan with his hip injury and put Bennett in his place how it would have turned out.

Not specifically the hip but this could have been said the last 3 years, this organization has had no clue how to handle a player fighting thru injury's. It's simple math, when a top line player is at 50 or so % the top line can't be a top line.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Just talking about the lack of opportunity. How he performed in the playoffs with more minutes and special teams, and then came back this season to a diminished role yet again. How it’s nice to have an organization (Florida) believe in you and give you an opportunity.

Such a great story of redemption for Sam. I am sure the thoughts and prayers around the hockey world on draft day will go to the player drafted by Brad Treliving this year.

[Mathgod]

Another multipointer (and multipenalter) for ol' Benny.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Mathgod

Another multipointer (and multipenalter) for ol' Benny.

2 assists (one quite nice). +1. But two penalties, each leading to an important goal (tying goals). So it feels like a minus night for Sam.

[FBI]

17 pts in 11 games with the Panthers,
23 pts in his last 17 games.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by FBI

17 pts in 11 games with the Panthers,

23 pts in his last 17 games.

Too bad it took 400 games to figure it out.

[UKflames]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Too bad it took 400 games to figure it out.

Too bad it took another team to give him confidence in his play and to use him correctly, not dropping him to the 4th line wasteland after one penalty.

See works both ways.

[djsFlames]

Cost his team a little more than he helped it today, in an important one (despite producing).

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Too bad it took 400 games to figure it out.

What do you think is more likely:


a) Bennett figured it out overnight after being traded to the Panthers
b) Bennett was given a bigger role and a real top6 opportunity

[Since1984]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Cost his team a little more than he helped it today, in an important one (despite producing).

Guy is playing playoff hockey. Good for him to get out of a ####ing terrible team