ECSF: Toronto Maple Leafs [ATL2] vs Florida Panthers [WC2] - Florida Wins 4-1

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Saqe

I have to say Tkachuk has had an amazing impact on the Panthers. Barkov is a great person no doubt but as a leader he needs help and Chucky has been a perfect compliment with his "no ####s given" attitude. Exactly what they needed.

Also Bob is serving crow big time to me. I don't think I've ever seen Bob the way he's playing right now, absolutely attacking the shooter and making Matthews et al. look ridiculous. No swimming in net, not loosing sight of pucks, just attacking. Wow. It's always been purely mental with him and I would love to know what flipped the switch with him because he has been unreal.

The Panthers are built to win in the playoffs. Their lack of regular season success was not really supporting to me. They will be a tough out for anyone in these playoffs.

[ComixZone]

“When he was in Calgary, he was always bouncing around,” said Tkachuk, another former Flame. “He played wing with me for a handful of games. I played the majority of my career there with Mikael Backlund, who I also love playing with — but I think when Benny was on the wing with us, that’s when our line played our best. But with Benny … he never really was that top-six centerman like he is here. He could have been in that position and would have thrived in it.

LeBrun's article on Sam Bennett

Bennett and Tkachuk should have been at the core of the Flames identity. Instead, Tkachuk was put on the 2nd line for most of his time here which held him back, and Bennett was tossed all around the lineup.

As sad as I am to see Treliving gone, his braindead coaching hires are what railroaded his time here as a GM. So much wasted potential on the backs of terrible coaching.

[Always Earned Never Given]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Leafs also hilariously traded Verhaeghe for Michael Grabner back in the day. Grabner had 9 goals and 18 points in one season with the Leafs. Ooops.

Yeah pretty crazy that it was a 5 for 1 ... I mean Grabner is no Eric Lindros!

[theslymonkey]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

LeBrun's article on Sam Bennett

Bennett and Tkachuk should have been at the core of the Flames identity. Instead, Tkachuk was put on the 2nd line for most of his time here which held him back, and Bennett was tossed all around the lineup.

As sad as I am to see Treliving gone, his braindead coaching hires are what railroaded his time here as a GM. So much wasted potential on the backs of terrible coaching.

Except the Flames also had Monahan, Lindholm and Backlund at center.
Yes, I agree that if you draft Bennett as a center you should give him a long look at center. But then who are they removing at center?

The onlyl real solution at the time was to move either Bennett or Lindholm to the wing. They made their choice.

[MissTeeks]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1654532033375240214

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

LeBrun's article on Sam Bennett

Bennett and Tkachuk should have been at the core of the Flames identity. Instead, Tkachuk was put on the 2nd line for most of his time here which held him back, and Bennett was tossed all around the lineup.

As sad as I am to see Treliving gone, his braindead coaching hires are what railroaded his time here as a GM. So much wasted potential on the backs of terrible coaching.

Bennett still has the hockey IQ of an apricot. Eff him.

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

LeBrun's article on Sam Bennett

Bennett and Tkachuk should have been at the core of the Flames identity. Instead, Tkachuk was put on the 2nd line for most of his time here which held him back, and Bennett was tossed all around the lineup.

As sad as I am to see Treliving gone, his braindead coaching hires are what railroaded his time here as a GM. So much wasted potential on the backs of terrible coaching.

Reading this article, the parts that stand out to me are where Lucic echoed our thoughts about 'why isn't Sam playing more?' after showing so well during the bubble playoffs with Dube / Lucic on his line. Our stupid coaching couldn't figure it out and now Sam is an impact top 6 player for another team.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Reading this article, the parts that stand out to me are where Lucic echoed our thoughts about 'why isn't Sam playing more?' after showing so well during the bubble playoffs with Dube / Lucic on his line. Our stupid coaching couldn't figure it out and now Sam is an impact top 6 player for another team.

He wasn’t playing more because because he wasn’t better the other centres we had at the time and he couldn’t adjust to the wing. There was probably an opportunity at the time to sell high on one of the other guys and force Bennett into the line-up, but it’s just another example of management missing an opportunity and not thinking long term.

[Erick Estrada]

Yikes that article is an indictment on Flames management and coaches. Lucic and Tkachuk basically telling it like many of us believed it was that the organization mismanaged Bennett. This is the kind of thing we ripped the Oilers for doing yet it happened right in our own backyard.

“When he was in Calgary, he was always bouncing around,” said Tkachuk, another former Flame. “He played wing with me for a handful of games. I played the majority of my career there with Mikael Backlund, who I also love playing with — but I think when Benny was on the wing with us, that’s when our line played our best. But with Benny … he never really was that top-six centerman like he is here. He could have been in that position and would have thrived in it.

“You had (Sean) Monahan scoring 30 goals a year at the time and then you have (Mikael) Backlund,” Lucic said. “So the opportunity for him wasn’t really there in the top six, which is interesting because you would think a guy who goes fourth overall would get a top opportunity right away.”

“We were our best line in the bubble, especially in that Winnipeg series and early on in the Dallas series,” Lucic said. “Even getting to play with him that first year when (former Flames coach Geoff) Ward took over, I was like, ‘Man, why does this guy not get to play more?’ I remember saying that to Benny, and I said it to Wardo. I remember thinking that he brings jam, he has skill, he plays a hard style.

Glen Gulutzan was easily the most damaging head coach hire since Brad Gilbert as he got the ball rolling on Bennett's mishandling. I'm so glad the slate is wiped clean as this organization badly needed a fresh start the same way Bennett and Tkachuk needed a fresh start away from the Flames.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by theslymonkey

Except the Flames also had Monahan, Lindholm and Backlund at center.
Yes, I agree that if you draft Bennett as a center you should give him a long look at center. But then who are they removing at center?

The onlyl real solution at the time was to move either Bennett or Lindholm to the wing. They made their choice.

If you look at things with a big picture perspective, who the off cares about Mikael Backlund?

Sorry - we didn't have Lindholm yet, and the moment we drafted Tkachuk it should have been:

Gaudreau - Monahan - Tkachuk
Bennett - Backlund - Frolik

or

Gaudreau - Monahan - Ferland
Tkachuk - Bennett - Frolik

You then deploy Backlund as your checking 3rd line.

Instead they !@#$ing buried Bennett with Jankowski and Brouwer.

The Flames screwed up Bennett's development by slapping him all over there roster and playing him with bad players, and they suppressed Tkachuk's ability by stapling him with Backlund and Frolik.

It's not even debatable. It's why we've had zero success, and it's why our ex-coaches will never be head coaches in this league again.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Monahan should have been traded much sooner, the writing was on wall for his injuries & decline unfortunately.
Could have actually had some trade value too.

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Gaudreau would have happened sooner & Bennett could move into a top 6 role.
It was all too obvious, so the Flames of course didn't do it.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Monahan should have been traded much sooner, the writing was on wall for his injuries & decline unfortunately.
Could have actually had some trade value too.

It seemed as though he played an awful lot while injured. I understand he may not have been proactive in sharing about injuries, but it's hard to imagine that nobody in the team staff knew he was injured. Could his career have been different and shown more longevity if he had taken more recovery time in his early years? We'll never know, but I have doubts the team managed his development well wrt his health.

[activeStick]

Finally saw a replay of Sam Bennett rock-bottoming Knies Playoff Sam Bennett is a thing of beauty

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yikes that article is an indictment on Flames management and coaches. Lucic and Tkachuk basically telling it like many of us believed it was that the organization mismanaged Bennett. This is the kind of thing we ripped the Oilers for doing yet it happened right in our own backyard.





Glen Gulutzan was easily the most damaging head coach hire since Brad Gilbert as he got the ball rolling on Bennett's mishandling. I'm so glad the slate is wiped clean as this organization badly needed a fresh start the same way Bennett and Tkachuk needed a fresh start away from the Flames.

Yup Brads worst move was Glen one of the worst head coaches in NHL history.

We should stop clicking on these articles the hits just hurt more and more.

[Saqe]

It should be mentioned also with Bennett that it hasn't been all rosy with him in Florida. He has really grown as a player compared to his first year, mainly in the playoffs. If people remember couple of years ago how he got suspended against the Lightning which was a huge blow for the Panthers at the time, last year he seemed to be afraid to have contact because of the call and now he finally seems to know the limits. Not perfect and sometimes still crosses the line but the Panthers have stuck with him through the bad times. I don't think that chance was ever given with the Flames, handful of games in a bigger role and seems like it was one mistake and he got demoted.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Monahan should have been traded much sooner, the writing was on wall for his injuries & decline unfortunately.
Could have actually had some trade value too.

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Gaudreau would have happened sooner & Bennett could move into a top 6 role.
It was all too obvious, so the Flames of course didn't do it.

If it was that obvious to all excepet the Flames, why would he have any trade value.

Monny during this time had no trade value until, he proved him self healthy. Which he never could do.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Remind me again how many firsts Calgary has had?

For a team that had Gretzky, Messier, McDavid, Draisatl and a plethora of other 1-OAs, having only 5 Cups is pretty embarrassing actually.

This is a leafs thread, and the basis of your rant is calling the leafs one of the biggest bunch of losing losers ever.
Explain how the Flames are less of a bunch of losers than the leafs.

If the best you can do is saying "well, the Oilers are bigger losers" that's not making any great point. Just points to the table the Flames sit at.

[dino7c]

The thing with Bennett is he has to play a certain style to be effective and that style can't be played all the time or he will get injured

There is a reason he has a career high of 49 points. In the playoffs he can just let'er rip.

Penguins beat the Hawks at home in game 81 and the Panthers miss the playoffs, or the Bruins score on one of their 5 million chances in game 5 they are done early. Now they are the unstoppable force. Hockey is weird and hard to predict.

I think the Leafs make it a series still they have been the better team but winning 4 of 5 seems unlikely

[stang]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

https://twitter.com/user/status/1654532033375240214

Sooo keefe thinks they will be done in 4?

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

https://twitter.com/user/status/1654532033375240214

That really sucks. A guy missing games because of concussion so early in his career is no good. Hopefully it's just a one off for him.

I would have thought the likely cause was the Tkachuk elbow to his head earlier in the game rather than what Bennett did.

Either way I hope the guy isn't too badly hurt and his career isn't affected.