The Legend of Sam Bennett

[camm13]

I remember what a beast he was in the bubble, easily the most stand out player for the play in then vs Dallas. Then come first game regular season, he was thrown back onto the 3rd/4th and thrown all over the line up after that. Then shortly the trade request came. Who could blame him at that point

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

^ fully agree

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Bennett showed us immediately what we had in him, all we had to do was look. His first appearance for the Flames (except for 1 regular season game) was the 2015 playoff first and second round. Playoff Benny was born.

How, after that kind of debut as a young kid did the Flames manage to screw him up I’ll never understand.

It’s unforgivable really.

They raved about him after that last playoff performance promised him more ice-time then asked where he wanted to play center or wing; When he he said center they put him on wing and demoted him and even benched him without telling him why. Even after that he was still conflicted about staying. I think the Flames sucked the confidence right out of him after that playoff performance.

[DeluxeMoustache]

He bet on himself

He won

[Royle9]

Don’t forget 90% of the posters on this very board were ready to fire Bennett into the sun.
He didn’t get a fair shake in Calgary, everyone wanted him to be a 1C.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Don’t forget 90% of the posters on this very board were ready to fire Bennett into the sun.
He didn’t get a fair shake in Calgary, everyone wanted him to be a 1C.

Yup. The issue with Bennett wasn't the trade - it made sense by that time, especially with the expansion draft pending.

The issue was the way they messed up his development and playing time for the 6 seasons he was here.

[Flamesfan05]

Bennett rookie year was his best

He got worse every year after that as a Flames

In the meantime Treliving was too busy taking care of Neal/Lucic, Ryan, Reider, Frolik, Brouwer…..

The guy is a perfect modern day middle six player. Full of toughness, energy and passion. Somehow wasn’t good enough for the Flames

[GirlySports]

but you all know that last night if Bennett was wearing Flames colors the winning goal would have been called back for goalie interference.

His whole Flames career was doomed by unfortunate penalty calls and disallowed goals which put him in the doghouse.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

but you all know that last night if Bennett was wearing Flames colors the winning goal would have been called back for goalie interference.

His whole Flames career was doomed by unfortunate penalty calls and disallowed goals which put him in the doghouse.

He was on the ice for the 3-3 goal.

Dude would've been pilloried here for that.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Shazam

He was on the ice for the 3-3 goal.

Dude would've been pilloried here for that.

true, puck went through his feet

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Don’t forget 90% of the posters on this very board were ready to fire Bennett into the sun.
He didn’t get a fair shake in Calgary, everyone wanted him to be a 1C.

Would anyone dispute that Bennett and Tkachuk are the two that define Florida's top line? Barkov now centers their 1b imo, but he's not their top line center anymore. Bennett is a 1C in these playoffs.

[dammage79]

Edit: wt

[blankall]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB

Would anyone dispute that Bennett and Tkachuk are the two that define Florida's top line? Barkov now centers their 1b imo, but he's not their top line center anymore. Bennett is a 1C in these playoffs.

I would dispute that. Florida has been running under a 1-2 punch system for a while. Formerly it was Barkov/Huberdeau. Now it's Barkov/Tkachuk. The wingers and centres paired with both of those guys have never really been true first line players themselves, and there's generally a rotating cast of them. Verheaghe, of that bunch, is probably the closest to being a legit top line player. Even then, I don't see a contender getting by with Verhaeghe as their #1 winger, unless he's paired with an elite centre.

Sam Bennett is a #1 centre in the sense that James Neal was a #1 LW because he got to play with Crosby. Even with Sam's amazing run in these playoffs, he's still only on pace for 60 points.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by blankall

I would dispute that. Florida has been running under a 1-2 punch system for a while. Formerly it was Barkov/Huberdeau. Now it's Barkov/Tkachuk. The wingers and centres paired with both of those guys have never really been true first line players themselves, and there's generally a rotating cast of them. Verheaghe, of that bunch, is probably the closest to being a legit top line player. Even then, I don't see a contender getting by with Verhaeghe as their #1 winger, unless he's paired with an elite centre.

Sam Bennett is a #1 centre in the sense that James Neal was a #1 LW because he got to play with Crosby. Even with Sam's amazing run in these playoffs, he's still only on pace for 60 points.

So we have to admit, Bennett needs to play with good players? Isn't that what everyone else on the top 2 lines are doing. Do we still need to find ways to downplay Sam Bennett's role? When was the last time Florida demoted him, benched him?

The guy's a stud and his team is in the SCF because not only do they believe in him they can count on him. Let's be happy for him and stop searching everywhere for something wrong with him. Calgary messed up, we need to start supporting, believing in our players.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

So we have to admit, Bennett needs to play with good players? Isn't that what everyone else on the top 2 lines are doing. Do we still need to find ways to downplay Sam Bennett's role? When was the last time Florida demoted him, benched him?

The guy's a stud and his team is in the SCF because not only do they believe in him they can count on him. Let's be happy for him and stop searching everywhere for something wrong with him. Calgary messed up, we need to start supporting, believing in our players.

I don't disagree with a lot of that. Calgary's development program has been abysmal lately. It got worse with Sutter, but started before that. Bennett should have had top 6 time. And, as I've stated in many other threads, the Wranglers have half a dozen players at least that should be getting far more development time on the big team than they are.

For whatever reason this franchise seems to take a liking to a select few players and then fills the rest of the roster with useless vets. Meanwhile certain players, who aren't part of the club, just get F-ed.

As for Bennett himself, Bennett has found chemistry with Tkachuk, and Florida would be crazy to mess that up, so he's not being demoted right now. He's been demoted many times by Florida though.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by blankall

I don't disagree with a lot of that. Calgary's development program has been abysmal lately. It got worse with Sutter, but started before that. Bennett should have had top 6 time. And, as I've stated in many other threads, the Wranglers have half a dozen players at least that should be getting far more development time on the big team than they are.

For whatever reason this franchise seems to take a liking to a select few players and then fills the rest of the roster with useless vets. Meanwhile certain players, who aren't part of the club, just get F-ed.

As for Bennett himself, Bennett has found chemistry with Tkachuk, and Florida would be crazy to mess that up, so he's not being demoted right now. He's been demoted many times by Florida though.

No, he really hasn’t

https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/players/sam-bennett

Last year his top 4 line combinations all involved Huberdeau, and one of Tippett (271 min) / Duclair (115) / Reinhart (94) / Giroux (66)

That accounts for over 50 percent of his even strength time

Any other line combos were 40 min or less

This year similarly his top 3 combos were all with Tkachuk, with the third being Verhaeghe (318 min), Luosteranin (77) and Balcers (62 min)

That also accounts for over 50 percent of his ES time

Florida has paired him up with their top winger and rotated the third

He has pretty much been consistently given a top 6 role there.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by blankall

I don't disagree with a lot of that. Calgary's development program has been abysmal lately. It got worse with Sutter, but started before that. Bennett should have had top 6 time. And, as I've stated in many other threads, the Wranglers have half a dozen players at least that should be getting far more development time on the big team than they are.

For whatever reason this franchise seems to take a liking to a select few players and then fills the rest of the roster with useless vets. Meanwhile certain players, who aren't part of the club, just get F-ed.

As for Bennett himself, Bennett has found chemistry with Tkachuk, and Florida would be crazy to mess that up, so he's not being demoted right now. He's been demoted many times by Florida though.

Maybe too much time was spent micro managing our youth and a guy like Bennett, heck look what happened to Huberdeau. The guy was a shell of his former self.He had little to no confidence and this is from a guy who already put up decent offensive numbers. This in a relitively short time with the Flames. Imagine, here Bennett hamstrung by the same issues, before he can even contribute on offence.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

No, he really hasn’t

https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/players/sam-bennett

Last year his top 4 line combinations all involved Huberdeau, and one of Tippett (271 min) / Duclair (115) / Reinhart (94) / Giroux (66)

That accounts for over 50 percent of his even strength time

Any other line combos were 40 min or less

This year similarly his top 3 combos were all with Tkachuk, with the third being Verhaeghe (318 min), Luosteranin (77) and Balcers (62 min)

That also accounts for over 50 percent of his ES time

Florida has paired him up with their top winger and rotated the third

He has pretty much been consistently given a top 6 role there.

So he doesn't play with bottom six centers.... Except all of those times he was playing with bottom six centers


Bennett is getting lots of top six time, but he's also been playing in the bottom six. When he plays in the bottom six in Florida he doesn't produce alt all. Hence why he's more of a complimentary player than a true #1 center.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by blankall

So he doesn't play with bottom six centers.... Except all of those times he was playing with bottom six centers


Bennett is getting lots of top six time, but he's also been playing in the bottom six. When he plays in the bottom six in Florida he doesn't produce alt all. Hence why he's more of a complimentary player than a true #1 center.

This is silly

You’re really nickel and diming with the other minutes.

You know these multitude of other combinations include time when Tkachuk leaves the ice and some other winger hops on. Or even strength time where a usual linemate is in the box. Or double shifting guys when they shorten the bench. Guys always have a mix of time with other players due to various circumstances

No, he doesn’t play with bottom six centers. Typically teams send out one center and he is the center

[Flamesfan05]

Sam Bennett is legit.
There shouldn’t even be a debate

Sure he is not a 80 pt + player but he is a key piece for a Stanley Cup finalist, maybe even winner.

I would say he is easy top 5 key player on Florida

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

No, he really hasn’t

https://frozenpool.dobbersports.com/players/sam-bennett

Last year his top 4 line combinations all involved Huberdeau, and one of Tippett (271 min) / Duclair (115) / Reinhart (94) / Giroux (66)

That accounts for over 50 percent of his even strength time

Any other line combos were 40 min or less

This year similarly his top 3 combos were all with Tkachuk, with the third being Verhaeghe (318 min), Luosteranin (77) and Balcers (62 min)

That also accounts for over 50 percent of his ES time

Florida has paired him up with their top winger and rotated the third

He has pretty much been consistently given a top 6 role there.

You completely owned him. +1 skill.