The Legend of Sam Bennett

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Why be so rigid about this? You build your team with good players down the middle, you play them lots of minutes and coach them to be responsible which Bennett has become. 200 ft game is in him. Is he Patrice Bergeron? No, but you still get solid two way play out of him.

Regardless, it's the blueline that usually has the assignment vs top players anyway. Yes...florida used barkov and forsling vs mcdavid, but you hear coaches talk about D vs F matchups. Neil "The Shadow" Sheehy is all but extinct.

You get solid two way play now. You didn't then.

I don't think I'm being rigid so much as just seeing what the Flames were looking at back then. I agree, they should have given him some rope to make mistakes. In interviews he says that was the biggest fear - making mistakes and getting demoted. But there is little top no chance any coach was displacing a 27 year old, 50+ point Selke vote getter like Backlund as a checking centre. Hartley didn't (despite the numbers here who think he would havebeen better for Bennett), GG didn't, Peters didn't, Ward didn't and Sutter didn't. For some reason nine of those guys liked him down the middle. And as recently as last year people still considered Backlund a top defensive centre ion the league: https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask?q=d...he+nhl+2023-24

BTW, many coaches still use shutdown lines with shutdown centres. Aside from Barkov, there's Erikson Ek, Compher, Acciari, etc. It's why LA got Danault when Kopitar was slowing down at checking. And Neil Sheehy was a defenceman.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

Huska’s player development is why he was recruited into the Flames’s organization 10 years ago, and his use of Zary has been pretty strong. Most of the year he played either with Backlund and Coleman or Kadri and Huberdeau (or if not both, with one of those two on a line), with ample amounts of power play time. He was often the guy tasked to lead the rush into the zone on the power play, which to me reflects Huska’s trust in his skills.

He didn’t get a ton of time at centre but his injuries kind of broke up those opportunities, and his time on the wings and at centre suggests that both Backlund and Kadri were mentoring him a little bit to play centre .

In 2023, it looked like Coronato was going to take a big step the following year based on the opportunities he was getting and his development. And he took that step. This year, Zary seems primed and I think as long as he stays healthy, he’s going to take a big step. And as long as the Flames don’t pick up a guy like Rossi, there's a good chance he’ll take that step as a centre.

Yeah, I think Zary still has a chance at centre. However, Frost coming in is a bit of a wrench to that plan, they play similar styles and Zary was gone. I think those two will battle for the spot.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Why be so rigid about this? You build your team with good players down the middle, you play them lots of minutes and coach them to be responsible which Bennett has become. 200 ft game is in him. Is he Patrice Bergeron? No, but you still get solid two way play out of him.

Regardless, it's the blueline that usually has the assignment vs top players anyway. Yes...florida used barkov and forsling vs mcdavid, but you hear coaches talk about D vs F matchups. Neil "The Shadow" Sheehy is all but extinct.

Bennett gets 34% defensive zone starts in Florida, and 31.5% in the playoffs. He was also 39% on faceoffs at faceoffs in the playoffs.

Bennett's not a great 2 way player. No one should force him to be. He's shown he can win a Con Smyth by being deployed in the offensive zone to get in people's faces and shoot the puck.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by blankall

Bennett gets 34% defensive zone starts in Florida, and 31.5% in the playoffs. He was also 39% on faceoffs at faceoffs in the playoffs.

Bennett's not a great 2 way player. No one should force him to be. He's shown he can win a Con Smyth by being deployed in the offensive zone to get in people's faces and shoot the puck.

The luxury of Barkov being a great two way guy. How many team's best defensive centre is over PPG? 22 points in 23 PO games this year too, while playing against the likes of Kucherov, Matthews and McDavid.

[CFO]

To a degree - pospisil game is very similar to Bennett

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by CFO

To a degree - pospisil game is very similar to Bennett

It is interesting to see how much he is worth as an asset with a bit of bite to his game and a low cap hit?

I like Pospisil but I feel like he brings decent value in a trade

[jg13]

Bennett says he's not ####ing leaving

https://twitter.com/user/status/1935936445153243213

[AC]

That's awesome. Florida would be stupid to not sign him.

We all know he can take a little less and not lose money thanks to their tax free status.

[FanIn80]

I’m predicting he stays for 5x$7.5M.

[sch19lks]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I’m predicting he stays for 5x$7.5M.

Rumour is 8x8

[GioforPM]

Either a deal is already in place or Sam’s agent is now hanging his head.

[Saqe]

Wrong thread

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Either a deal is already in place or Sam’s agent is now hanging his head.

This so true.

Agent - "OK Sam, we need leverage. I know you want to stay, but keep it on the DL"

Sam pulls a Jordan Belfort

Agent - "God f$#@ing damn it Sam"

Sent from my SM-F946W using Tapatalk

[EVERLAST]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLNpb...RpazlvMnl6MA==

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLNpb...RpazlvMnl6MA==

Quoting an overused phrase by McGregor…take a seat Sam. Minus points for no originality and seeing that line coming from a mile away. People cheer at everything these days.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Quoting an overused phrase by McGregor…take a seat Sam. Minus points for no originality and seeing that line coming from a mile away. People cheer at everything these days.

TBF they haven't slept or stopped drinking for a couple of days lol.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by dammage79

TBF they haven't slept or stopped drinking for a couple of days lol.

Yes, they are making a hero-attempt at 'Drinking Florida Dry' at the moment.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Quoting an overused phrase by McGregor…take a seat Sam. Minus points for no originality and seeing that line coming from a mile away. People cheer at everything these days.

Bitter Leaf fans... almost as fun as bitter Oiler fans!

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Quoting an overused phrase by McGregor…take a seat Sam. Minus points for no originality and seeing that line coming from a mile away. People cheer at everything these days.

Sam sit down? Nah, Sam sat your sorry team down lol

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Quoting an overused phrase by McGregor…take a seat Sam. Minus points for no originality and seeing that line coming from a mile away. People cheer at everything these days.

Overused? How many back to back double champs are there in any sports? lol. I thought he used it perfectly.