[PGT] Fire Ward and trade Bennett

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

What is wrong with how it's constructed? Goalie is good. Pretty deep defence. Lindholm, Monahan, Backlund, Bennett, Ryan at centre (I realize not all available or all playing centre)? Goalie out from defence to centers this team is good.

I think Treliving has been very good for this organization. People think oh just hire this guy or trade for that guy. There are budgets and constraints. It's ridiculous reading how easy people think it is. Just clueless.

Agreed. Now that goaltending is solved my only problem with Treliving is the coaching hires, and that might not even be his fault, my theory is still ownership doesn't want to pay a top coach. So we keep trying to find these diamonds in the rough but all we get is sand and mud

I don't think the skill of the players is the problem, we just keep getting coaches that have them play against their strengths. This is not built to be an attack as a unit or dump and chase team, yet that's how they're coached.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

What is wrong with how it's constructed? Goalie is good. Pretty deep defence. Lindholm, Monahan, Backlund, Bennett, Ryan at centre (I realize not all available or all playing centre)? Goalie out from defence to centers this team is good.

I think Treliving has been very good for this organization. People think oh just hire this guy or trade for that guy. There are budgets and constraints. It's ridiculous reading how easy people think it is. Just clueless.

So you think he put together a team that can win?

Tell me which team they can beat if the playoffs start today?

Ottawa?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Not being the “main reason” for the goal isn’t the reason for benching if that’s the play it was for (which of course is speculation). It was the lack of effort.

I’m not sure I agree.

Bennett’s effort wasn’t bad there. He got back, he went to the spot of the ice he’s supposed to be in. He not like he went disconnected controller and floated in from the blueline.

The problem was he didn’t read the play well to understand who the dangerous player was and where his defence needed support. And when Haas is cutting across from right to left it’s not like Bennett can engage him there, it would be a penalty.

Didn’t help that Haas read it perfectly - Haas came across from the right wing, to the left side to get that rebound. He even beat the LW on the Oilers to the rebound. Sometimes the other guy just makes a great read too.

I see no reason at all that somebody needed to be benched on that play. I’d wager that if any of the Flames other centres make that play that they’d have been benched. For whatever reason it is this year Bennett and Dube both seem to have the shortest leashes for mistakes on the team.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

let's be real, dozens of plays like that happen all the time from multiple forwards but a save is made.

If Hanifin doesn't take Rittich out, and a save is made, I really doubt Bennett is benched. Bad coaches overvalue goal events all the time. It's actually the same with Simon last game.

I didn’t agree with the benching then or now. And hyoid are probably right that without a goal it doesn’t happen. But I don’t think the message is “you caused that goal”. I think it’s “you half assed that defence”.

[robertsfan]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

https://twitter.com/user/status/1362988233949241347

Pierre Page; but yikes nonetheless.

[CalgaryFan1988]

I'm disappointed in Treliving for not finding a RWer in the bargain bin, or trading for one. Instead its always signing a bunch of scraps.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

What is wrong with how it's constructed? Goalie is good. Pretty deep defence. Lindholm, Monahan, Backlund, Bennett, Ryan at centre (I realize not all available or all playing centre)? Goalie out from defence to centers this team is good.

I think Treliving has been very good for this organization. People think oh just hire this guy or trade for that guy. There are budgets and constraints. It's ridiculous reading how easy people think it is. Just clueless.

That’s not very good centre depth, and the depth on the wing is quite poor.

Defence and goaltending is solid.

It’s not easy. No one thinks it’s easy. We’re freaking Flames fans. We know how hard it is. We’ve seen a total 4 playoff round victories since 1989.

It takes a special level of incompetence to be this bad, for this long. Add in the fact that there doesn’t seem to be any real signs that things will be better “tomorrow”, it makes it pretty easy to understand why fans are frustrated. Sell us wins, or sell us hope - but this team/organization is doing neither.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Every other good team has a better centre than either Lindholm or Monahan. This is why the Flames are insisting on Lindholm at C - because they hope a team with “good” 1A and 1B centres can compete with teams with an elite C. But so many teams have 2: Matthews and Tavares, for example. Overall, you can say they have good centres in the top 9. But man for man, most top teams have more skilled guys.

Your example is two 1OA. Not every team gets those and even if you luck out you are not for sure getting an elite player at that key position. Who were the elite C's on St. Louis?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I’m not sure I agree there. .

Bennett’s effort wasn’t bad there. He got back, he went to the spot of the ice he’s supposed to be in. He not like he went disconnected controller and floated in from the blueline.

The problem was he didn’t read the play well to understand who the dangerous player was and where his defence needed support. And when Haas is cutting across from right to left it’s not like Bennett can engage him there, it would be a penalty.

Didn’t help that Haas read it perfectly - Haas he can across from the right wing, to the left side to get that rebound. He even beat the LW on the Oilers to the rebound. Sometimes the other guy just makes a great read too.

Well, he did glide all the way in. And didn't even really look for a player. Did he look engaged in the play to you?

[nieuwy-89]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The saddest part is we’re likely going to see guys like Gaudreau and maybe even Monahan look even better on another team where they actually have NHL quality head coaches.

And then yell “Why didn’t he show that type of compete and effort in Calgary” when in reality effort was never the issue.

I can totally see this happening.

Trading Bennett gives me shades of Rob Neidermeyer. Won a cup as an an excellent third line centre on the Ducks after getting run out of town here.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

At least trying? He layed down and slid into the goalie. Fail.

Where did I say Hanifin made a great play? I said he put in some effort. The 3 point forward that asked for a trade was coasting Vs. your Best or 2nd best Dman this entire season.

Bennett shouldn't even be playing at all IMO. Guy asks for a trade and then gets put on the top line is the actual mistake. He should be on the taxi squad.

Bennett should be busting his ass, nobody wants him

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

So you think he put together a team that can win?

Yes.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You are missing my point. I think he figures the forwards overall aren’t good enough, and that’s true IMO. We’ve all talked about the pairs concept - two better players with a complimentary guy. Lots of teams do this. So he’s looking for a guy who’s not a top 6 player to work with the other two.

IMO there’s only two 3 man lines that have worked really well: Lucic-Backlund-Mangiapane and Lucic-Bennett-Dube, and I have my doubts that the latter is sustainable. So, yeah, he’s cycled guys on the Lindholm and Monahan lines to try and find something that works.

Bennett on the top line with Johnny and Mony was working reasonably well, and resulted in Sam getting 2 goals in 4 games despite not getting any powerplay time. Then Ward takes him off that line because... reasons.

He reunites the Lucic-Bennett-Dube line and it yields some results. Meanwhile, he puts freaking Simon on the top line, resulting in a quick goal against in the last Vancouver game. But ok, at least Sam is on a line with linemates that he seems to click with. Meanwhile, the top line RW is still a rotating door...

Then he randomly buries Bennett on the 4th line because... reasons.

Then Monahan is injured for this game. Sam is put back on the 3rd line, while Dube is promoted to the 1st line. It looks like he has a good lineup plan for this game but then... Hanafin takes out Rittich leading to a goal against, and Sam is suddenly benched for the rest of the game.

Among other things, it seems to me that Ward should decide what his lines are and stick with them, and quit changing them up 100 times per game. Yes Monahan's injury complicated things tonight, but I don't think the constant blender sound is doing this team any good.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Where did I say Hanifin made a great play? I said he put in some effort. The 3 point forward that asked for a trade was coasting Vs. your Best or 2nd best Dman this entire season.

Bennett shouldn't even be playing at all IMO. Guy asks for a trade and then gets put on the top line is the actual mistake. He should be on the taxi squad.

Bennett should be busting his ass, nobody wants him

Keep beating that drum.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Where did I say Hanifin made a great play? I said he put in some effort. The 3 point forward that asked for a trade was coasting Vs. your Best or 2nd best Dman this entire season.

Bennett shouldn't even be playing at all IMO. Guy asks for a trade and then gets put on the top line is the actual mistake. He should be on the taxi squad.

Trading a guy that isn't playing has pretty much always led to a garbage return

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

let's be real, dozens of plays like that happen all the time from multiple forwards but a save is made.

If Hanifin doesn't take Rittich out, and a save is made, I really doubt Bennett is benched. Bad coaches overvalue goal events all the time. It's actually the same with Simon last game.

And really this while benching thing isn’t helping the team or their confidence IMO.

There is a difference between a lazy play and a mistake, and Ward seems to be benching guys for mistakes right now. In my history in sports and from watching sports that never seems to help, guys just start squeezing their stocks tighter and make more mistakes.

Dube hasn’t looked as good since he was benched for mistakes.

Simon looks lost out there after sitting for a while and then being benched for a mistake.

Bennett’s play to me tonight was a “mistake” not a lazy play, I’m sure he will be rewarded with Nordstrom and Ritchie as his wingers tomorrow night.

These “benchings” don’t help players actually get better, it’s not lazy play, it’s just a mistake. All you’re doing is embarrassing them, cratering their confidence, and causing them to be afraid to make a mistake.

But I guess that’s what Ward wants. The team to play scared, passive, and safe hockey. Don’t try to make a play, that might lead to a mistake!

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Keep beating that drum.

The Bennett isn't very good drum? I will

3 points

people who want Tkachuk scratched get mad when Sam sits for one period

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Your example is two 1OA. Not every team gets those and even if you luck out you are not for sure getting an elite player at that key position.

Not every team gets those, and I’m not comparing the Flames to bad teams, because they are bad. But most teams have a centre better than either one, and a few have two. In this division arguably every team except for Ottawa.

I’m not blaming the Flames for not having an elite C - they’ve never had a shot at one. I just think this is why they figure they need Lindholm at C so they at least have a one-two punch.

[MillerTime GFG]

When posters were questioning why I called last Saturday’s win against the Canucks a “hollow victory”, THIS is exactly why. The writing was on the wall. Sure, it’s always nice to beat a rival, but you could see what was coming.

This team has quit. They know they don’t have what it takes.

[JohnnyB]

How do the people who support Bennett getting benched for that play view Tkachuk taking a knee and watching the 4th goal get scored last game?