[News] With the 21st overall pick Flames select C Mark Jankowski

[bax]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Sit Stajan and Brouwer, they should get a game to think about why they aren't in the lineup.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Jagr
Tkachuk - Backlund - Frolik
Bennett - Jankowski - Versteeg
Glass - Lazar - Ferland

Can't do that IMO. Our penalty kill has been great lately and Stajan and Brouwer have played a large part in that.

[dino7c]

Stajan and Brouwer aren't coming out of the lineup...their PKing has been stellar

so annoying those guys get blamed when they barely play except on the PK

meanwhile Bennett and Ferland do #### all

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by Poe969

IMO you sit Bennett and find a way to bring up Janko. Let Bennett see the game from a different angle, it worked for Johnny. At this point I think Janko might have some things to teach Bennett but I think you end up trying them together.

i don't disagree. I know folks are suggesting moving bennett to the first line wing. How do you justify promoting him and his ice time given his last few games. He's been brutal when you consider the penalties.

Though, bennett got scratched last year, and it didn't really do anything for his game.

I'm really worried about bennett. Watching backlund throughout the years, he was not utterly useless during those early years. The offensive game hit its stride later on. I don't see the initial fundamentals in bennett's game like i did in backlund's early career.

Jankowski has a place on this team that is clearly lacking offensive ability, that much is clear. I'm less clear on where/how bennett fits in.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

That left wing looks good. Almost too good. Best in the league?

Best in the league???? You're kidding right? Johnny has been really good. Tkachuck has been pretty good. Bennett doesn't have a point and is taking bad penalties, he looks like he needs to watch a game or two from the press box. Ferland is a less offensive Bennett who's trying to be a player he isn't and seems to have forgot that playing a physical high tempo game is what got him where he is.

Both Bennett and Ferland need to be scratched or something. They just don't seem to fit right now.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Stajan and Brouwer aren't coming out of the lineup...their PKing has been stellar

so annoying those guys get blamed when they barely play except on the PK

meanwhile Bennett and Ferland do #### all

At this point I would not be opposed to scratching Bennett for a number of games and calling up Jankowski. If he is able to translate his game to the NHL level it will allow the team to get Bennett back on the wing where he belongs. The third lines struggles rest solely on not having a competent center to support them in all three zones and I'm willing to bet Jankowski could give them that boost they need.

Sam is simply not an NHL center and that is clearly evident in his inability to generate any chances, shots or have the puck on his stick for more than a second or two. Combine all this with his undisciplined play and you have a player that is much more of a detriment to the team than anyone would think. Glad the Flames did not commit to him long term this summer with the way his game is trending.

[tsquared1967]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

At this point I would not be opposed to scratching Bennett for a number of games and calling up Jankowski. If he is able to translate his game to the NHL level it will allow the team to get Bennett back on the wing where he belongs. The third lines struggles rest solely on not having a competent center to support them in all three zones.

Sam is simply not an NHL center and that is clearly evident in his inability to generate any chances, shots or have the puck on his stick for more than a second or two. Combine all this with his undisciplined play and you have a player that is much more of a detriment to the team than anyone would think. Glad the Flames did not commit to him long term this summer with the way his game is trending.

I would move Jagr to the top line. Move Ferland to the 4th line. Move Bennett to left wing with Versteeg on the right wing and have Jankowski center the line. I am tired of the team trying to make a center out of Bennett.

Brouwer and Stajan are stellar on the PK. No to Brouwer on the PP. Hamilton or Lazar needs to be put on waivers and sent to the minors if they are not claimed.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Duffalufagus

are people in here seriously questioning whether Bennett is bust compared to other players in his draft class? that is undeniable. take the homer glasses off, people.

If you're talking about a promising 21 year old being a bust then your hockey knowledge is questionable. It's not unusual at all for young players to struggle early in their careers. It does not make them a bust, it makes them a slower developing player.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

If you're talking about a promising 21 year old being a bust then your hockey knowledge is questionable. It's not unusual at all for young players to struggle early in their careers. It does not make them a bust, it makes them a slower developing player.

He's most certainly not yet a bust. But even the success of his rookie season was a bit of a smokescreen. The goals came in bunches and there were a lot of games he didn't do much. And other games with great flashes.

He really could have used some time in the AHL prior to this point so that maybe we'd see more confidence. Now I'm not sure what to do. If this were another team we'd be laughing at how he has been developed to date.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Bennett is no more of a bust now than Janko was after his first few years in college. No doubt players develop at different rates.

Having said that, I have no problem benching Bennett right now. He has been horrible. Maybe try him on the wing, but ultimately he does need to show more to warrant even 3rd line duties.

[SeanCharles]

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jagr
Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik
Bennett-Jankowski-Versteeg
Ferland-Stajan-Brouwer
Lazar/F. Hamilton

[icecube]

Right about now Bennett looks like he should slot in on a line with Kyle Greentree in some tier 2 dutch league.

[jonkaupp]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

If you're talking about a promising 21 year old being a bust then your hockey knowledge is questionable. It's not unusual at all for young players to struggle early in their careers. It does not make them a bust, it makes them a slower developing player.

For sure way premature to use the B word but that said there is little argument that that is the direction he is trending towards. I’d argue hes looked worse this year than he did towards the end of last year. Seemingly no progression happening. Coaching staff has to do something to give him some kinda jump start.

[RichKlit]

Bennett has been beyond awful last year and this year. All the talk about promising young player is getting silly! What is promising about him to this point? As several have said if this was any other player on any other team he wouldn't be giving the slack that he's being given. He clearly is overwhelmed at centre unless we are hoping for a penalty prone, little to no scoring, 3-4 line centre then I would say he's right on track. I do not understand the reluctance to move him to wing, to me this starting to seem like trying to force a square peg into a round hole? Just my uninformed opinion.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by RichKlit

Bennett has been beyond awful last year and this year. All the talk about promising young player is getting silly! What is promising about him to this point? As several have said if this was any other player on any other team he wouldn't be giving the slack that he's being given. He clearly is overwhelmed at centre unless we are hoping for a penalty prone, little to no scoring, 3-4 line centre then I would say he's right on track. I do not understand the reluctance to move him to wing, to me this starting to seem like trying to force a square peg into a round hole? Just my uninformed opinion.

He's been one of our best players in the last two playoffs we've been a part of. The potential is there he just isn't showing it right now and it's still too early to give up on him.

He is showing he can't drive a line on a consistent basis so there may be some tweaking required. We do need to get Jankowski up, there is no debate about that.

[Angelino]

I think adding Jankowski using the following lines might be worth a shot...

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jagr
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Jankowski-Versteeg
Glass-Stajan-Brouwer

Ferland/Lazar/F. Hamilton (Rotate these on the 4th line)

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Angelino

I think adding Jankowski using the following lines might be worth a shot...

Gaudreau-Monahan-Jagr
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Jankowski-Versteeg
Glass-Stajan-Brouwer

Ferland/Lazar/F. Hamilton (Rotate these on the 4th line)

I like those lines just fine.

Only trouble with that is that you can't carry 15 forwards, so somebody would have to be sent down. Freddie Hamilton would be the logical one to send down, but there appears to be some need to have him around for his brother's sake. Hence why Treliving is waiting for a trade or injury to give Jankowski an opportunity.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by RichKlit

Bennett has been beyond awful last year and this year. All the talk about promising young player is getting silly! What is promising about him to this point?

Bennett is a very good skater, has lots of jam, and good hands. Those qualities probably aren't going away any time soon.

Problem is he can't think the game at an NHL level. He tries to generate offence doing stuff that worked for him when he was 18, and it just doesn't work against NHL players. Which makes him frustrated. Which makes him take dumb penalties because he's a hothead.

It's pretty clear at this point that he could have used a season in the AHL to adapt to much bigger, faster, and smarter opponents instead of making the huge jump from junior to the NHL in one step. But I guess management can get starry-eyed and over-excited about a prospect just like fans.

He's still only 21, but he's on a slow development path. Optimistically, I could still see him developing into a Brayden Schenn - Schenn had 87 points in his first 190 NHL games, Bennett has 63 in his first 166.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It's pretty clear at this point that he could have used a season in the AHL to adapt to much bigger, faster, and smarter opponents instead of making the huge jump from junior to the NHL in one step. But I guess management can get starry-eyed and over-excited about a prospect just like fans.

At 19, he was not eligible for the AHL, and he was not going to learn anything by going back to junior. But yeah, right, he was put on the NHL roster because management was dumb.

[Sandman]

I am a big fan of both Bennett and Ferland, but right now they are both making me sad.

[Love]

Combine Monahan and Bennett and you might just get a first line center...