The Legend of Sam Bennett

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by blankall

I really like Bennett.

I'm not going to get into an argument about whether he is on par with peak Toews, because, with all due respect, arguing that Bennett is on the level of peak Toews is complete nonsense.

I guarantee you that Sam Bennett is not getting Selke votes. Bennett can cause some takeaways by playing aggressively. He also create an equal amount of giveaways, by just being not that smart. Last year Florida gave him 73.7% offensive zone starts. And yes, I've watched many Florida playoff games this year. Tkachuk and Bennett are not spending that much time in their own zone. Neither are especially fast skaters, and the coach is letting them just do their thing in the offensive zone, which is probably the best way to play those two.

Even having amazing chemistry with Tkachuk, he's only on pace for 65 point this season, and you're comparing him to 100 point elite #1 centers.

Don’t overlook deployment

Most 1Cs to whom Bennett is being compared also spend a lot of time on PP1

Bennett on PP1 is a recent thing. He only had 130 total PP minutes (9 pp pts), some on PP2, compared to Tkachuk’s 350 PP minutes and Barkov’s 279 (in 68 games)

Put him on PP1 similar amount of time, then you may be looking at nearly a point per game player (funny enough, Toews was usually in that ‘just short of point per game’ neighbourhood)


Anyways, I think he’s a good 1B / 2 C. Seems to get the respect of opposing coaches

Either way, he is obviously more than Calgary let him be

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by blankall

I really like Bennett.

I'm not going to get into an argument about whether he is on par with peak Toews, because, with all due respect, arguing that Bennett is on the level of peak Toews is complete nonsense.

I guarantee you that Sam Bennett is not getting Selke votes. Bennett can cause some takeaways by playing aggressively. He also create an equal amount of giveaways, by just being not that smart. Last year Florida gave him 73.7% offensive zone starts. And yes, I've watched many Florida playoff games this year. Tkachuk and Bennett are not spending that much time in their own zone. Neither are especially fast skaters, and the coach is letting them just do their thing in the offensive zone, which is probably the best way to play those two.

Even having amazing chemistry with Tkachuk, he's only on pace for 65 point this season, and you're comparing him to 100 point elite #1 centers.

What on earth are you talking about?!? Tkachuk is terribly slow, but bennett has long been known for both his skating and his edge work along the boards, realistically one of the main reasons he stuck in the lineup with the flames for years despite not producing

[AustinL_NHL]

My lord what an animal

https://twitter.com/user/status/1661526804878721024

How many guys has this brick truck singlehandedly taken out of games/series this playoffs?

Worth. Every. Penny.

[GioforPM]

^^ I like hitting but I’m not congratulating a player for injuring other players, clean or not.

[Mass_nerder]

Slavin doesn't know where he is after that.
I love good clean hits like that, but it sucks to see guys get injured. I'm not watching the game, but the headline makes it sound like Slavin was already rocked/in concussion protocol?

[Manhattanboy]

Bennett rocks.

I would certainly enjoy seeing several Oilers players get hit like that.

[AustinL_NHL]

Obviously you don't hope for any type of lasting injury for these players, but being able to take quality players out of games with monstrous quality hits is MASSIVE value to have on your team in the Playoffs.

[AC]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

Slavin doesn't know where he is after that.
I love good clean hits like that, but it sucks to see guys get injured. I'm not watching the game, but the headline makes it sound like Slavin was already rocked/in concussion protocol?

No, this was the hit that injured him.

"Back to the room" as in they had basically just started the game.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Bennett rocks.

I would certainly enjoy seeing several Oilers players get hit like that.

He had chances. Don’t recall anything like that.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

What on earth are you talking about?!? Tkachuk is terribly slow, but bennett has long been known for both his skating and his edge work along the boards, realistically one of the main reasons he stuck in the lineup with the flames for years despite not producing

Bennett is known for great edge work, but not especially great top end speed. To play effectively in both ends you either need great top end speed or high hockey IQ. Bennett definitely does not have high hockey IQ, hence why Florida deploys him so often in the offensive zone.

[jlh2640]

Originally Posted by blankall

Bennett is known for great edge work, but not especially great top end speed. To play effectively in both ends you either need great top end speed or high hockey IQ. Bennett definitely does not have high hockey IQ, hence why Florida deploys him so often in the offensive zone.

He acts and plays dumber than a post sometimes. But man is a physical beast when he’s engaged.

[EVERLAST]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He had chances. Don’t recall anything like that.

The only oiler I saw getting dumb dumbed repeatedly was Tkachuk hitting whathisnutz before getting rag dolled but at least accepting thr challenge in the end.

Bennett to my recollection wasn't impactful at all.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He had chances. Don’t recall anything like that.

What?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Don’t overlook deployment

Most 1Cs to whom Bennett is being compared also spend a lot of time on PP1

Bennett on PP1 is a recent thing. He only had 130 total PP minutes (9 pp pts), some on PP2, compared to Tkachuk’s 350 PP minutes and Barkov’s 279 (in 68 games)

Put him on PP1 similar amount of time, then you may be looking at nearly a point per game player (funny enough, Toews was usually in that ‘just short of point per game’ neighbourhood)


Anyways, I think he’s a good 1B / 2 C. Seems to get the respect of opposing coaches

Either way, he is obviously more than Calgary let him be

Think he's pretty firmly a good 2C IMO. Don't think you'd win much with him as your 1C. His 0.44 points per game at 5v5 for the Panthers still isn't really top line center production, but it's solid second line C production.

What he does do, and has always done, is elevate his game come playoff time and play a physical, punishing game in the playoffs. Which is still a huge need come playoff time in the NHL.

In reality the Flames roster structure should have had it right with Monahan/Lindholm as 1C, Bennett as 2C, and Backlund as 3C...the problem is they never actually gave Bennett the opportunity to run in that 2C spot. Which is a shame because really Tkachuk-Bennett should have been the 2nd line LW-C pair, Gaudreau-Monahan/Lindholm the other pair, and then eventually Mangiapane-Backlund as the third combo.

[DeluxeMoustache]

^ fully agree

[Flamesfan05]

It’s crazy that the Flames never gave Tkachuk-Bennett combo a chance

Just ####ing moronic

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

^ fully agree

Can we get a do over?

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Bennett rocks.

I would certainly enjoy seeing several Oilers players get hit like that.

If several means two in particular then

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

He had chances. Don’t recall anything like that.

Didn't he hit Kane, or was that Chucky?

[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.