[News] Bennett Out 4-6 Months with Shoulder Surgery *UPDATE* Back Skating

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Buff

How much does Monahan's ability to stick with the club play into people's opinion that Bennett should also stick with the club?

Only insofar as it shows it sometimes can work. Otherwise, different sizes, roles, styles, health, age, etc.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Buff

How much does Monahan's ability to stick with the club play into people's opinion that Bennett should also stick with the club?

To me it shows that the team is willing to at least give him the chance to make the team. Which is why I think the people who think management will send him straight to Jr without looking at him at the NHL level are a little out to lunch. Not that he won't end up in Jr (he very likely will), but for the Flames to not give him the chance to prove he can play would be counter to everything the management team has said from day one; If you're NHL calibre, you will play NHL hockey.

But, also in keeping with managements mandate to make sure anyone in the lineup is prepared to be so, in order to stick, he has to blow expectations out of the water. Just like Monahan.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by MattyC

To me it shows that the team is willing to at least give him the chance to make the team. Which is why I think the people who think management will send him straight to Jr without looking at him at the NHL level are a little out to lunch. Not that he won't end up in Jr (he very likely will), but for the Flames to not give him the chance to prove he can play would be counter to everything the management team has said from day one; If you're NHL calibre, you will play NHL hockey.

But, also in keeping with managements mandate to make sure anyone in the lineup is prepared to be so, in order to stick, he has to blow expectations out of the water. Just like Monahan.

We still need to take it easy on Bennett. Monahan hasn't been injured as long as Bennett has.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by MattyC

To me it shows that the team is willing to at least give him the chance to make the team. Which is why I think the people who think management will send him straight to Jr without looking at him at the NHL level are a little out to lunch. Not that he won't end up in Jr (he very likely will), but for the Flames to not give him the chance to prove he can play would be counter to everything the management team has said from day one; If you're NHL calibre, you will play NHL hockey.

But, also in keeping with managements mandate to make sure anyone in the lineup is prepared to be so, in order to stick, he has to blow expectations out of the water. Just like Monahan.

I think that is where it stands. Management and the coaching staff will set the expectation, which will be much higher than it was at the start of the season. If he meets and exceeds them then of course he will get a look.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

We still need to take it easy on Bennett. Monahan hasn't been injured as long as Bennett has.

If you need to take it easy, his surgery was unsuccessful. The Flames won't put him into action anywhere, whether it be NHL, AHL conditioning stint, or Jr, if he's not fully healed and 100% ready to go. IE, as good as he'll ever be health wise. There should be no thought of, "well his shoulder's ready for junior but not NHL". That makes no sense.

The length of the injury, to me, has no bearing on where he goes once ready, it only has a bearing on when he's ready. If they're worried about him re-injury in the NHL, they should be worried about re-injury anywhere, and thus, he wouldn't be cleared to go. His injury should be a non-factor once he's put into a game, wherever that is. He won't play anywhere until he's 100%, and I am positive he sees at least a game or two in the NHL before they send him down.

[You Need a Thneed]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if it happened similar to what Darren Haynes wrote up.

After being cleared to play:
Goes down to Adirondack for 2 week conditioning stint
Come back up to Calgary, for 2-3 games
Sent back to Junior
Following Junior season ending, gets called up to Calgary, plays with Calgary until season ends (perhaps plays up to 9 games total)
If Adirondack is still playing, finishes season with them.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by nik-

Of course they can. He had major surgery and hasn't played all year those are two pretty major reasons which make a good preseason kind of irrelevant.

Irrelevant to you perhaps, but do you really think it is irrelevant to Bennett, or even the Flames? It is was a gauge as to how NHL-ready he was then, and hasn't played since then (so he hasn't had the opportunity to fail).

Nobody - and unless I missed a post - absolutely nobody is saying that Bennett should stay up with the Flames this year. It seems the counter-argument to yours is that he should be simply given the respect he deserves by being provided an opportunity to tryout for the team. Just a real chance, and nothing more. I don't think he is well-served just being dismissed without an opportunity. I would say he has earned an opportunity, and the culture of the team 'demands' he be given a shot.

Now what is the tryout? Maybe once he is cleared for contact, it means he practices for 'x' amount of time, and if Hartley feels he is not ready, he gets sent down to the OHL. Perhaps he passes that benchmark, and the organization feels a training stint in the AHL is warranted. If he fails there, he gets sent to the OHL. If he passes, he gets a game or two in the NHL. If he fails there, he gets sent to the OHL.

I think Bennett merely deserves the 'chance'. Nobody is saying he should be on the team. I just think he has earned that chance, as every single other prospect/player in the organization received, especially after he was outshining nearly every other prospect in the system (and arguably most vets) during the training camp/preseason. A fair shake is all he has earned or deserves. Nothing more, nothing less.

I do agree that he is PROBABLY best served in the OHL this year, but we are all fooling ourselves if any of us knows for sure. I just think he should get the opportunity (like every one else) to compete for a spot, and that is all.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by MattyC

The length of the injury, to me, has no bearing on where he goes once ready, it only has a bearing on when he's ready. If they're worried about him re-injury in the NHL, they should be worried about re-injury anywhere, and thus, he wouldn't be cleared to go. His injury should be a non-factor once he's put into a game, wherever that is. He won't play anywhere until he's 100%, and I am positive he sees at least a game or two in the NHL before they send him down.

The injury matters insofar as it kept him from playing any meaningful hockey this year. There's a reason teams have training camps and pre-season games, and why the pace of the NHL is notably faster at game 50 than at game 10. It takes a while to ramp up. Even veterans with 200+ NHL games under their belts take a while to get going and up to speed after a long layoff. The challenge a long lay-off poses to a player with no NHL experience is much higher - he's not trying to get up to speed to a level of play he has experienced before, but a level of play he has never experienced.

[Coach]

^^^Don't disagree with any of that.

It still doesn't mean there's any reason to not SEE what he can do at this new pace. If he can't be effective, send him down, no problem. But IF he can (and that's a big if), it will be interesting to see what they do. But there's no doubt in my mind that they want to answer that "if" before doing anything.

[saillias]

Without weighing in on the Bennett debate, I think the change of pace from game 1 to game 82 is overstated. The only change I've noticed this year is that hooking and interference is slowly becoming more and commonplace without getting called. There's great hockey games in October and piss-poor sloppy games in round 1 of the playoffs

[FlamesAddiction]

Playoff games in the NHL don't count towards the 10 games before his contract would start ticking, would they?

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Playoff games in the NHL don't count towards the 10 games before his contract would start ticking, would they?

They do I believe.

[AC]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Playoff games in the NHL don't count towards the 10 games before his contract would start ticking, would they?

I believe sureLoss dug it up and yes they would count just like regular season games.

[edslunch]

One aspect that makes it less than 100% certain he goes back to the OHL is Bennett himself. He has an unstoppable force of will and if there was ever a guy who could 'force them to keep him up' it's him. I agree with all the arguments that down is where he should go but I'm less convinced that will happen.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Playoff games in the NHL don't count towards the 10 games before his contract would start ticking, would they?

People should just read this if they have any questions about the Bennett situation: http://flamesfrom80feet.blogspot.ca/...o-and-may.html

[T@T]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

People should just read this if they have any questions about the Bennett situation: http://flamesfrom80feet.blogspot.ca/...o-and-may.html

Completely forgot how young he is and he can't play in the AHL next year either...stupid rule that needs to be re-thought for at least the top prospects.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by T@T

Completely forgot how young he is and he can't play in the AHL next year either...stupid rule that needs to be re-thought for at least the top prospects.

CHL is a business too. It's a small price to pay for raiding their teams

[GioforPM]

No further comment on the "correct decision" but I do find it funny that some of the people who say that yhe Flmaes shouldn't worry about the physical risk of NHL because he's " not a delicate flower" also worry about his feelings if he is sent back to junior.

[FlameZilla]

I don't think anyone should be 'worried' about Bennett. This isn't some primadonna Oiler 1st overall prospect here... The guy has an iron will. He'll cope well with whatever happens.

Attitude-wise, he's going to do everything he can to prove to management that he's ready. And by 'everything' I mean he is going to work his ass off and do anything they ask of him. When a player as talented as Bennett has that sort of motivation it will be hard to deny him a roster spot; he could look undeniable.

That's why this is a difficult decision to make.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by T@T

Completely forgot how young he is and he can't play in the AHL next year either...stupid rule that needs to be re-thought for at least the top prospects.

Change it for top prospects? what a ludicrous idea.

If the top prospects is good enough to play in the NHL then the CHL lets him go, they develop these players they should at least get them for 3 or so years for the fans and for their business.