Sam "Freaking" Bennett

[Vinny01]

Flames were lucky to land a top 4 pick in a draft that was clearly 4 deep at the top. Larkin, Ehlers, Nylander all look promising but the top 4 are all productive NHL players.

For me the hope was always Bennett or Reinhart but so glad it wound up being Bennett.

The Flames had an obvious pick with their 2 top 10 selections

[Poe969]

I love Bennett but my first choice would have been Ekblad, the kid is a stud. Bennett and Reinhart were close but Bennett was the #1 forward for me.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I would disagree here. You compare guys to their draft class regardless of age.

But all the top 4 guys are going to be great players.

It really was a situation with 4 great players and no clear number 1.

I have to give credit to the Oilers though. They did go slightly off the board with the Draisaitl pick, as just about every scouting report had the Sams as the best skaters. The Oilers did well for once. All that practice with picking top end picks finally paid off.

[chummer]

I might add Dylan Larkin to that top tier group.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by chummer

I might add Dylan Larkin to that top tier group.

Detroit effect... You just know their guy will become even better than his draft position suggested.


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[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I would disagree here. You compare guys to their draft class regardless of age.

I would disagree with your disagreement. When two players are on either extremes of age. In the case of Bennett and Larkin vs Draisaitl and Reinhart, the four players skew towards the extremes so it's really unfair to the younger guys to compare them to the older guys.

Look at Jankowski, he's a "draft year ahead of Monahan" but really only a month older. If he was what, four days older he'd be in Monahan's draft class, and we look at Poirier and Klimchuk and neither of those guys are in the NHL yet but there are people ready to write off Jankowski just because he's from the 2012 draft.

Draisaitl and Reinhart are closer in age to MacKinnon and Barkov (2013 draft) than he is to Bennett or Larkin (2014 Draft).

Comparing Draisaitl/Reinhart to older 2014 draft guys (Sept-Mar Birthdays) is fair game, and compairing Larkin/Bennett to younger 2014 draft guys (Mar-Sept birthdays) is fair game. But compairing the younger 2014 draft guys to the older 2014 draft guys, maybe when they're 24-25 we can do that but not yet. They all have a lot of growing left to do.

[JoelOtto29]

Having watched a number of Red Wings games this year, and seeing him play live twice, Larkin to me is ahead of any other FW in his draft class thus far. This is not a knock on Draisaitl, Bennett, or Reinhart (who I admit I've seen the least of). Larkin is the more complete player at this point in my opinion. He contributes every game, both on and off the scoresheet, he can single-handedly take a game over, he's clutch (4 GWG!), his combination of skating and ability to think the game at such a high speed are really something special for a kid his age.

Though, I agree, he does have the added advantage of playing for a very talented and well coached Red Wings team. How would Bennett be doing playing with Zetterberg or Tatar?

[Firebot]

Lets be honest. While Larkin may be the better player right now, Bennett has far more potential. He lost a year of development, is younger, and plays a game which requires a man's body which he is still developing into that takes time. In two to three years this won't even be a discussion.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Detroit effect... You just know their guy will become even better than his draft position suggested.


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The Detroit effect so over-rated. Larkin spent a year in college after getting drafted and straight to NHL. He really wasn't like other Wings prospects.

Larkin fell because he was a bit of unknown. He was playing for USNTD18, roster that included Jack Eichel, Sonny Milano, Alex Tuch, Austen Matthews, Noah Hanifin, Colin White etc...It's not hard to get lost in that shuffle.

I remember the consensus was this class was weak. From the looks of it, it was a good draft class with Ekblad, Reinhart, Bennett, Leon, Larkin with Ehlers, Ritchie, Nylander, Honka etc looking good as well.

[trieu8]

Great game by benzo last night. Happy to see the goals finally going in for him.

[Street Pharmacist]

Stop it

[Poe969]

benzo
any of a number of pills primarily used for treatment of anxiety; a controlled substance in most countries; some of the more well known benzos are xanax, valium, ativan, and klonopin
He took 4 mgs of xanax to feel relaxed before class.

He did look pretty relaxed after that last goal.

[FBI]

Lol. That's a new one, create a new cp account just to promote your nickname for a player that will never catch on.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by FBI

Lol. That's a new one, create a new cp account just to promote your nickname for a player that will never catch on.

Ever. Never ever. Even ten user accounts won't make it catch on

[Poe969]

I was making fun of the person who called him Benzo...that's a terrible, horri-awful nickname. I honestly don't know how they came up with it.

[FBI]

Originally Posted by Poe969

I was making fun of the person who called him Benzo...that's a terrible, horri-awful nickname. I honestly don't know how they came up with it.

Yeah I know I was talking about trieu8, canflip's buddy.

[djsFlames]

Benzo is such a beast.



Bennnnzzzzzzooooo.

[skudr248]

Originally Posted by chummer

I might add Dylan Larkin to that top tier group.

Unfortunately for Larkin (and my fantasy team) he is now on the 3rd line, not putting up points like he used to earlier in the season on the first line.

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by Poe969

I was making fun of the person who called him Benzo...that's a terrible, horri-awful nickname. I honestly don't know how they came up with it.

Agree. It's just a short switch to Bozo. I think the person promoting it is probably a trolling Oiler fan - maybe trying to get back at us for wanting to call RNH "the Tenderness" or "Noogie".

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Benzo is such a beast.



Bennnnzzzzzzooooo.

I loved having Ben zobrist on the Rays that guy was great. Just like Sam bennett is great on the flames.

Is Ben zobrist a multi sport athlete now?