Quote:
Originally Posted by colbym72
But this team clearly has a vision for Bennett and centre, and this team is not going to go anywhere without scoring from its third line. A couple goals from the third line might be the difference in 6-2 or 5-3 rather than 4-4
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Sure. But the third line is not one player, it is three players(and really, it's
five players, because defensemen are not playing independent of the forwards and when one of those guys is Bartkowski you have an automatic handicap).
Bennett has his share of the "blame" (gripping his stick too tightly, stick infractions, or even just... falling down) but the people drawing parallels between that and his struggle at his position are kind of... not watching shift-for-shift. He's also botched a 2-on-0 with Lazar. You just shake your head and move on, not try to "fix" that kind of thing.
Here's what we know about the players to see ice time on the Bennett line:
Tkachuk - has set Bennett up a few times. Set up Hamilton for a goal that a few of us thought was Bennett's assist, until it wasn't. Got sprung by Bennett on a breakaway where he missed the net. Basically good things consistently happened.
Gaudreau - had his best game vs Winnipeg with Bennett and Lazar. Didn't see a whole lot of time with Bennett though.
Versteeg - He has not been good with the puck this season, especially at ES. Has been turning pucks over left and right in offensive zone without creating many assists or shots. 3 of his 4 points have come on the PP and his lone ES point was a series of great plays by Ferland, then Brodie, then Monahan where his goal was perhaps the easiest play of his season. Also had a terrible 4v4 defensive play in the Sens game. He needs to play better because based on his play right now I'm not even sure 19 year old Matthew Phillips would necessarily be worse with the same opportunity. Heck 19 year old Kailer Yamamoto
is basically matching him up north. His most glorious chance outside of the aformentioned Monahan one was when Bennett tossed the puck to the front of the net and Versteeg just had to knock it in, I believe vs OTT.
Jagr - still looking for his first goal of the season despite already nearly caught up to Bennett in power play time (In less games, on the superior unit). I'd argue that even with all that PP time he's gotten, and the ice time he's gotten with Gaudreau and Monahan at ES.. the single best opportunity to score a goal he got was against Ottawa when Bennett set him up on the door step from behind the net. That was a glorious chance for anybody, never mind top 5 player of all time.
Lazar - He has had opportunities with Gaudreau and Monahan and did nothing with them either. He has had opportunities with Gaudreau and Bennett and probably played his best hockey. He hasn't played well with Versteeg and Bennett. Seemed to play well with Ferland and Bennett last night. He's the ultimate mystery box who hasn't been especially good but has shown flashes. What can you really say about Lazar? Is Bennett dragging him down?
Ferland - I'm a huge fan, but he played himself
off the first line to start the season with bad giveaways on the breakout and passing up shots. I chalk it up to a slow start but it's not like he played too differently with Versteeg and Bennett - his poor play was on him. Played well with Bennett and Lazar last night and ultimately saw himself back up with Gaudreau and Monahan the minute he looked like himself - which is par for the course as any winger playing well on the 3rd line gets moved up to Gaudreau's line to see if that'll work. Also had a groin injury which may or may not still be affecting him.
Brouwer - Sure, he's played decently lately, but game 1(his only one with Bennett)? He was without a doubt the worst player on the ice. You're lying if you don't think that.
It's been a combination of things. Jankowski won't be immune to these things unless everyone suddenly starts.. playing better. And if Bennett is struggling, what makes people think a guy gripping his stick is the guy you want to add to Gaudreau and Monahan, who haven't set up a goal with any winger except maybe Frolik, who doesn't ever play with Bennett, and Brouwer, last night, improbably having his single best game as a Flame? Ferland, Lazar, and Jagr are all still looking for Gaudreau and Monahan to "give" them a goal on the wing, and none of them are gripping their sticks like Bennett is. Or is Bennett the 3LW? How did Bennett fare at 3LW during his slump in December 2015-ish? Yeah, that was the month or so leading up the monkey-off-the-back goal.
