Bob McKenzie's Calgary Flames season preview

[Kybb79]

Bennetts stick handling, Speed and shot are not very good. I think he lacks hockey IQ. One thing he is good at is fighting. No more excuses him i think it's his last chance he should have went to Carolina instead of Ferland.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Bennetts stick handling, Speed and shot are not very good. I think he lacks hockey IQ. One thing he is good at is fighting. No more excuses him i think it's his last chance he should have went to Carolina instead of Ferland.

Pretty sure you’ve got him mixed up with someone else.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Bennetts stick handling, Speed and shot are not very good. I think he lacks hockey IQ. One thing he is good at is fighting. No more excuses him i think it's his last chance he should have went to Carolina instead of Ferland.

Hes slow and cant stick handle? Are you sure you're watching Sam Bennett play hockey? I somewhat agree on his shot. Hes not really a top cheese celly snipe type of producer. He knows it too as his offseason workout program included shooting.

And WOW. Bennett should have left over Ferland? Again the misconceived notion of Ferland as the second coming of a good hockey player rears its very ugly head once again.

26 years old Ferland versus 22-23 year old Bennett. I'll say it until Bennetts 26 and hasn't score more than 20 goals in a season but Sam Bennetts floor IS what Ferland is right now!


Jeez louise.

[AC]

Another hot take from Kybb79.

[Kybb79]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Hes slow and cant stick handle? Are you sure you're watching Sam Bennett play hockey? I somewhat agree on his shot. Hes not really a top cheese celly snipe type of producer. He knows it too as his offseason workout program included shooting.

And WOW. Bennett should have left over Ferland? Again the misconceived notion of Ferland as the second coming of a good hockey player rears its very ugly head once again.

26 years old Ferland versus 22-23 year old Bennett. I'll say it until Bennetts 26 and hasn't score more than 20 goals in a season but Sam Bennetts floor IS what Ferland is right now!


Jeez louise.

What has Bennett does to deserve praise? At least Ferly put the puck in the net. Bennett had his chance last season on the top line and didn't produce. At least Ferly improved every season here.

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Sam Bennett could be the odd-man out, but I think this is really premature, especially after Treliving's last interview on SN960 from Monday where he spoke at length about Bennett and his place on the team.

Moreover, I also think setting an arbitrary divide between "top six" and "bottom six" fails to grasp what Treliving is trying to build in Calgary. It seems to me the plan for this team is to build a strong enough forward group that the Flames can roll three scoring lines—not just two. The TB Lightning last year had eight forwards who scored +35-points, and I think this is the sort of depth that Treliving envisions here. Bennett could very realistically continue to be an important part of seeing that plan through, so I wouldn't count him out yet at all.

He'll have to play a lot better to be top 9. Top 6 is fairly set.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm

You then have Bennett, Ryan, Czarnik, Jankowski, Frolik, Foo, Mangiapane, Dube fighting for the remaining 3 top 9 spots. That's up to 8 players for 3 spots. Some not ready to play this season, some can play on the 4th line. Some have long term contracts while Bennett's contract is up.

I see many scenarios where Bennett is the odd man out. It's a good problem for the Flames but could be a bad thing for Bennett.

[Kybb79]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Hes slow and cant stick handle? Are you sure you're watching Sam Bennett play hockey? I somewhat agree on his shot. Hes not really a top cheese celly snipe type of producer. He knows it too as his offseason workout program included shooting.

And WOW. Bennett should have left over Ferland? Again the misconceived notion of Ferland as the second coming of a good hockey player rears its very ugly head once again.

26 years old Ferland versus 22-23 year old Bennett. I'll say it until Bennetts 26 and hasn't score more than 20 goals in a season but Sam Bennetts floor IS what Ferland is right now!


Jeez louise.

Nm

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

What has Bennett does to deserve praise? At least Ferly put the puck in the net. He had his chance last season on the top line and didn't produce.

The hell?

Sam Bennett has produced precisely the exact same amount as Mike (Second coming of cam neely) Ferland. not just in points but identical goals and assists. Oh and in 9 less games played And not to forget Bennett has done so playing with pretty much junk line mates for two seasons while Ferland has played with the top line for one and 3/4's seasons!

Every single Ferland fans logic is flawed and wrong when it comes to comparing Bennett and Ferland.

And PLEASE do not forget Bennett is doing this at a little less than 4 years younger.

Again you and other Ferland fans are just insane thinking he's THAT good of a hockey player. After you factor in cost control and FA status moving forward. It's literally the dumbest thing to say Bennett should have left over Ferland.

[Kybb79]

Originally Posted by dammage79

The hell?

Sam Bennett has produced precisely the exact same amount as Mike (Second coming of cam neely) Ferland. not just in points but identical goals and assists. Oh and in 9 less games played And not to forget Bennett has done so playing with pretty much junk line mates for two seasons while Ferland has played with the top line for one and 3/4's seasons!

Every single Ferland fans logic is flawed and wrong when it comes to comparing Bennett and Ferland.

And PLEASE do not forget Bennett is doing this at a little less than 4 years younger.

Again you and other Ferland fans are just insane thinking he's THAT good of a hockey player. After you factor in cost control and FA status moving forward. It's literally the dumbest thing to say Bennett should have left over Ferland.

Bennett is a bust and you talk like he is still going to break out smh.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Bennett is a bust and you talk like he is still going to break out smh.

this is a blatantly ignorant post and you know it.

[Kybb79]

Originally Posted by dammage79

this is a blatantly ignorant post and you know it.

Just like your view on Ferland.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Just like your view on Ferland.

Not at all. we're talking about 2 current 3rd line wingers producing at the exact same clip in almost the exact same sample size on almost the exact same cap hit while debating who's better and going to be better in the long run while one is 4 years younger. Its insane.

[David Struch]

Originally Posted by pepper24

He'll have to play a lot better to be top 9. Top 6 is fairly set.

Gaudreau - Monahan - Neal
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm

You then have Bennett, Ryan, Czarnik, Jankowski, Frolik, Foo, Mangiapane, Dube fighting for the remaining 3 top 9 spots.

I can see all the bolded playing ahead of Bennett.

[Geeoff]

I think Bennett is one of the best stickhandlers on the team. I think this is a weird criticism because I think Bennett's stickhandling is probably his best attribute. His production has been disappointing but I think a lot of that is mental. Hopefully, he figures it out.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Bennett is a bust and you talk like he is still going to break out smh.

Somebody needs some quiet time.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I think Bennett is one of the best stickhandlers on the team. I think this is a weird criticism because I think Bennett's stickhandling is probably his best attribute. His production has been disappointing but I think a lot of that is mental. Hopefully, he figures it out.

Agreed. Bennett's hands are often underrated because of his NHL production, but I have often thought that he is the best puck-handler on the team next to Gaudreau.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Agreed. Bennett's hands are often underrated because of his NHL production, but I have often thought that he is the best puck-handler on the team next to Gaudreau.

He handles the puck way too much IMO. This isn't junior anymore.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

He handles the puck way too much IMO. This isn't junior anymore.

That is also true. Two of my most pronounced criticisms of Bennett are:

1) he holds onto the puck too long—this is probably a reflection of your view that he handles the puck way too much. He definitely needs to learn how to use his line mates better. I think some of this stems from having to play with poor finishers like Brouwer, Hathaway, and the cadre of bad players from 2016, but Bennett also needs to take ownership of his performance shortcomings here.

2) He falls down a lot. Probably more frequently than any other player on the team, and I don't know if it is a matter of balance, energy expenditure, or something else. Whatever it is, I think Bennett needs to work on staying on his skates.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

That is also true. Two of my most pronounced criticisms of Bennett are:

1) he holds onto the puck too long—this is probably a reflection of your view that he handles the puck way too much. He definitely needs to learn how to use his line mates better. I think some of this stems from having to play with poor finishers like Brouwer, Hathaway, and the cadre of bad players from 2016, but Bennett also needs to take ownership of his performance shortcomings here.

2) He falls down a lot. Probably more frequently than any other player on the team, and I don't know if it is a matter of balance, energy expenditure, or something else. Whatever it is, I think Bennett needs to work on staying on his skates.

Bennett was always a one on one guy even in JR. Took at his Frontenacs highlights videos from his draft year and its a ton of one on one or him taking on the world alone. This has been a Bennett thing since before he was a Flame. Problem with that is, he hasn't translated it to the NHL and development time was hampered by that shoulder.

Agree on the falling thing. Hopefully he's worked with a skating coach this year too.

I think whats keeping me from calling Bennett a bust this ear or next year is I lump him in with Gillies where their development path was interupted early on with significant surgeries.

I think we will see a turn around for both Gillies and Bennett. If not, then it's time to get worried.

[EVERLAST]

Hearing Austin Czarnik is impressing ALL . Watched highlights of this kid and he’s like another Johnny......close but not Johnny but made guys in the NCAA look like fools .

If he can be magic on the power play man that’d be great.

Excited to see this kid wow people this year.