The Legend of Sam Bennett

[blankall]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

This is silly

You’re really nickel and diming with the other minutes.

You know these multitude of other combinations include time when Tkachuk leaves the ice and some other winger hops on. Or even strength time where a usual linemate is in the box. Or double shifting guys when they shorten the bench. Guys always have a mix of time with other players due to various circumstances

No, he doesn’t play with bottom six centers. Typically teams send out one center and he is the center

I'm not nickel and dimming anything. The other line combos add up to over 40%. The reason why the other lines get so small of a percentage is that bottom six lines are commonly shuffled more.

Now keep in mind that Sam Bennett had 17:24 of ice time vs Tkachuk at 20:26. That's over an additional three minutes a night where they are choosing to play another center with Tkachuk.

Anyways I don't know why I keep getting sucked into this debate. I keep saying I think Bennett is a great mid line center with all sorts of jam and is exactly what you need to win in the playoffs. He's just not a legit number one center, and for some reason you have posters comparing him to 90+ point centers.

[Vinny01]

Interesting to hear Leslie mention that the Flames had Bennett 1st on their list in 2014 on the morning show

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Interesting to hear Leslie mention that the Flames had Bennett 1st on their list in 2014 on the morning show

They likely knew they weren't going to get Ekblad, so that would leave Reinhart, Draisaitl, or Bennett falling to them at #4. Of those, Bennett seems like the most Calgary Flame-sy pick. Too bad they wouldn't let him play after they drafted him. Not every player needs to be a solid two way player.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by blankall

They likely knew they weren't going to get Ekblad, so that would leave Reinhart, Draisaitl, or Bennett falling to them at #4. Of those, Bennett seems like the most Calgary Flame-sy pick. Too bad they wouldn't let him play after they drafted him. Not every player needs to be a solid two way player.

I took it as they had him ahead of Ekblad but you could be right as he was the one player in the big 4 that year who would never have dropped to 4th overall.


I won’t lie I remember that draft well and got pretty hammered with a couple of buddies and we cheered so loud when the Oil took Draisaitl because that meant Bennett was ours.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Interesting to hear Leslie mention that the Flames had Bennett 1st on their list in 2014 on the morning show

I never had confirmation, but I've always just assumed that, just knowing the type of player he is (I wanted him over Crysaitl at the time too). I'm so relieved Edmonton passed us in the reverse standings on the final game of the season so they were picking before us: taking Bennett at #4 after Leon got taken at #3, is so much easier to process than Flames taking Bennett at #3 then Greasers taking Leon at #4. That stuff would keep you up at night.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

I never had confirmation, but I've always just assumed that, just knowing the type of player he is (I wanted him over Crysaitl at the time too). I'm so relieved Edmonton passed us in the reverse standings on the final game of the season so they were picking before us: taking Bennett at #4 after Leon got taken at #3, is so much easier to process than Flames taking Bennett at #3 then Greasers taking Leon at #4. That stuff would keep you up at night.

I think you are remembering the 2016 draft possibly? The Flames finished 10pts clear of the Oil in 2014

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think you are remembering the 2016 draft possibly? The Flames finished 10pts clear of the Oil in 2014

Yeah my bad. Actually I think the 2013 Draft was mixed in there too, as I was still living in Edmonton at the time with the Draft I was thinking about, and I moved back to Calgary that summer. Clearly I've drank a lot of beer and other stuff since then...

But either way I'm convinced we would've passed on Crysaitl for Bennett, so I'm happy Oilers went first.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by blankall

They likely knew they weren't going to get Ekblad, so that would leave Reinhart, Draisaitl, or Bennett falling to them at #4. Of those, Bennett seems like the most Calgary Flame-sy pick. Too bad they wouldn't let him play after they drafted him. Not every player needs to be a solid two way player.

TBF Reinhart looked almost bustish for a while and Draisaitl was sent down his first season. And Ekblad didn't turn into Hedman. All 4 players looked less than stellar early on.

It'd be interesting to redraft that year. Bennett is riding high now, but he has far fewer points than a lot of guys including some with less games. With Pasta and Point in the mix he goes no higher than 5th but what about Larkin, Ehlers, Fiala, Nylander, Arviddson, Tuch, Schmalz?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

TBF Reinhart looked almost bustish for a while and Draisaitl was sent down his first season. And Ekblad didn't turn into Hedman. All 4 players looked less than stellar early on.

It'd be interesting to redraft that year. Bennett is riding high now, but he has far fewer points than a lot of guys including some with less games. With Pasta and Point in the mix he goes no higher than 5th but what about Larkin, Ehlers, Fiala, Nylander, Arviddson, Tuch, Schmalz?

Draisatil, Pastrnak, Point, Larkin, Nylander, Ekblad all go before Bennett for sure. Devon Toews probably too.

Fiala, Ehlers, Arvidsson, Tuch, Kempe, Montour, Schmaltz could be argued.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Draisatil, Pastrnak, Point, Larkin, Nylander, Ekblad all go before Bennett for sure. Devon Toews probably too.

Fiala, Ehlers, Arvidsson, Tuch, Kempe, Montour, Schmaltz could be argued.

Montour and Tuch absolutely go before Bennett. Tuch puts up a lot more points and brings lot of energy and jam himself. Early on in the season people were talking about the Eichel deal favoring Buffalo, because of Tuch alone.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by blankall

Montour and Tuch absolutely go before Bennett. Tuch puts up a lot more points and brings lot of energy and jam himself. Early on in the season people were talking about the Eichel deal favoring Buffalo, because of Tuch alone.

Based on this past season for sure.

But based on the whole body of work I'm not 100% sure.

[Kipper_3434]

Probably still a top 10 pick in a redraft. Which considering such 4th overall gems such as Griffen Reinhart, Jesse Puuljubujubi, and Thomas Hickey. Is actually still pretty decent. Not every 4th overall pick is going to turn out like Makar .

[dino7c]

Jesse RV was in the Matthews draft

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Jesse RV was in the Matthews draft

They were comparing 4th overall picks from other years.

[GioforPM]

LOL Pavel Brendl

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

LOL Pavel Brendl

I see your Brendl and raise you one Griffin Reinhart.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Interesting to hear Leslie mention that the Flames had Bennett 1st on their list in 2014 on the morning show

I'd be interested to hear which scouts had Bennett 1st on their list, hopefully it wasn’t unanimous. Sam may have looked great in Kingston, but to me, the type of game he wanted to play did not look like it would translate well at the NHL level. Constantly going one on one, putting pucks between defender’s legs, trying to dipsy doodle around them.

To me, Draisaitl was the clear #1 guy. Obviously, it's easy to say that now seeing what he has accomplished thus far in his career. But he definitely b gbbnhad the type of game that could translate well from league to league. Played big, impossible to move, used his frame to protect pucks, vision, awareness. The plays he made were very transferable to the big leagues whereas Bennett’s game was not IMO. The only thing that held him back was his lack of polish in his skating and mobility which he fixed in spades. Even without McDavid, I still think he'd be a franchise center.

I wonder if the Flames scouts fell in love with the whole Doug Gilmour schtick, instead of paying attention to his potential shortfalls. Maybe it was Brian Burke, who knows. But he was never going to be the type of player he wanted to be. He didn't have the speed of Connor, the agility of Gaudreau or the hands of a Patrick Kane to be that type of player. Instead, it’s his truculence, motor and jam that’s made him into a good NHL hockey player and impact playoff performer.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Wasn't Bennett the #1 prospect by central scouting?

Forgot he also lost a year of development due to his shoulder surgery.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I wonder if the Flames scouts fell in love with the whole Doug Gilmour schtick, instead of paying attention to his potential shortfalls. Maybe it was Brian Burke, who knows. But he was never going to be the type of player he wanted to be. He didn't have the speed of Connor, the agility of Gaudreau or the hands of a Patrick Kane to be that type of player. Instead, it’s his truculence, motor and jam that’s made him into a good NHL hockey player and impact playoff performer.

What was the Doug Gilmour schtick? Bennett can't hold a candle to Doug Gilmour.

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by butterfly

What was the Doug Gilmour schtick? Bennett can't hold a candle to Doug Gilmour.

Scouts compared Sam’s style of game to Doug Gilmour and because he played for Doug Gilmour’s Kingston team and obviously helped the Flames win their Cup, so there was that angle.