The Legend of Sam Bennett

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

These hindsight scenarios make me laugh. Can you imagine the site if Monahan gets demoted to third line after leading the team in goals as a sophomore (2nd on the team as a rookie, without playing with Gaudreau)? Monahan with Versteeg and Frolik? Someone here just said those two were AHL plugs when Bennett was on their line.

Until last year everything worked with Johnny and Monahan, including adding Lindholm - they looked like that was the “next level” ingredient.

I actually do agree for the most part. In hindsight it’s easy to say that they should’ve tried Bennett as the #1 or #2 pivot, but Gaudreau-Monahan did Backlund-Tkachuk worked very well at the time. So it was hard to move away from that. There really was no winger that fit with Bennett, so they eventually had to shift him to wing with Jankowski.

Problem is, the league finally figured out Gaudreau and Monahan for good. So now, the duo that Treliving relied on for most of the team’s offense is no more and the rest of the forwards lines can’t score enough to make up for the former dynamic duo’s lack of production.

Blame can be shifted in a lot of different ways depending on the perspective. But I’d point my main finger at management for not seeing it first. There were signs dating all the way back to the beginning and it’s like they didn’t see it coming or refused to react before #### completely hit the fan. It’s their job and they’re paid to forecast, not just react and I find it difficult that all the people in that boardroom, all that brain power couldn’t see it coming. Not enough smart people in that room methinks.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I actually do agree for the most part. In hindsight it’s easy to say that they should’ve tried Bennett as the #1 or #2 pivot, but Gaudreau-Monahan did Backlund-Tkachuk worked very well at the time. So it was hard to move away from that. There really was no winger that fit with Bennett, so they eventually had to shift him to wing with Jankowski.

Problem is, the league finally figured out Gaudreau and Monahan for good. So now, the duo that Treliving relied on for most of the team’s offense is no more and the rest of the forwards lines can’t score enough to make up for the former dynamic duo’s lack of production.

Blame can be shifted in a lot of different ways depending on the perspective. But I’d point my main finger at management for not seeing it first. There were signs dating all the way back to the beginning and it’s like they didn’t see it coming or refused to react before #### completely hit the fan. It’s their job and they’re paid to forecast, not just react and I find it difficult that all the people in that boardroom, all that brain power couldn’t see it coming. Not enough smart people in that room methinks.

I think if you go all the way back to the 2 series against Anaheim signs were there about this core. Maybe we got blinded by beating the canucks that first playoff series but the Flames didn’t just lose their next 3 series. They went 2 and 12 against the ducks and Avs (if you don’t count the play in series). I get why the nail wasn’t in the coffin after the avs series due to regular season success but after that stars series it should have been. But even then Tkachuks playoff injuries always were fairly reasonable excuses why they lost.

It’s very obvious now and for me step 1 to fix this is getting a star center. Step 2 is creating either an unstoppable first line or creating a 2 headed monster up the middle. Getting a Norris caliber dman or at least a top pp dman is needed too but they might take longer to develop.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

Duclair was another guy that Calgary should have picked up...

he was risky, but the flames seriously needed talent this offseason...

Maybe they tried and he decided he like Florida better.

Calgary isn’t many players #1 destination.


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[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I actually do agree for the most part. In hindsight it’s easy to say that they should’ve tried Bennett as the #1 or #2 pivot, but Gaudreau-Monahan did Backlund-Tkachuk worked very well at the time. So it was hard to move away from that. There really was no winger that fit with Bennett, so they eventually had to shift him to wing with Jankowski.

Problem is, the league finally figured out Gaudreau and Monahan for good. So now, the duo that Treliving relied on for most of the team’s offense is no more and the rest of the forwards lines can’t score enough to make up for the former dynamic duo’s lack of production.

Blame can be shifted in a lot of different ways depending on the perspective. But I’d point my main finger at management for not seeing it first. There were signs dating all the way back to the beginning and it’s like they didn’t see it coming or refused to react before #### completely hit the fan. It’s their job and they’re paid to forecast, not just react and I find it difficult that all the people in that boardroom, all that brain power couldn’t see it coming. Not enough smart people in that room methinks.

This is where I am at too. Either the people in the boardroom or someone doesn't have a good idea of what they are trying to build.

[Strange Brew]

I haven't seen much in Kylington that makes me think it matters either way. Pretty clear the organization isn't real high on him either.

But obviously Bennett had a whole lot more to give based on what we experienced during the regular season, so at this point I trust nothing.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Maybe they tried and he decided he like Florida better.

Calgary isn’t many players #1 destination.


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Yep, soulchoice will tell you that!

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Yep, soulchoice will tell you that!

LOL, Touche my friend!

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

I actually do agree for the most part. In hindsight it’s easy to say that they should’ve tried Bennett as the #1 or #2 pivot, but Gaudreau-Monahan did Backlund-Tkachuk worked very well at the time. So it was hard to move away from that. There really was no winger that fit with Bennett, so they eventually had to shift him to wing with Jankowski.

Problem is, the league finally figured out Gaudreau and Monahan for good. So now, the duo that Treliving relied on for most of the team’s offense is no more and the rest of the forwards lines can’t score enough to make up for the former dynamic duo’s lack of production.

Blame can be shifted in a lot of different ways depending on the perspective. But I’d point my main finger at management for not seeing it first. There were signs dating all the way back to the beginning and it’s like they didn’t see it coming or refused to react before #### completely hit the fan. It’s their job and they’re paid to forecast, not just react and I find it difficult that all the people in that boardroom, all that brainpower couldn’t see it coming. Not enough smart people in that room methinks.

To add to this.

Both of those top line combinations you mentioned imploded in the playoffs two years in a row, while Bennett exceeded. Surely Bennett earned some top minutes somewhere there?

I've always found it very odd how the Flames seem to give so many chances to their guys, and then shun or pigeonhole other players without any rhyme or reason. In the past I've always chocked it up to management knowing more than I do and getting a better chance to see the talent perform.

However, ppg centre vs fourth line grinder is a massive gap and missing that is something no one who does, what the Flames management does professionally, should ever do.

[Mindtravellee]

Wasn't the last reasoning why he wasn't playing was to work on his PK skills in the AHL? How did that progress?

[Rick M.]

How often did Bennett play in overtime for the Flames?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by blankall

To add to this.

Both of those top line combinations you mentioned imploded in the playoffs two years in a row, while Bennett exceeded. Surely Bennett earned some top minutes somewhere there?

I've always found it very odd how the Flames seem to give so many chances to their guys, and then shun or pigeonhole other players without any rhyme or reason. In the past I've always chocked it up to management knowing more than I do and getting a better chance to see the talent perform.

However, ppg centre vs fourth line grinder is a massive gap and missing that is something no one who does, what the Flames management does professionally, should ever do.

By the “he did well in the PO” argument, your other best players are Dube, Lucic and Monahan (from previous POs). Not sure who the new top line is.

[tvp2003]

Wes Gilbertson with a piece on Bennett today:

And why is a guy who was so inconsistent in Calgary now scorching in Florida?

Was Vitamin D the only missing ingredient?

“When you’re on one team for a while, you can kind of be trapped and put in a position and there’s always new, younger guys coming up or new guys to the team, and sometimes they get given bigger roles,” Bennett reasoned. “Just like how I’m a new guy in Florida and I was given a big role right away. That’s just how it goes sometimes. It’s part of the game, I guess. But when you are given those opportunities, you just have to make the most of it.”

https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...ade-to-florida

The article also notes that he won't be in the Panthers lineup tonight, apparently due to a "minor injury".

[Geeoff]

Bennett already scratched. Flames win trade!!

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Wes Gilbertson with a piece on Bennett today:



https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...ade-to-florida

The article also notes that he won't be in the Panthers lineup tonight, apparently due to a "minor injury".

interesting

[neo45]

Do the Panthers even protect him? What kind of extension are they going to be willing to give a guy based on an impressive yet small sample size?

I feel like we’ve seen what Sam is, regression to the mean is inevitable, and Florida is going to make a long term mistake with him.

We gave him 400+ games under 5 different coaches. There was no lack of opportunity or patience when it came to this player. Out of things to criticize Treliving for Sam Bennett is so far down my list.

Genuinely happy for him to be playing well though, just not convinced

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by neo45

Do the Panthers even protect him? What kind of extension are they going to be willing to give a guy based on an impressive yet small sample size?

I feel like we’ve seen what Sam is, regression to the mean is inevitable, and Florida is going to make a long term mistake with him.

We gave him 400+ games under 5 different coaches. There was no lack of opportunity or patience when it came to this player. Out of things to criticize Treliving for Sam Bennett is so far down my list.

Genuinely happy for him to be playing well though, just not convinced

Them's fighting words around these parts.

[SeanCharles]

I just wish over the years we had a coach with some balls to take some chances and try things that may result in some ridicule.

Maintaining status quo was too easy and it never amounted to any success.

Why not see what a Bennett on the top line for 10 games between Gaudreau and Tkachuk or Lindholm could do? What would have been the harm - pushing Backlund down to the 3rd line and jeopardizing our shutdown line setup? Why did Backs need Tkachuk anyways? Put him with defensive forwards and have a couple lines that can handle the hard mins - kinda like what Sutter is doing now.

The closest thing to a bold decision we got was putting Simon in the top 6 over and over again. Seems they would only make choices that fit the narrative put in place by the GM.

It probably bleeds down from the top as the goal was always to make the playoffs and see what happened. To me the goal is to build a foundation that can excel in the playoffs because getting in and hoping for the best is not a good strategy.

[dino7c]

Remember when last week I said the biggest thing that would prevent him from playing that style and putting up points consistently would be injury? And then was mocked mercilessly.

Yeah, upper body injury

[1Nite]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Remember when last week I said the biggest thing that would prevent him from playing that style and putting up points consistently would be injury? And then was mocked mercilessly.

Yeah, upper body injury

I think that "upper body" injury he got when mcdermid targeted him a few time last seaon, had affect on his physical play.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Remember when last week I said the biggest thing that would prevent him from playing that style and putting up points consistently would be injury? And then was mocked mercilessly.

Yeah, upper body injury

“Day to day”, pretty sure they’re just being cautious with him as they close in on the playoffs.

They’re locked in. It’s all just about getting for the playoffs at this stage.