What if Sam Bennett has another good playoff performance?

[AC]

Originally Posted by RedHawk12

Was Bennett even that good in the playoffs or did everyone else just suck?

Bit of both I'd say. In 5 playoff games: 1 goal + 4 assists = 5 points, 25 hits.

Bennett's 2018/2019 playoff highlights (7 minutes worth)
https://youtu.be/uJq9j2tX4uQ?t=705

For reference I was able to compile 6 minutes of highlights for Tkachuk, 4.5 for Lindholm, 1.5 for Gaudreau, 1 for Backlund, and 1 for Monahan.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

Bennett is younger than Mangiapane who we are currently developing by playing him in situations where he can succeed.

Playing Bennett with Jankowski and Reider is not doing him any favours.

Mangiapane has a higher point production than Bennett has ever had in his career. It's not about development, it's about production.

Playing Bennett with Jankowski and Reider aren't doing them any favours either. I'm sure they'd all love to play with Gaudreau, but when you don't produce, you move down the lines.

[BigErnSalute_16]

Originally Posted by AC

Bit of both I'd say. In 5 playoff games: 1 goal + 4 assists = 5 points, 25 hits.

Bennett's 2018/2019 playoff highlights (7 minutes worth)
https://youtu.be/uJq9j2tX4uQ?t=705

For reference I was able to compile 6 minutes of highlights for Tkachuk, 4.5 for Lindholm, 1.5 for Gaudreau, 1 for Backlund, and 1 for Monahan.

This was all I needed to see to be on board with starting Bennett as top line centre in game one just to see what happens. Reevaluate half way through the game and change if you need to, but There's something about the energy he will bring right from the start that I think will be beneficial to Gaudreau.

Here's my thoughts for game one starting lineup:

Gaudreau - Bennett - Lindholm (let lindholm take half the draws)
Tkachuk - Monahan - Mangiapane (See if Monny is more engaged away from JG)
Lucic - Backlund - Ryan (shutdown line with strong side draws from MB and DR)
Dube - Jankowski - X (whoever impresses most in camp fills in, hopefully Czarnik)

I think that has potential to be dangerous and if they give that last spot to Czarnik I think that gives the fourth line enough speed and skill to chip in as well.

[ricardodw]

The Jets forwards as a group are physically bigger than the Flames forwards

The Flames biggest forwards Lucic, Monahan and Tkachuk are not speed demons.

It is vital that Bennett is played in the top-9 to provide some hope of matching up.

The Jets 3rd line of Lowry-Copp-Rosolvic will not be a bad match up for the Jets against the Flames top-2 lines . The Jets will be looking to match their 3rd line against the Flames top-2 lines.

The Flames 3rd line has to be able to handle going up against Connor-Schiefele-Wheeler or Laine-Eakins-Ehlers.


Bennett is the best 3rd liner that the Flames have for the match up and Ryan would be C and Dube.

Lucic - Jankowski - Rieder are the other candidates for the 3rd line and Bennett pretty clearly has a better tool kit.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by BigErnSalute_16

This was all I needed to see to be on board with starting Bennett as top line centre in game one just to see what happens. Reevaluate half way through the game and change if you need to, but There's something about the energy he will bring right from the start that I think will be beneficial to Gaudreau.

Here's my thoughts for game one starting lineup:

Gaudreau - Bennett - Lindholm (let lindholm take half the draws)
Tkachuk - Monahan - Mangiapane (See if Monny is more engaged away from JG)
Lucic - Backlund - Ryan (shutdown line with strong side draws from MB and DR)
Dube - Jankowski - X (whoever impresses most in camp fills in, hopefully Czarnik)

I think that has potential to be dangerous and if they give that last spot to Czarnik I think that gives the fourth line enough speed and skill to chip in as well.

Bennett on the top line gives much better line balance and Gaudreau / Lindholm will still be a top-line and matches up okay with whoever they face.

But Czarnik?


You think the Flames are missing a small skilled forward? That Gaudreau, Ryan and Mangiapane are not quick or skillful enough.. You think the the rules will be called tighter in the playoffs to give more room to the small skilled guys?

Not that it matters much, a fourth line with Jankowski on it will be given minimal minutes.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

They need to at least play him on the 3rd line.

Why is he continuously stapled to Jankowski even though it has been fairly obvious for years they don’t play that well together?

Dube and Bennett had some promising looking chemistry when together on a line, why shut that down and move him back down to the 4th line?

It seemed they cared more about resurrecting Lucic than they did about actually developing their highest draft pick in history.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm
Tkachuk-Backlund-Mangiapane
Bennett-Ryan-Dube

I mean you really get the output of what you put in. If the coaching staff really want Bennett to fail, keep giving him a 4th line role and minutes. If they want to maximize his ability, and possibly see if there's growth still in play, then at the minimum give him steady 3rd line time and linemates.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Bennett @ top line C would turn it into the worst 2nd line in the playoffs. Line 2 would become line 1 in about 5 shifts.

[TheScorpion]

It blows my mind how some people are determined to dislike certain players.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

It blows my mind how some people are determined to dislike certain players.

I don't dislike Bennett, I just see him as a 4th liner is all. Zero hate here.

JG - SB - EL would get their heads caved in by Winnipeg's 2nd line, jmo. They won't be putting 4th liners in their top 6, I can guarantee that.

I just don't see it as a good idea

[Fire of the Phoenix]

We are going to make a 4LW our 1/2C? It would be a disaster.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

I don't dislike Bennett, I just see him as a 4th liner is all. Zero hate here.

JG - SB - EL would get their heads caved in by Winnipeg's 2nd line, jmo. They won't be putting 4th liners in their top 6, I can guarantee that.

I just don't see it as a good idea

Thou dost protest too much, methinks.

Bennett is a better centre than a left wing.

I could actually see the regular top line coming out and being very ineffective, in a five game series. If the regular top line of JG-SM-EL is flat for a game, honestly I would be alright with a shakeup based on intensity, which would likely be Bennett as a top line centre. At that point, firing up the team would have more positive effect on the game, than relying on hope.

Either way, I would start Bennett at 3C and let Jankowski float.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Our top Cs are Monahan, Backlund and Ryan for better or worse. Each of them is a natural C that should not be displaced by Bennett, a bottom 6 winger. I wouldn't be opposed to Bennett try out on 3LW with Ryan and Dube. He may be too undisciplined for that though.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

Our top Cs are Monahan, Backlund and Ryan for better or worse. Each of them is a natural C that should not be displaced by Bennett, a bottom 6 winger. I wouldn't be opposed to Bennett try out on 3LW with Ryan and Dube. He may be too undisciplined for that though.

Positions and especially lines are mutable dependent on the situation. Bennett is a natural C who has been playing where he was asked to play, without complaint. Bottom six winger is possibly the worst positioning for Bennett, as the last two years have proven, if anything. Lucic plays 100x better with a RW centre, as he has shown his entire career, so he should be stapled to Ryan. I would actually play Phillips on the other wing where he could be sheltered and add a spark of enthusiasm. Bennett has not taken many undisciplined penalties this year. The majority have been defending teammates, aggressive backcheck, and rushing the net, which I am fine with. He has had quite a few phantom calls due to reputation, but that is beyond his control. Undisciplined calls have been way down over what he was doing two years ago.

The discussion should be about who you play on the LW with Bennett and Dube, splitting icetime between the third and fourth lines, and making Ryan the primary PKer.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Personally I would rather Dube tried at C then Bennett if someone is displacing Ryan. He has superior hockey sense and potential for becoming a quality playmaker. Bennett is like a wrecking ball when he's on. He doesn't have great puck distribution skills or vision. He's a north south mucker with some skill. A poor man's Tom Wilson. He's a winger through and though in my eyes. Ryan helps Lucic. It's not acceptable to staple Lucic to him to make Lucic look better. Lucic is a 12th F at this point. Ryan could benefit Bennett, Dube too.


Tkachuk-Backlund-Lindholm
Gaudreau-Monahan-Mangiapane
Bennett-Dube-Ryan
Lucic-Jankowski-Phillips/Czarnik

I love line 1, even with Backlund in there. This is a line that could actually do well against a MacKinnon. Maybe keep their heads above water.

I'm not in love with line 2 unless Monahan starts using his size. Too small on the wings but this is the hand we are dealt in order to make an great first line.

Line 3 has potential to be a very good to great 3rd line depending on Dube. I'm really high on the kid, I think he will become a 2C on this team within two years. Bennett can go around nailing people, Dube and Ryan can get some of the space lucic provided.

Line 4 is not good. Play them very sparingly. Don't use other players to prop up Lucic. At 5m he should be a dominant 4L. Jankowski should work well with him, they kind of balance each other.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by BigErnSalute_16

This was all I needed to see to be on board with starting Bennett as top line centre in game one just to see what happens. Reevaluate half way through the game and change if you need to, but There's something about the energy he will bring right from the start that I think will be beneficial to Gaudreau.

Here's my thoughts for game one starting lineup:

Gaudreau - Bennett - Lindholm (let lindholm take half the draws)
Tkachuk - Monahan - Mangiapane (See if Monny is more engaged away from JG)
Lucic - Backlund - Ryan (shutdown line with strong side draws from MB and DR)
Dube - Jankowski - X (whoever impresses most in camp fills in, hopefully Czarnik)

I think that has potential to be dangerous and if they give that last spot to Czarnik I think that gives the fourth line enough speed and skill to chip in as well.

Why does everyone keep discounting the Tkachuk - Lindholm - Managiapane line? That line looks to be flying under the radar, don't be surprised if you see those three together again, especially if Gaudreau and Monahan are struggling again.

I do agree that Bennett deserves some more ice time with quality players, but with the big break you just don't know what is going to happen.

This is what I'd have to start off with in the top 12:

Tkachuk - Lindholm - Mangiapane
Gaudreau - Monahan - Bennett/Ryan
Lucic - Backlund - Ryan/Bennett
Dube - Jankowski - Czarnik

So basically, the top 6 switched around a bit. If Bennett falters I would put in Backlund in the top 6 and put Lindholm back at RW with Monahan and Gaudreau. And maybe Lucic and Ryan paired back up together. We need Backlund and Lindholm on different lines because they're our top defensive forwards.

[CsInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Not going to disagree that he could improve his discipline but Backlund is right up there when it comes to bad penalties and he takes it a step further usually taking his bad penalties at the end of the 2nd or 3rd period putting the team in a big bind. People complained about Hamilton's discipline as well but I think that's a tradeoff anyone will take for one of the highest scoring defensemen in the league. Discipline is not the reason Bennett has disappointed. I would take a player with jam over a ghost like Jankowski anyday. His game just hasn't progressed from his days as a junior player. He probably would have benefitted from a year in the AHL but eventually he's going to have to figure it out himself.

What? There are 14 players on the Flames that take more penalties per 60 mins than Backlund. Strange take.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

I don't dislike Bennett, I just see him as a 4th liner is all. Zero hate here.

JG - SB - EL would get their heads caved in by Winnipeg's 2nd line, jmo. They won't be putting 4th liners in their top 6, I can guarantee that.

I just don't see it as a good idea

I'm not slating Bennett for top six work any more ... he could surprise and pop and become a complimentary player on the second line but I've essentially given up on that.

But he's not a fourth liner.

Any player that on average produces at a 8-9 range in terms of league average, but is slated on your team for ice time around 10-11 has a chance to be more than he's been.

How much more? I don't think a huge amount, but you may get an above average third line player out of him if you help him find a role and give him a little more ice and players he meshes with.

[Harry Lime]

It was the end of year five and into year six that Backlund became the player that he is now. There were a lot of words like 'bust' or 'unfulfilled potential' until that time.

Next year is year six for Bennett and there is a good chance that he is given a better chance next year, since Hartley's time, when Bennett produced his 36 point season. Personally, I think that if he is put in as the 3C for an entire year, we will start to see Backlund numbers out of him, and all of this 'where he slots' and 'best KHL player currently not in the league' can be put to rest.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Thou dost protest too much, methinks.

Bennett is a better centre than a left wing.

I could actually see the regular top line coming out and being very ineffective, in a five game series. If the regular top line of JG-SM-EL is flat for a game, honestly I would be alright with a shakeup based on intensity, which would likely be Bennett as a top line centre. At that point, firing up the team would have more positive effect on the game, than relying on hope.

Either way, I would start Bennett at 3C and let Jankowski float.

Based on what?

I mean....4 NHL head coaches have seen it otherwise and that is not an appeal to authority, its just fact.

Good C's have to have a high hockey IQ, and Bennett has never been accused of possessing that. In fact...just the opposite.

So weird to me that there is still a fair amount of folks that think he will suddenly change and be something he has never shown himself to be.....and actually base that thought on what they have seen from him.

He is, at best, the 5th best C on the team and more likely the 6th.

That is why, and for no other reason, he still has a position at all on this club. He can win a face off on his strong side if the other guy is tossed. Beyond that though? He offers nothing that an NHL C should possess and play anywhere above the 4th line.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Let's hope he's good enough to up his trade value in the off season.
Time to move on