The Legend of Sam Bennett

[Jiri Hrdina]

Deluxe is right. Poetry is too limiting
I consider it more “spoken word” but written

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

From your lips to the hockey gods ears. I haven't been able to stomach a full Flames game in a while. There's something deeply wrong with the team or the players themselves. I honestly believe there needs to be a bit of a housecleaning before the team gets better. Move on from most of the forwards and keep a couple key pieces to build around.

The only problem is that the Flames don't have a lot of elite talent to build around. If I was the G.M. I would keep Johnny and Lindholm and say goodbye to everyone else. Those are the only guys that have the skillset needed for a winning team.

I wonder what Sam's former teammates are thinking. Most of them are struggling and have had terrible seasons; meanwhile, Sam gets to go to Florida, on a contender, and has 5 points in his last three games.

Something about the grass being greener I'm sure...

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I just wanted to add that Frank Vatrano deserves some credit.

All the guy does is score goals. Big goals. Key goals. Game winning goals.

He has 17 goals on the year, but just 6 assists.

13 of the goals have come in the 3rd period or overtime. 6 of those have been game winners.

That's insane.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

They've had six goals for and zero goals against in 3 games, all 5v5.

Has Johnny and Monny have 6 goals between them 5v5 in the last 3 years?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Because it’s not true that “anyone could have had him”
As a free agent that choice was his
Anyone could have had him within the group of teams he was willing to sign with
We don’t know if he would have considered the Flame or not

Doubtful any UFA would consider playing here, and got to believe Markstrom regrets his decision.

[SuperMatt18]

It’s the coaching to be honest. Bennett didn’t have a coach like Coach Q in Calgary. Even Sutter isn’t at strong at player usage as coach Q is.

Bennett is a skilled player that can go to the dirty areas and generate high danger chances. But he’s not great defensively and lacks awareness at times.

So you pair him with a great playmaker in Huberdeau, and another skilled offensive player with defensive deficiencies in Duclair and give them the high ground (60%+ offensive zone starts)

This team seemed dead set in turning him into a grinder going back to when Gulutzan took over as coach.

Plus The 25% on ice shooting percentage helps too. His average in the past has been closer to 8%. Story is probably a lot different if he’s been on the ice for 2 goals instead of 6.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It’s the coaching to be honest. Bennett didn’t have a coach like Coach Q in Calgary. Even Sutter isn’t at strong at player usage as coach Q is.

Bennett is a skilled player that can go to the dirty areas and generate high danger chances. But he’s not great defensively and lacks awareness at times.

So you pair him with a great playmaker in Huberdeau, and another skilled offensive player with defensive deficiencies in Duclair and give them the high ground (60%+ offensive zone starts)

This team seemed dead set in turning him into a grinder going back to when Gulutzan took over as coach.

Plus The 25% on ice shooting percentage helps too. His average in the past has been closer to 8%. Story is probably a lot different if he’s been on the ice for 2 goals instead of 6.

Yeah we had a center under our nose but didn't know what to do with him! The silver lining in all this is we are learning a lot about coaching, systems types of players and what not to do!

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It’s the coaching to be honest. Bennett didn’t have a coach like Coach Q in Calgary. Even Sutter isn’t at strong at player usage as coach Q is.

Bennett is a skilled player that can go to the dirty areas and generate high danger chances. But he’s not great defensively and lacks awareness at times.

So you pair him with a great playmaker in Huberdeau, and another skilled offensive player with defensive deficiencies in Duclair and give them the high ground (60%+ offensive zone starts)

This team seemed dead set in turning him into a grinder going back to when Gulutzan took over as coach.

Plus The 25% on ice shooting percentage helps too. His average in the past has been closer to 8%. Story is probably a lot different if he’s been on the ice for 2 goals instead of 6.

I haven’t watched any games or highlights of Bennett in Florida but it sounds like he is having a similar post Flames explosion as James Neal. I wonder if he will regress back to the same Sam or worse or if he has found a new life and can be a top 6 forward.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It’s the coaching to be honest. Bennett didn’t have a coach like Coach Q in Calgary. Even Sutter isn’t at strong at player usage as coach Q is.

I call bull####. There's no way a coach can have that kind of impact on a player within 24 hours of meeting him. I also think Sutter is plenty good enough at player usage.

If I were to put it on anything, I'd just say "chemistry". Sometimes it's mysterious, but when you find it, it's key to a good team.

I'd wager that Sam just never found any chemistry with Flames players over the years. I'd also wager that slotting him on on the bottom two lines in perpetuity ensured that he never had linemates good enough to find chemistry with either.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Scooter

Doubtful any UFA would consider playing here, and got to believe Markstrom regrets his decision.

He's besties with Lindholm, I'm sure that was a very big reason why he signed here. I'm sure he doesn't regret it in that regard, and already knew he wasn't signing with a contender. But I get what you're saying, this hasn't been the season he or anyone else expected.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I call bull####. There's no way a coach can have that kind of impact on a player within 24 hours of meeting him. I also think Sutter is plenty good enough at player usage.

If I were to put it on anything, I'd just say "chemistry". Sometimes it's mysterious, but when you find it, it's key to a good team.

I'd wager that Sam just never found any chemistry with Flames players over the years. I'd also wager that slotting him on on the bottom two lines in perpetuity ensured that he never had linemates good enough to find chemistry with either.

Well one thing the coach does is to implement the style of play, also to put a player in a position to succeed

Slotting him is a coaching decision as well, so there’s that

Awesome to see him at his position, with quality linemates, and it working

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I haven’t watched any games or highlights of Bennett in Florida but it sounds like he is having a similar post Flames explosion as James Neal. I wonder if he will regress back to the same Sam or worse or if he has found a new life and can be a top 6 forward.

You need to watch the games, and then make your observations. His line is playing very well together, he had a few good chances to score more goals than the 2 he got tonight. He looks happy rejuvenated, I have a feeling he might not be slowing down.. If anything the Panthers are fun to watch!

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I call bull####. There's no way a coach can have that kind of impact on a player within 24 hours of meeting him. I also think Sutter is plenty good enough at player usage.

If I were to put it on anything, I'd just say "chemistry". Sometimes it's mysterious, but when you find it, it's key to a good team.

I'd wager that Sam just never found any chemistry with Flames players over the years. I'd also wager that slotting him on on the bottom two lines in perpetuity ensured that he never had linemates good enough to find chemistry with either.

Is there anywhere to find the number of line mates a player has had over multiple seasons. I would guess that Bennett had more than most Flames players since he was not part of a long time pair (janko was the closest?)

[Erick Estrada]

Too small a sample size for I told you so's but I do believe we are seeing a glimpse of what what is possible with Bennett. Did he check out with the Flames? Is he finally playing with compatible players? Just needed a change of scenery? Time will tell but it's becoming somewhat clear that the Flames mismanaged him in some capacity as he was always a better player than he was able to show with the Flames.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I call bull####. There's no way a coach can have that kind of impact on a player within 24 hours of meeting him

...


I'd wager that Sam just never found any chemistry with Flames players over the years. I'd also wager that slotting him on on the bottom two lines in perpetuity ensured that he never had linemates good enough to find chemistry with either.

But aren't those the same thing?

If Coach Q chooses to use Sam Bennett as his 4LW while continuing on with Wennberg as his 2C, then he doesn't get the chemistry.

Coach Q put together a line that had instant chemistry. It took his imagination, which you yourself didn't see as making any sense:

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I don't get that at all. Wennberg has been more than effective there.

"Hey, I know who can center our 2nd line! That underperforming dude who's currently a 4th line winger on that bad team!"

I hope it works out, but I'm very, very, very skeptical of that decision. They must believe he can pick up the garbage type goals around the net that Huberdeau would help to create.

as far as usage goes, Sutter didn't do anything special with Bennett either. He played 4LW for us pretty much every game, except the game Backlund missed, where he played 3C. Sutter didn't do anything imaginative with Bennett.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

But aren't those the same thing?

If Coach Q chooses to use Sam Bennett as his 4LW while continuing on with Wennberg as his 2C, then he doesn't get the chemistry.

Coach Q put together a line that had instant chemistry. It took his imagination, which you yourself didn't see as making any sense:



as far as usage goes, Sutter didn't do anything special with Bennett either. He played 4LW for us pretty much every game, except the game Backlund missed, where he played 3C. Sutter didn't do anything imaginative with Bennett.

Sutter did tell him what he expected from him, and gave his bottom 6 more ice time

[timbit]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Sutter did tell him what he expected from him, and gave his bottom 6 more ice time

You two should be taking turns gloating, while you can, not arguing about coaches.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I call bull####. There's no way a coach can have that kind of impact on a player within 24 hours of meeting him. I also think Sutter is plenty good enough at player usage.

If I were to put it on anything, I'd just say "chemistry". Sometimes it's mysterious, but when you find it, it's key to a good team.

I'd wager that Sam just never found any chemistry with Flames players over the years. I'd also wager that slotting him on on the bottom two lines in perpetuity ensured that he never had linemates good enough to find chemistry with either.

You say it’s bull####...but then repeat exactly what I said.

The coaching aspect is slotting him as a top 6 forward with skilled linemates
In a more sheltered offensive role.

Coach Q didn’t somehow talk to him and turn him into a better player, he just slotted him and used him in a way more suited to his skill set.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

You say it’s bull####...but then repeat exactly what I said.

The coaching aspect is slotting him as a top 6 forward with skilled linemates
In a more sheltered offensive role.

Coach Q didn’t somehow talk to him and turn him into a better player, he just slotted him and used him in a way more suited to his skill set.

He is obviously playing harder like he did from time to time here...driving the net is a choice. He banged two rebounds into empty nets its not like he went end to end.

Can he play like that consistently over a season is the real question or will he play like a bat out of hell for the first few weeks and be injured.

Similar to Ferland...you can be one of the best players on the ice playing that style but it takes a toll

[K1LLswitch]

I’m very happy for Sam. Almost had the hat trick too!

Chemistry is definitely the right word. Flames have had zero chemistry since the all star break of 18/19 and certainly Sam never really had the opportunity to mesh with a line.

Purple gato or 3M lines were too good to break up, so he was stuck with the misfit toys on line 3 and 4.