Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
No. he isn't. Sam Bennett has been given plenty of opportunity to play with very highly skilled players here in Calgary, and he's done jack. He's not going to to increase his production by 200% because he's playing with McDavid. If anything, McDavid sees a dip in his production from dragging Bennett around the ice. Saw what you want about some of the shlubs that have played with McDavid, those shlubs have at least shown a capacity to finish easy scoring chances. Sam Bennett plays hard but has shown an ability to make the easy scoring opportunity seem hard. I would not be concerned about Sam Bennett breaking out if he's traded. The last breakout Sam Bennett experienced was shortly after reaching puberty. If we can improve an important position by trading Sam Bennett, we make that deal every day.
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Your anti-Bennett bias is so strong you've detached yourself from the reality of the situation. Bennett has not had "plenty" of opportunity to play up the lineup in Calgary, and this isn't necessarily a slight against Bennett or the coaches. Tkachuk, elite as he is, knocked Bennett down the line-up after Bennett had a very strong rookie campaign.
Heck, let's do this again:
Let's look at Sam Bennett's line mates over the last two years:
2018/2019
1st Quarter
BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - NEAL,JAMES
BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
BENNETT,SAM - NEAL,JAMES - RYAN,DEREK
2nd Quarter
BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - NEAL,JAMES
BENNETT,SAM - RYAN,DEREK - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
3rd Quarter
BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - NEAL,JAMES
BENNETT,SAM - CZARNIK,AUSTIN - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
4th Quarter
BENNETT,SAM - CZARNIK,AUSTIN - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
BENNETT,SAM - CZARNIK,AUSTIN - RYAN,DEREK
2017/2018
1st Quarter
BENNETT,SAM - JAGR,JAROMIR - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - LAZAR,CURTIS
BENNETT,SAM - JAGR,JAROMIR - VERSTEEG,KRIS
2nd Quarter
BENNETT,SAM - HATHAWAY,GARNET - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BENNETT,SAM - JAGR,JAROMIR - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - JANKOWSKI,MARK
3rd Quarter
BENNETT,SAM - HATHAWAY,GARNET - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - MONAHAN,SEAN
4th Quarter
BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - MONAHAN,SEAN
BENNETT,SAM - HATHAWAY,GARNET - JANKOWSKI,MARK
BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL
Let's break down 2018/2019 a bit further with even strength play:
Freq Line Combination
24.2 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
19.6 BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - NEAL,JAMES
12.2 BENNETT,SAM - CZARNIK,AUSTIN - JANKOWSKI,MARK
4.5 BENNETT,SAM - NEAL,JAMES - RYAN,DEREK
3.9 BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - MONAHAN,SEAN
3.6 BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL - RYAN,DEREK
3.4 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - NEAL,JAMES
2.9 BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
2.8 BENNETT,SAM - RYAN,DEREK - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
2.5 BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL - JANKOWSKI,MARK
and where he scored his even strength points:
PTS %Total Line Combination
7 33.3 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
5 23.8 BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - NEAL,JAMES
2 9.5 BENNETT,SAM - CZARNIK,AUSTIN - RYAN,DEREK
2 9.5 BENNETT,SAM - CZARNIK,AUSTIN - JANKOWSKI,MARK
1 4.8 BENNETT,SAM - DUBE,DILLON - NEAL,JAMES
1 4.8 BENNETT,SAM - QUINE,ALAN - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
1 4.8 BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL - RYAN,DEREK
1 4.8 BENNETT,SAM - NEAL,JAMES - RYAN,DEREK
1 4.8 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - NEAL,JAMES
Now 2017/2018 even strength:
Freq Line Combination
28.7 BENNETT,SAM - HATHAWAY,GARNET - JANKOWSKI,MARK
10.1 BENNETT,SAM - JAGR,JAROMIR - JANKOWSKI,MARK
7.6 BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - MONAHAN,SEAN
5.5 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - JANKOWSKI,MARK
5.2 BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - LAZAR,CURTIS
4.5 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL
2.7 BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - LAZAR,CURTIS
2.5 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - FOO,SPENCER
2.3 BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - VERSTEEG,KRIS
2 BENNETT,SAM - FERLAND,MICHEAL - JANKOWSKI,MARK
and 2017/2018 5v5 production:
PTS %Total Line Combination
9 39.1 BENNETT,SAM - HATHAWAY,GARNET - JANKOWSKI,MARK
5 21.7 BENNETT,SAM - JAGR,JAROMIR - JANKOWSKI,MARK
2 8.7 BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - MONAHAN,SEAN
2 8.7 BENNETT,SAM - JANKOWSKI,MARK - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
2 8.7 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - JANKOWSKI,MARK
1 4.3 BENNETT,SAM - FERLAND,MICHEAL - MONAHAN,SEAN
1 4.3 BENNETT,SAM - HATHAWAY,GARNET - STAJAN,MATT
how about 2016/2017:
Freq Line Combination
20.8 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - VERSTEEG,KRIS
13.5 BENNETT,SAM - CHIASSON,ALEX - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY
11.3 BENNETT,SAM - CHIASSON,ALEX - VERSTEEG,KRIS
6.8 BENNETT,SAM - CHIASSON,ALEX - STAJAN,MATTHEW
5.4 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - MONAHAN,SEAN
5.3 BENNETT,SAM - FERLAND,MICHEAL - VERSTEEG,KRIS
4.2 BENNETT,SAM - BOUMA,LANCE - CHIASSON,ALEX
3.8 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
2.8 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY
2.7 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL
and 2016/2017's even strength production:
PTS %Total Line Combination
6 28.6 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - VERSTEEG,KRIS
4 19 BENNETT,SAM - CHIASSON,ALEX - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY
2 9.5 BENNETT,SAM - CHIASSON,ALEX - VERSTEEG,KRIS
2 9.5 BENNETT,SAM - CHIASSON,ALEX - STAJAN,MATTHEW
2 9.5 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - MONAHAN,SEAN
2 9.5 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
1 4.8 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - CHIASSON,ALEX
1 4.8 BENNETT,SAM - CHIASSON,ALEX - TKACHUK,MATTHEW
1 4.8 BENNETT,SAM - BROUWER,TROY - FERLAND,MICHEAL
Where is this opportunity you speak of? Last time Bennett got quality line mates consistently was during his rookie year, and he produced quite nicely:
Freq Line Combination
26.8 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL
6 BENNETT,SAM - GRANLUND,MARKUS - HUDLER,JIRI
5.4 BENNETT,SAM - FERLAND,MICHEAL - JOORIS,JOSH
4.1 BENNETT,SAM - GRANLUND,MARKUS - RAYMOND,MASON
4.1 BENNETT,SAM - COLBORNE,JOE - FERLAND,MICHEAL
3.2 BENNETT,SAM - FERLAND,MICHEAL - JONES,DAVID
2.9 BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY
2.8 BENNETT,SAM - COLBORNE,JOE - GRANLUND,MARKUS
2.3 BENNETT,SAM - BOUMA,LANCE - COLBORNE,JOE
2.2 BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - JONES,DAVID
PTS %Total Line Combination
10 35.7 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - FROLIK,MICHAEL
3 10.7 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - HUDLER,JIRI
3 10.7 BENNETT,SAM - COLBORNE,JOE - FERLAND,MICHEAL
1 3.6 BENNETT,SAM - HUDLER,JIRI - STAJAN,MATTHEW
1 3.6 BENNETT,SAM - COLBORNE,JOE - GRANLUND,MARKUS
1 3.6 BENNETT,SAM - BOLLIG,BRANDON - JOORIS,JOSH
1 3.6 BACKLUND,MIKAEL - BENNETT,SAM - COLBORNE,JOE
1 3.6 BENNETT,SAM - COLBORNE,JOE - FROLIK,MICHAEL
1 3.6 BENNETT,SAM - BOUMA,LANCE - COLBORNE,JOE
1 3.6 BENNETT,SAM - GAUDREAU,JOHNNY - JONES,DAVID
The reality of Sam Bennett's usage is that of being used as the best player on the 3rd line in hopes of creating a 3rd line. Coaches, both Gulutzan and Peters, tended to use Frolik as the 3rd piece of the 2nd line. It was the safest choice to help win games, but what you see elsewhere around the league is generally players of Bennett's ilk being moved up the depth chart to develop and build them - and we saw this more often last year now that we have a good NHL coach. Now, given circumstance - Tkachuk took Bennett's spot on that 2nd line pretty much the moment Chucky showed up, and because of the heavy lifting that line does I totally understand why Frolik was used. This is no slight on Bennett, or the coaches. Bennett isn't as good as Tkachuk, and barring a miracle, never will be.
Now where Treliving has failed has been in constructing that 3rd line outside of Bennett. It's been filled with players who have completely failed to play up the line-up, and players who aren't even in the league anymore. Jankowski has been Bennett's biggest aid, but he even has his own struggles - particularly at adapting to centre at the NHL level.
Treliving attempting to acquire Kadri shows his desire to improve that 3rd line further - and note that Kadri is a centre, while Bennett is a winger. Tree wasn't trying to improve on Bennett, because he's already the best part of that line. He was trying to improve on Jankowski (hell, Jankowski was part of the trade).
So yeah, I view a lot of what you post to be coloured by an anti-Bennett bias. I just don't understand why you hold the view of him you do. I don't get how someone doesn't like a young 23 year old winger who is not done developing, but who already plays with an edge and is one of our most competitive players when the games get important. He took good strides under Peters, and I think there is plenty of reason to believe that will continue.