The Legend of Sam Bennett

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by delayedreflex

I hope that Bennett's performance somehow raises the trade value of other Flames players. Perhaps other GM's could think that if Bennett could do so much better once free of the Flames, other players might as well and might pay a little more in a trade. Though that's probably just wishful thinking :P

Perhaps other GM’s will think that Calgary will trade talent for cents on the dollar and expect huge bargains.

Both statements are equally unlikely.


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[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Hartley also played Bennett on wing which was a huge debate here.

And he had 18 goals and 18 assists as a rookie. No bad at all.

I think people make too much fuss about the center/wing issue. A good center should be able to adjust from center to wing. The other thing is that Bennett played on the wing a lot in junior. It wasn't until his last season in the OHL that he played center more than on the wing, but he still did both.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

And he had 18 goals and 18 assists as a rookie. No bad at all.

I think people make too much fuss about the center/wing issue. A good center should be able to adjust from center to wing. The other thing is that Bennett played on the wing a lot in junior. It wasn't until his last season in the OHL that he played center more than on the wing, but he still did both.

I think what most people can now agree on is that the team just didn’t give him enough rope. It didn’t help that all the linemates turned out to be duds.

Though I’m told that a higher amount of goals and slightly less points is “awful” for a rookie.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Monahan started as a 2nd-3rd line winger and worked his way up the lineup. But in what world was he awful as a rookie?

As a center, he, with regularity got absolutely shelled.

Goals are not really a good measure of how a center is playing.

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The unfortunate thing is, I think they were all trying to put Bennett with good players. I mean, Brouwer, Janko, Neal, Jagr - those guys were all supposed to be good. On paper they were the right style for him - big, physical linemates with hands.

I disagree. On paper, they were the wrong style for him because it's just a poor assessment of his skillset. It's a silly "he's physical so let's play him with big bodies" strategy.

As a rookie, this was a play he made with two non-physical, speedy wingers that exemplifies the kind of players that, ON PAPER, he should have been playing with:



lo and behold, that's exactly the style of wingers he's had in Florida.

[GioforPM]

Raymond was speedy I guess. Not especially skilled. But Neal, Brouwer and Janko were supposed to score. They were supposed to at least have hands.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Raymond was speedy I guess. Not especially skilled. But Neal, Brouwer and Janko were supposed to score. They were supposed to at least have hands.

Jankowski had hands. But the Flames botched that by putting him at center (where he was unable to execute quick breakouts and rush the puck) and Bennett at wing (taking away all his strengths) - putting both players in a position to fail.

I firmly believe a Jankowski (as a W) - Bennett (as a C) - Czarnik line would have been absolutely dominant in those 2019 playoffs and played a completely different style from Bennett - Jankowski - Neal

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Jankowski had hands. But the Flames botched that by putting him at center (where he was unable to execute quick breakouts and rush the puck) and Bennett at wing (taking away all his strengths) - putting both players in a position to fail.

I firmly believe a Jankowski (as a W) - Bennett (as a C) - Czarnik line would have been absolutely dominant in those 2019 playoffs and played a completely different style from Bennett - Jankowski - Neal

I can’t agree on Czarnik. One of those skilled lower league guys who just wasn’t a big leaguer. I wonder if Baertschi and Bennett would have worked though. Or Byron. Or Poirier if he’d worked through things earlier.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Raymond was speedy I guess. Not especially skilled. But Neal, Brouwer and Janko were supposed to score. They were supposed to at least have hands.

I don't disagree with what your saying, I do feel the Flames looked for the wrong type of players. Bennett plays better with guys who are skilled but also play with speed. They basically downgraded rather than pick up guys that could complement Bennett. Brouwer was lazy. like Neal who came out of shape. Janko just not a good fit! I think the Flames just didn't know what they had in Bennett and what to do with it. Now he has an experienced coach who knows exactly what to do. Heck I think they, Florida might be scouting other teams castoffs and gems because they know what to do with them! BT and Flames have tried this but seem to picking up the wrong players!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

I don't disagree with what your saying, I do feel the Flames looked for the wrong type of players. Bennett plays better with guys who are skilled but also play with speed. They basically downgraded rather than pick up guys that could complement Bennett. Brouwer was lazy. like Neal who came out of shape. Janko just not a good fit! I think the Flames just didn't know what they had in Bennett and what to do with it. Now he has an experienced coach who knows exactly what to do. Heck I think they, Florida might be scouting other teams castoffs and gems because they know what to do with them! BT and Flames have tried this but seem to picking up the wrong players!

Those descriptions are all true (I don’t know about Lazy for Brouwer, but certainly he was slow). I just think they didn’t know how bad they were. They looked at stats.

Speed has always been lacking on this team. This team right now has one, or maybe two guys up front who are fast (and one of those has zero offensive chops) and a couple more who have OK speed (but not anything special).

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by DazzlinDino

I don't disagree with what your saying, I do feel the Flames looked for the wrong type of players. Bennett plays better with guys who are skilled but also play with speed. They basically downgraded rather than pick up guys that could complement Bennett. Brouwer was lazy. like Neal who came out of shape. Janko just not a good fit! I think the Flames just didn't know what they had in Bennett and what to do with it. Now he has an experienced coach who knows exactly what to do. Heck I think they, Florida might be scouting other teams castoffs and gems because they know what to do with them! BT and Flames have tried this but seem to picking up the wrong players!

I can confirm, this is Zito's M.O. However, they know it's a game of odds. Most of the guys aren't going to work out, but they still target high pedigree players who haven't worked out in previous situations. Part of that is relying on Coach Q to get something out of them, but the other part is just assessing talent and skillset. You buy low often enough, you'll get guys that pop, and do so at a reasonable price point, which is always important in Florida.

There is method to Bill's madness. I've been enjoying it so far. The real test will come when they have to re-sign some of these guys to contracts.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

I do not think I ever saw Bennett play as a second line center on the Flames. I do not think I would have been as reticent to try it as the Flames were though. Theoretically there is a reason you drafted the guy 4th overall. I cannot think of another forward picked in the top 5 who had less of an opportunity playing top 2 line minutes than Sam did.

This is a great question worthy of some research. May dig later. Off the top of my head:

5OA Wheeler
2OA J Staal
2OA N Patrick?

These guys were probably more legitimately depthed out. But I bet they had more special teams time and more TOI in general.

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I can confirm, this is Zito's M.O. However, they know it's a game of odds. Most of the guys aren't going to work out, but they still target high pedigree players who haven't worked out in previous situations. Part of that is relying on Coach Q to get something out of them, but the other part is just assessing talent and skillset. You buy low often enough, you'll get guys that pop, and do so at a reasonable price point, which is always important in Florida.

There is method to Bill's madness. I've been enjoying it so far. The real test will come when they have to re-sign some of these guys to contracts.

A big thing with this is how it legitimately opens slots up and down the lineup to be seized. I imagine it seemed legitimately true to everyone in camp that there were 4 spots up for grab in the top 6 with Barkov and Huberdeau (and 7 spots in top 9).

Vatrano, Connolly, and Acciari were the only every day forwards returning, all likely to fill slots in the top 9, but as we saw with Connolly, not guaranteed.

Compared to CGY, this season:

Gaudreau-Monahan-??
Tkachuk-??-Mangi
Lucic-??-Dubé

With Lindholm and Backlund certain to fill two of those ?? slots. Not much wiggle room for Bennett, Ryan, or the new guys to make a dent.

Silly for a team with such little success when it matters to come into each season with most of the lineup written in pen.

[Brick]

Sam didn't play last game.

[FanIn80]

Bad news: Looks like Sam Bennett is set to leave the team at the end of the 2021 season.

[Ashasx]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1393210377043791873

[scotty2hotty]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Bad news: Looks like Sam Bennett is set to leave the team at the end of the 2021 season.

Still can’t believe that guy is only 18 years old.

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

https://twitter.com/user/status/1393210377043791873

Embarrassing that Sam was treated this way by our incompetent coaching.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by bdubbs

Embarrassing that Sam was treated this way by our incompetent coaching.

Obviously it's Bennett's fault - he didn't process the process effectively enough. If he had, he would have seen the genius of Ward and Tre.

This process will produce a winner - take it to the bank!

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Compared to CGY, this season:

Gaudreau-Monahan-??
Tkachuk-??-Mangi
Lucic-??-Dubé

With Lindholm and Backlund certain to fill two of those ?? slots. Not much wiggle room for Bennett, Ryan, or the new guys to make a dent.

Silly for a team with such little success when it matters to come into each season with most of the lineup written in pen.

Definitely silly to see so many players slotted in repeatedly over their heads.

Lucic - Dubé - Mangiapane would be a decent 3rd line.

My opinion is that if they traded for Lindholm with plans of playing him center, then they should have traded Bennett or Backlund immediately for RW help (and signed another via FA). 2 Glaring holes at RW on our top 2 lines (recipe for success!)

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

Definitely silly to see so many players slotted in repeatedly over their heads.

Lucic - Dubé - Mangiapane would be a decent 3rd line.

My opinion is that if they traded for Lindholm with plans of playing him center, then they should have traded Bennett or Backlund immediately for RW help (and signed another via FA). 2 Glaring holes at RW on our top 2 lines (recipe for success!)

That is why they signed Neal, and were using Bennett as a winger.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by MrMike

That is why they signed Neal, and were using Bennett as a winger.

This. If Treliving had judged Neal better and gotten a different RW (and had judged Hamonic better and gotten a better RD - like say, Tanev for example), the team could have been running:

Gaudreau-Monahan-good RW at Neal's price/age like a Perron or Oshie
Tkachuk-Lindholm-Mangiapane
Bennett-Backlund-Dube (or trade Backlund and use Bennett at C)
Jankowski-Ryan-Frolik/Hathaway

Gio-Brodie
Hanifin-Tanev
Valimaki-Stone