Sam Bennett Value: Have the Flames held on TOO long? OR is he awesome?

[goflamesgo18]

Award Bennett's recent play and effort.

Johnny - mony - bennett
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm
Frolik - Janko - Czarnik
Neal - Dube - Ryan

Neal needs a kick in the ass, either demote him until he shows more effort or give him some popcorn coupons for the next one.

[bubbsy]

Get the kid on the pp please!

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by goflamesgo18

Award Bennett's recent play and effort.

Johnny - mony - bennett
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm
Frolik - Janko - Czarnik
Neal - Dube - Ryan

Neal needs a kick in the ass, either demote him until he shows more effort or give him some popcorn coupons for the next one.

I didn't have a problem with Neal's effort last night. I think he's a bit snake bit. Less ice time won't cure that. I still like Lindholm with Monahan.

The other issue is that it's a seeming demotion for Frolik after last night's performance.

[goflamesgo18]

Neal looked like he wasnt even paying attention twice on that 5 on 3. Had 2 glorious opportunities and didnt even come close to getting a shot off.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by goflamesgo18

Neal looked like he wasnt even paying attention twice on that 5 on 3. Had 2 glorious opportunities and didnt even come close to getting a shot off.

One was deflected by Chara, one the pass was off - it never made it to his stick.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by goflamesgo18

Award Bennett's recent play and effort.

Johnny - mony - bennett
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm
Frolik - Janko - Czarnik
Neal - Dube - Ryan

Neal needs a kick in the ass, either demote him until he shows more effort or give him some popcorn coupons for the next one.

But bump Frolik down after a 2 goal night?

[FBI]

Neal also had some stupid giveaways too that annoyed me. Kinda like when Johnny is off his game, his giveaways. Come on Neal step it up man.

[VilleN]

I think Neal just needs to get used to the team a bit. He is really only good for scoring goals and being somewhat of an agitator at times. Once he develops some chemistry he'll be fine.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by goflamesgo18

Award Bennett's recent play and effort.

Johnny - mony - bennett
Tkachuk - Backlund - Lindholm
Frolik - Janko - Czarnik
Neal - Dube - Ryan

Neal needs a kick in the ass, either demote him until he shows more effort or give him some popcorn coupons for the next one.

Put Neal on the left side, too. That'll show him.

[pepper24]

I heard Neal is a slow starter. Last year started slow with Vegas.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by pepper24

I heard Neal is a slow starter. Last year started slow with Vegas.

6 goals in their first 4 games is slow?

The first three games he had the game winner to boot.

[H2SO4(aq)]

Originally Posted by pepper24

I heard Neal is a slow starter. Last year started slow with Vegas.

Whoever told you that is a liar...

[Ullr]

Originally Posted by Buff

6 goals in their first 4 games is slow?

The first three games he had the game winner to boot.

Certainly a notoriously hot starter - but that being said. Tends to have lots of hot streaks and cold streaks throughout each season in his career. Hopefully this is just a cold streak he can break out of!

I still believe in the real deal James Neal

[Buff]

Originally Posted by pepper24

I heard Neal is a slow starter. Last year started slow with Vegas.

I had to look deeper into this and compared first 5 as well as first 10 for each of the past several years:

              5 games   10 games
2018/19:   2 pts         n/a
2017/18:   6 pts        10 pts
2016/17:   1 pt           4 pts
2015/16:   4 pts        10 pts
2014/15:   1 pt           7 pts
2013/14:   3 pts        10 pts

So, maybe a bit slow in his first 5 games, but normally he's doing quite well by game 10.

[dino7c]

I wouldn't change a damn thing after last game

Some of you are too obsessed with line #s

[goflamesgo18]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

But bump Frolik down after a 2 goal night?

Probably shouldnt do that. Just reward Bennett and demote Neal.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by goflamesgo18

Probably shouldnt do that. Just reward Bennett and demote Neal.

Or actually have 3-4 balanced lines that can score for the first time since 08/09.

Bennett and Neal have looked pretty good together, why break that up for the sake of rewarding Bennett.

You reward Bennett by giving him PP time.

PP1:

Tkachuk
Lindholm - Monahan - Gaudreau
Giordano

PP2:

Bennett
Czarnik - Backlund - Neal
Brodie/Hanifin

[ComixZone]

Keep Bennett with Neal - and give the kid some bloody consistency.

The reward should be solid minutes 5v5 and then a spot on PP2 to see if he can’t help shape that unit.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bonded

What is a successful season for Bennett, this kind of play and 40 points?

Points are largely influenced by utilization - line-mates, situational usage, PP time, etc., which are all out of his control.

I think a successful season should be determined by: showing progression, utilizing his line-mates better, playing smarter (reducing the bad penalties), and most importantly, showing some confidence and making the game fun again.

If he does those things, it'll be a successful season.

As for points, I think he should be on the 2nd PP. I would like to see him replace Ryan. And if that were to happen, I think he can definitely push through 40 points.

[DeluxeMoustache]

One major reason Peters likes Ryan on the PP is that he is a good guy on faceoffs, and your odds of succeeding increase if you start with the puck.

So it is not as simple as who is playing better.

If Sam works on this and becomes consistently strong on faceoffs, he has a better chance of getting that time