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

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by Ped

And no points.


Pretty much his perpetual story.

Hahah only focusing on negatives.

If we keep him up there for awhile I think the points will come.

He set up Tkachuk for a glorious chance for the hatty, was buzzing around and hitting everyone.

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Red

True, but the coach still wants to win games. He can only disrupt so much.

It's probably nothing, but just got me thinking.

If this coach wants to win games he wouldn't put Smith in starter's net.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

Hahah only focusing on negatives.

If we keep him up there for awhile I think the points will come.

He set up Tkachuk for a glorious chance for the hatty, was buzzing around and hitting everyone.

Its the truth though.

I mean people have been saying for over 2 years now that he is unlucky, needs better linemates, is going to break out, etc...he is now a 4th year pro and has regressed offensively.

He is on pace for 17 freakin points....seventeen!!

That would tie him for 420th in the league last year.

I get he is young and all that. Like Smith though, this is a results business. He is making 2 million dollars a year and simply isnt good value at his current production. Particularly when he is getting top 6 and PP time like he has of late.

He isnt the only guy on the team that isnt doing enough, but he also shouldnt be off limits for a very valid criticism.

. The defense by so many on this board towards this guy is bordering on bizarre.

[SeanCharles]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Its the truth though.

I mean people have been saying for over 2 years now that he is unlucky, needs better linemates, is going to break out, etc...he is now a 4th year pro and has regressed offensively.

He is on pace for 17 freakin points....seventeen!!

That would tie him for 420th in the league last year.

I get he is young and all that. Like Smith though, this is a results business. He is making 2 million dollars a year and simply isnt good value at his current production. Particularly when he is getting top 6 and PP time like he has of late.

He isnt the only guy on the team that isnt doing enough, but he also shouldnt be off limits for a very valid criticism.

. The defense by so many on this board towards this guy is bordering on bizarre.

I agree with you but my rebuttal was to give him more than 1 game with those two before we judge.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

Hahah only focusing on negatives.

If we keep him up there for awhile I think the points will come.

He set up Tkachuk for a glorious chance for the hatty, was buzzing around and hitting everyone.

While some genuine posters are just being negative, it's fair to say the odd trolls are dancing with them. There have been some really good insights from some posters on the reasons for Bennett's struggles. Too much focus on the negative seems like someone who is venting rather than offering a constructive perspective.

[Flamenspiel]

I am good with Bennett where he is playing with Backlund. The basic issue is that GG had Bennett designated as a martyr for the bottom six, a kind if 7th forward when he should be top 6.

I think he will really do well and perhaps earn a raise as a top 6. I'd rather have Neal and/or Frolik in that role(7th forward) if they have to sacrifice someone.

[The Boy Wonder]

Bennett will get the points going if Peters keeps this line together.

They played very well.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Its the truth though.

I mean people have been saying for over 2 years now that he is unlucky, needs better linemates, is going to break out, etc...he is now a 4th year pro and has regressed offensively.

He is on pace for 17 freakin points....seventeen!!

That would tie him for 420th in the league last year.

I get he is young and all that. Like Smith though, this is a results business. He is making 2 million dollars a year and simply isnt good value at his current production. Particularly when he is getting top 6 and PP time like he has of late.

He isnt the only guy on the team that isnt doing enough, but he also shouldnt be off limits for a very valid criticism.

. The defense by so many on this board towards this guy is bordering on bizarre.

Right ...

But as a result of his dogged forechecking and puck pursuit, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk looked more dangerous last night than they have in over a week.

Hell Tkachuk even said "I love playing with Benny" after the second period.

Ideally he scores a hat trick but driving play and creating when you play with two skilled players isn't coming up empty.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Right ...

But as a result of his dogged forechecking and puck pursuit, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk looked more dangerous last night than they have in over a week.

Hell Tkachuk even said "I love playing with Benny" after the second period.

Ideally he scores a hat trick but driving play and creating when you play with two skilled players isn't coming up empty.

Backlund was easily the weak link on that line last night as he was shooting where passes were available and shooting poorly. I would like to see a Tkachuk-Bennett-Czarnik or Tkachuk-Bennett-Jankowski line at this point.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by The Boy Wonder

Bennett will get the points going if Peters keeps this line together.

They played very well.

Completely agree Bennett should stay up on the second line he has been working hard and with Tkachuk and Backlund the points will naturally come.
Meanwhile maybe Jankowski and Frolik get Neal off the couch. At least Neal should start hitting and being a pest to the opposition, talk about a guy not living up to any aspects of what he was expected to add to the Flames.

[kman35ca]

We've came this far with Bennett, giving up on him while he is playing way better than the last couple seasons is pretty counter productive. He's got a lot of great elements to his game. And I think we need a guy like him on this team. He's one of our only hard hitting, tenacious players.

Without him we become even more soft of a team. But he definitely needs to work on that shot, a lot! As do a few other players.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Completely agree Bennett should stay up on the second line he has been working hard and with Tkachuk and Backlund the points will naturally come.
Meanwhile maybe Jankowski and Frolik get Neal off the couch. At least Neal should start hitting and being a pest to the opposition, talk about a guy not living up to any aspects of what he was expected to add to the Flames.

And yet he still feels like a better investment than Brouwer

[868904]

Bennett's struggles really are on him. There's an article on Sportsnet about how Jake Virtanen went to work on his skills with Pavel Barber in the Summer and now he's taking his game to another level.

Why wasn't Bennett working with a skills coach over the Summer?

If he was, he was obviously working with the wrong one cause his skills haven't improved. Most importantly, his shot hasn't improved much at all since he was drafted.

I don't question Bennett's drive, but I really think he's going about his Summer training all wrong. In today's NHL, it's about skill. Guys should be working on their skills as much as their strength and conditioning.

[Toonage]

Doesn't Bennett train with McDavid and Gary Roberts in the off season?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by 868904

Bennett's struggles really are on him. There's an article on Sportsnet about how Jake Virtanen went to work on his skills with Pavel Barber in the Summer and now he's taking his game to another level.

Why wasn't Bennett working with a skills coach over the Summer?

If he was, he was obviously working with the wrong one cause his skills haven't improved. Most importantly, his shot hasn't improved much at all since he was drafted.

I don't question Bennett's drive, but I really think he's going about his Summer training all wrong. In today's NHL, it's about skill. Guys should be working on their skills as much as their strength and conditioning.

I know it sounds like im anti-Bennett and im really not, but there is a very simple explanation for this....

His skills are ok, always have been.

His hockey IQ simply isnt though and that is why he has been so abysmal offensively. He doesnt think the game well enough to be where he needs to be nor adjust to be effective. He is STILL trying his go to junior move on NHL defensemen and predictably it just doesn't work. His boneheaded penalties (that he has cleaned up so far this year) are another indicator.

It's the same reason he has been an abject failure at C. The thinking part of that position, particularly in the 200' sense, is a big level above playing the wing.

I really doubt it changes for him either as im not sure IQ can be taught to any degree that it makes a substantial difference.

What you see is what you get with him...a (maybe) 25-35 pt banger/crasher 3rd line guy. Playing him on the 2nd line and expecting him to break out offensively is a reach IMO.

Hope i am dead wrong though.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Right ...

But as a result of his dogged forechecking and puck pursuit, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk looked more dangerous last night than they have in over a week.

Hell Tkachuk even said "I love playing with Benny" after the second period.

Ideally he scores a hat trick but driving play and creating when you play with two skilled players isn't coming up empty.

Right...


Problem is Bennett had nothing to do with Tkachuk's goals. Bennett wasn't on the ice for either of them.

[868904]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I know it sounds like im anti-Bennett and im really not, but there is a very simple explanation for this....

His skills are ok, always have been.

His hockey IQ simply isnt though and that is why he has been so abysmal offensively. He doesnt think the game well enough to be where he needs to be nor adjust to be effective. He is STILL trying his go to junior move on NHL defensemen and predictably it just doesn't work. His boneheaded penalties (that he has cleaned up so far this year) are another indicator.

It's the same reason he has been an abject failure at C. The thinking part of that position, particularly in the 200' sense, is a big level above playing the wing.

I really doubt it changes for him either as im not sure IQ can be taught to any degree that it makes a substantial difference.

What you see is what you get with him...a (maybe) 25-35 pt banger/crasher 3rd line guy. Playing him on the 2nd line and expecting him to break out offensively is a reach IMO.

Hope i am dead wrong though.

Hockey IQ is the same knock on Virtanen.

I do agree with you though, You can tell Bennett doesn’t make the smartest plays out there or see the ice particularly well but it shouldn’t prevent him from being a point producer as he’s still getting into scoring areas, he just doesn’t have an NHL shot and release which is why I’m wondering why he and his team (agent and supporters) haven’t identified this yet and worked on it. Virtanen did.

[The Boy Wonder]

Originally Posted by 868904

Hockey IQ is the same knock on Virtanen.

I do agree with you though, You can tell Bennett doesn’t make the smartest plays out there or see the ice particularly well but it shouldn’t prevent him from being a point producer as he’s still getting into scoring areas, he just doesn’t have an NHL shot and release which is why I’m wondering why he and his team (agent and supporters) haven’t identified this yet and worked on it. Virtanen did.

Can you guys not just enjoy that bennett has been playing MUCH better hockey through 19 games this season?

Yes maybe the points aren't there but game in game out he has been one of our better players, always creating chances, building momentum, and has just been really unlucky to not have about 10 assists, if janko, neal and backlund could finish he would be sitting at close to .6 ppg which is pretty good considering he's been on the 3rd line all season. Not to mention if he could not hit posts, or have goals called back

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Right ...

But as a result of his dogged forechecking and puck pursuit, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk looked more dangerous last night than they have in over a week.

Hell Tkachuk even said "I love playing with Benny" after the second period.

Ideally he scores a hat trick but driving play and creating when you play with two skilled players isn't coming up empty.

It just eventually has to result in production, either for him or his linemates particularly if he is going to be part of the 2nd line.

Seems everyone has different levels of patience. Don't know how long you can tolerate a 17 point pace before pushing him back down the lineup. Guess it really depends if the team is winning or not.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Imagine if the same apologist arguments applied to Smith.

"He was just really unlucky to not have made that save yesterday." "You're not focusing on all the saves he does make." "If the defense played better he would have a 930 save percentage."

It's a result based league, it's not a prospect development camp. If Bennett isn't producing, Flames fans can be disappointed in him. It's not just the last 19 games, it's been closer to the last 200 with Bennett with the same arguments. He can't be that unlucky. It can't be his linemates. At one point it might just be him.

If his "improved play" actually resulted in something tangible, awesome. Until it does though, 20 points isn't cutting it for him.