Sam Bennett at center - Why I Do Not Believe It Was A Failure

[H2SO4(aq)]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

When Bennett was in the box, looks like the whole team picked up its play. I really like Sam and wish him success, but imo it's time to cut ties. Package him with Stone for a higher quality forward - are there any teams in need of defense with excess good forwards?

For someone who has made so few posts in almost a decade of being on calgary puck, this should not have been one of them...

[Hockey-and_stuff]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

When Bennett was in the box, looks like the whole team picked up its play. I really like Sam and wish him success, but imo it's time to cut ties. Package him with Stone for a higher quality forward - are there any teams in need of defense with excess good forwards?

Yes it sure sucked when Bennett defended a teammate, fired up the rest of the boys and we scored 5 goals on the way to a huge comeback win. Bennett is the worst!

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

When Bennett was in the box, looks like the whole team picked up its play. I really like Sam and wish him success, but imo it's time to cut ties. Package him with Stone for a higher quality forward - are there any teams in need of defense with excess good forwards?

[GioforPM]

Quality trolling.

[SeanCharles]

I friggin love Sam Bennett..

If you forget about points for a minute the kid skates hard every shift, hits everyone, sticks up for his teammates and is just generally a guy the team can rally around due to his character.

He is easily one of our most important forwards and I consider him one of our 7 most integral forwards to success.

The points will come if he keeps playing this way - truth is the team is kinda lacking a 3rd line C at the moment which I think limits the wingers on that line.

[Flash Walken]

Could Darren McCarty be a good 'new nhl' career parallel to draw for Bennett? Sandpaper player who can step up emotionally in big games?

[MacDaddy77]

I think they should keep Bennett at center.

at worst he's our 3rd line center, at best perhaps takes over 2nd line or becomes a 2b centre.

if they keep him on the wing hes not going to pass Tkachuk or Gaudreau so his best case is being a 3rd line RW.

I still see way more upside to Bennett as Centre, allows him to patrol the entire ice and use his skating.

[joejoe3]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

When Bennett was in the box, looks like the whole team picked up its play. I really like Sam and wish him success, but imo it's time to cut ties. Package him with Stone for a higher quality forward - are there any teams in need of defense with excess good forwards?

His teammates seems to think differently.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

When Bennett was in the box, looks like the whole team picked up its play. I really like Sam and wish him success, but imo it's time to cut ties. Package him with Stone for a higher quality forward - are there any teams in need of defense with excess good forwards?

You don't think the reason he was in the box might have had something to do with the team picking it up?

[Vinny01]

Bennett and Hamonic are the only guys who will drop the gloves for their teammates. Sam might not be the offensive superstar we thought but he has the ability to be a solid gritty winger for us for a long time.

I wouldn’t be opposed to him at center again though especially if they tried him with Tkachuk and Neal for wingers

[Enoch Root]

Bennett isn't a 'up and down the lanes' guy, he is an all over the ice guy. When he plays with lane guys, you often see them bumping into each other.

He needs to play with guys that can think the game and can tag-team with him (for lack of a better description). He needs to play with some guys that have a pretty good hockey IQ, and the ability to adapt with him.

I think he would look good with Tkachuk, Dube, Czarnik - guys like that. I also think he and Neal can be an effective combo.

The more I look that the lines, the more I think Tkachuk makes sense. I know that 3M is awesome, but 1) I think Tkachuk deserves to play with more talent, and 2) I think Dube would be great on Backlund's line.

Tkachuk - Bennett - Neal
Dube - Backlund - Frolik

When Bennett scores a goal, and hockey becomes fun again, I think he instantly becomes a 40-45 point guy. He's there now, just snake-bitten beyond belief.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Could Darren McCarty be a good 'new nhl' career parallel to draw for Bennett? Sandpaper player who can step up emotionally in big games?

I think Bennett is far more talented than McCarty - way better tools.

I like the Gary Roberts comparison. I think a fully developed - and confident - Sam Bennett can play a game like Roberts.

Man, wouldn't that be nice?! Anything even remotely close to that, and this team becomes full on contender.

[EVERLAST]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I think Bennett is far more talented than McCarty - way better tools.

I like the Gary Roberts comparison. I think a fully developed - and confident - Sam Bennett can play a game like Roberts.

Man, wouldn't that be nice?! Anything even remotely close to that, and this team becomes full on contender.

Roberts was awesome but what can you say about his line mates Loob and Neiwendyk

Get Sam some quality line mates and you have your Gary Roberts

[420since1974]

I haven't proposed a lineup for a while, how about these ones?



Tkachuk/Bennett - Monahan - Bennett/Tkachuk

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Neal

Dube - Backlund - Frolik

Jankowski - Ryan - Czarnik/Hathaway



Two good scoring lines and Dube gets the Backlund bump.

[GranteedEV]

I've decided to revive this thread, because over these playoffs, I saw the exact same things I saw back then.

I'm more convinced than ever, Sam Bennett as a centre was not a failure. The organization (Glen Gulutzan and Bill Peters in particular) failed Sam Bennett by first giving him wingers who played with zero pace, and then utilizing him as a winger with a centre who played with zero pace.

Sam Bennett is a player who thrives on pace.

Milan Lucic may not be the fastest player in the NHL, but he plays the game with pace that James Neal, Troy Brouwer, etc etc etc etc did not.

Dillon Dube is one example of the perfect complement to Bennett.

It's time to make Sam Bennett a full time centre.

That is my takeaway from these playoffs, and maybe that's just my confirmation bias at play, but until I actually see Sam Bennett the worst player on his line (which... has never been the case in his career), the team should give him more opportunity.

He's earned it.

Not as a right winger.
Not as a left winger.
But as a centreman.

Even if the odd man out is Mikael Backlund or Sean Monahan, at this point the team needs to see what they have in Sam Bennett.

[ComixZone]

Agreed, and it sounds like the organization does too after Tree talked today. I'm excited to see Benny at centre with solid wingers for a full year.

[DoubleK]

Way to revive this echo chamber of Sam Bennett awesomeness. This postseason has done nothing more than upped the trade value.

Can't wait until the thread gets bumped 40 games into the regular season when the laments for Playoff Bennett are a thing for yet another year.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I have also been supportive of Bennett at centre. Call me crazy, but he should have been the 3rd line centre since his sophomore year in the NHL, and just kept there with at least one winger who can play at his pace. The Flames should have allowed him to grow and develop into that role. It was a terrible waste of an asset IMO to not have done this.

[Robbob]

You always look for pairings and then find a complimentary piece to fill out the line. Flames have had the Monahan-Gaudreau and Backlund-Tkachuk. Looks like potentially they could have the Bennett-Dube. Definitely something to build on next season to see if it could be a thing.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I think it could and should have been Bennett-Mangiapane as well last season. Thankfully Dube has pushed himself onto the roster.