The Legend of Sam Bennett

[TheScorpion]

Of note, re: Heineman.

First 34 games of the 2020-21 SHL season:

3 G
3 A
36 shots on goal
11:44 average time on ice

Last nine games of the 2020-21 SHL season:

4 G
3 A
20 shots on goal
15:31 average time on ice

[Saqe]

I still feel nostalgic about this. Not sure if it's because of Bennett or that six years with him has passed in a blink of an eye and I'm getting old lol.

Best of luck to him finding that next level. Sad that it didn't work out in a Flames jersey.

[The Swedish Flame]

I am not going to read all of this. But some thoughts after seeing him this season: Heineman has been playing with Cehlarik and Hrivik (Flame!) on LIFs top line toward the end of the season after others fell to injuries. LIF was the team that beat all expectations this season too, with no one expecting them to finish in third (although they might be laying an egg in the quarter finals right now). He's received a lot of praise for his play this season. Playing with guys that have been in the NHL should have benefitted him and given him an idea of what it will take to play there. Ceiling? Don't know, but third line?

[Huntingwhale]

I'm trying this new thing where I don't get emotionally attached to players given the lack of this franchises' success the past 3 decades. Hoping we keep every player I liked over the years has lead to nothing but heartache and disappointment. I hope that is the though process management begins to follow going forward.

So while I like Bennett and wish him the best, I refuse to let myself get attached to him. First and foremost, he's the poster boy for underachievers with this club. While it's not entirely his fault, him not panning out to be the #1C this team desperately needed set the Flames back, when it was supposed to be taking steps forward.

I enjoyed his playoff performances, his fights and his big hits. He's also easily the best hitter this team has had since Phaneuf. But time to move on and hope whatever BT got back ends up being contributors down the road.

I hope Bennett 'breaks out' eventually, whatever that means. I'll definitely be keeping a close eye on him during his career.

[tvp2003]

The 2014 draft was a real disappointment. Four picks out of the first 65, and we got Bennett and three guys who didn’t even come close to playing a single NHL game (Mason McDonald, Hunter Smith, Brandon Hickey). Woof.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Yakupov is an interesting comparison.
He got traded after his 4th NHL season and netted a guy drafted in the 4th and a 3rd round pick.

Nikita Filatov eventually went for a single 3rd

Seems like Tree got very good value here.

Bennett career ppg .35

Yakupov career ppg .39

Sam obviously brings other elements to his game than Yakupov did, but yeah....that level of a bust for high draft pick.

[JohnnyO]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

The 2014 draft was a real disappointment. Four picks out of the first 65, and we got Bennett and three guys who didn’t even come close to playing a single NHL game (Mason McDonald, Hunter Smith, Brandon Hickey). Woof.

Plus 2013 having 3 1st's (6. Monahan, 22. Porier, 28. Klimchuck) and you can see the problem, as these guys should all be in their prime and leading the team now.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by JohnnyO

Plus 2013 having 3 1st's (6. Monahan, 22. Porier, 28. Klimchuck) and you can see the problem, as these guys should all be in their prime and leading the team now.

That would be a Home Run.

Later first round picks are usually not players who are certain to be leading their teams.

Many would argue that Monny has given us great value for the pick. The problem is, his production is decreasing at a time when he should be in his prime.

[JohnnyO]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

That would be a Home Run.

Later first round picks are usually not players who are certain to be leading their teams.

Many would argue that Monny has given us great value for the pick. The problem is, his production is decreasing at a time when he should be in his prime.

Sure not leaders for the later picks, but more than 10 games total in the NHL should be expected from 2! 1st rounders.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by JohnnyO

Plus 2013 having 3 1st's (6. Monahan, 22. Porier, 28. Klimchuck) and you can see the problem, as these guys should all be in their prime and leading the team now.

Klimchuck was over drafted as he was a mid/late 2nd round talent and they took Poirier at 22 supposedly because they were worried the Habs were going to take him. I don't think Klimchuk ever had the skillset to be a difference maker in the NHL but Poirier had potential and unfortunately he had personal issues. That draft really was full of busts as Theodore (Dickinson to a lesser degree) sticks out as the player they could have got after Monahan that would have been a difference maker but the Flames aren't the only team that missed on him.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by JohnnyO

Plus 2013 having 3 1st's (6. Monahan, 22. Porier, 28. Klimchuck) and you can see the problem, as these guys should all be in their prime and leading the team now.

And it snowballs when you compensate by trading away draft picks for players instead, and sign long term UFA’s that don’t pan out. Imagine if Poirier had developed into a top 6 RW — do we sign Neal? Probably not.

[Strange Brew]

Hopefully Heineken turns into a player. Flames have not had any recent success trading for other teams prospects. Thinking of Pollock, Shore, Shinkaruk and of course the Iginla and Bouwmeester trades.

Was Byron the last time the club landed another teams prospect in a trade and he became an NHLer?

[Matata]

I've got some serious our grapes over Bennett, and put a lot of the blame for the team being consistently being mediocre on him for slowly unlearning the game over the last 6 years. Despite that, Florida is now my team in the east and I hope he has a monster playoffs, he's always been an easy guy to cheer for.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Hopefully Heineken turns into a player. Flames have not had any recent success trading for other teams prospects. Thinking of Pollock, Shore, Shinkaruk and of course the Iginla and Bouwmeester trades.

Was Byron the last time the club landed another teams prospect in a trade and he became an NHLer?

Well, Lazar is still an NHLer. Don’t know kid you count him or Colborne since they had played a few games. Also Berra and Ramo I guess.

[Rick M.]

I’ve seen Carl Hagelin mentioned as a comparable to Heineman.

[stone hands]

..

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

I’ve seen Carl Hagelin mentioned as a comparable to Heineman.

Hagelin in his prime was one of the fastest players in the NHL. It would be amazing if Heineman has that kind of gamebreaking speed.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

The 2014 draft was a real disappointment. Four picks out of the first 65, and we got Bennett and three guys who didn’t even come close to playing a single NHL game (Mason McDonald, Hunter Smith, Brandon Hickey). Woof.

I know it's all hindsight, but I still recall during draft day, a lot of CP posters were disappointed we took MacDonald instead of Demko, and Smith / Hickey instead of Point. Can you imagine the Flames now if it turned out how CP had wanted it to that day? We'd have a potential #1 goalie, and a franchise centreman.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I know it's all hindsight, but I still recall during draft day, a lot of CP posters were disappointed we took MacDonald instead of Demko, and Smith / Hickey instead of Point. Can you imagine the Flames now if it turned out how CP had wanted it to that day? We'd have a potential #1 goalie, and a franchise centreman.

It's also why tanking to get better draft picks doesn't mean anything unless you do something with those draft picks

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I know it's all hindsight, but I still recall during draft day, a lot of CP posters were disappointed we took MacDonald instead of Demko, and Smith / Hickey instead of Point. Can you imagine the Flames now if it turned out how CP had wanted it to that day? We'd have a potential #1 goalie, and a franchise centreman.

That hunter smith pick still boils my blood. That draft in general was incredibly frustrating. I didn't have point on my personal board, but I wanted Demko over McDonald (stupid choice when it was made, stupid choice now) and Christian Dvorak over Smith (Also a totally baffling decision...) Getting to bragging, I also had Pastranak in my top 4- I was trying to go against the curve and thought Draisaitl would be too slow for the league. So I had him 5 and pasta 4.

2014 draft nuked our rebuild. The best pick the org has ever had was a total bust, and we whiffed on every other pick too. 2013's other 1sts flopping hard does suck, but 2014 was the nail in the coffin of our contender hopes.