Do you think this team's core has Stanley Cup potential?

[Par]

If we want Sam Bennett to take the next step, than we need to give him some, good line mates. We cannot attach the anchor Troy Brouwer to Sam Bennett and say, sail, sail sail fast as you can, he cannot sail fast because he has an anchor attached to him.

I think what is holding up Sam Bennett's contract negations maybe the quality of his line mates.

The Same thing is true for Monahan and Johnny, they need a good RW, not hot and cold Ferland.

[CSharp]

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett. The only good thing coming out of Bennett is if Treliving can trade that potential and fetch a player that will make the core bigger and better, it's the only way to go. Otherwise, we can reminisce on his 4-goal game back when Hartley was the coach. The Bennett potential dwindles each passing year. Currently, the way I see it, the Flames are still small and soft up front. You can stack the back all you want, but you still need the forwards to do most of your scoring.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett. The only good thing coming out of Bennett is if Treliving can trade that potential and fetch a player that will make the core bigger and better, it's the only way to go. Otherwise, we can reminisce on his 4-goal game back when Hartley was the coach. The Bennett potential dwindles each passing year. Currently, the way I see it, the Flames are still small and soft up front. You can stack the back all you want, but you still need the forwards to do most of your scoring.

You forget how young Bennett is.

He's not in any immediate danger of being called a dwindling talent.


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[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett. The only good thing coming out of Bennett is if Treliving can trade that potential and fetch a player that will make the core bigger and better, it's the only way to go. Otherwise, we can reminisce on his 4-goal game back when Hartley was the coach. The Bennett potential dwindles each passing year. Currently, the way I see it, the Flames are still small and soft up front. You can stack the back all you want, but you still need the forwards to do most of your scoring.

You forget how young Bennett is.

He's not in any immediate danger of being called a dwindling talent.


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[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett.

-Slick Hands
-High-end Vision
-Puck-carrying ability
-Tenacity without the puck
-Smooth reverse skating, strong forward skating
-Reads defensive lanes very well
-Good and varied shot repertoire.

Bennett is the archtype of a strong NHL center. Not everybody puts it together off the bat (and most that did were not playing with Troy "Anchor" Brouwer.)

[Jimdon]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

I look at the centre position of cup winning teams since the 05 Lockout:

And I am not sure we have a 1 that can stack up

If having a top end d core can't offset the fact that we might run into a team in the playoffs that has a better #1 center than we do then we are in trouble.

[---Hatrick---]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett. The only good thing coming out of Bennett is if Treliving can trade that potential and fetch a player that will make the core bigger and better, it's the only way to go. Otherwise, we can reminisce on his 4-goal game back when Hartley was the coach. The Bennett potential dwindles each passing year. Currently, the way I see it, the Flames are still small and soft up front. You can stack the back all you want, but you still need the forwards to do most of your scoring.

Let's trade away a potential first line center, who I will remind you is only 20 years old, and playing arguably the toughest position in hockey.
Yup! Let's trade him away and watch him develop on another team and become a beast and forever wonder why we traded him in the first place.
And to refer to Bennett as small and soft is beyond laughable 😂

Patience young grass hoppa

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Par

If we want Sam Bennett to take the next step, than we need to give him some, good line mates. We cannot attach the anchor Troy Brouwer to Sam Bennett and say, sail, sail sail fast as you can, he cannot sail fast because he has an anchor attached to him.

I think what is holding up Sam Bennett's contract negations maybe the quality of his line mates.

The Same thing is true for Monahan and Johnny, they need a good RW, not hot and cold Ferland.

Just to be clear...are you saying that Bennett hasn't signed a contract yet because he either hasn't been given good enough line mates yet to play with, OR, the even sillier scenario, he's negotiating who he gets to play with?

I agree that Brouwer wasn't a good fit with him last year, and he may not be good this year either, but Bennett's advanced stats from last year indicate that he wasn't much better than Brouwer. He had a down year. Sophomore jinx. It happens, but I expect that he will improve a fair amount this year after adjusting to the league and adjusting to playing center.

Also, if Bennett had shown more throughout the year, he probably would have been given better line mates to play with.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Teams that compete in the NHL generally have the best chances of winning the Stanley Cup.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Bennett's advanced stats from last year indicate that he wasn't much better than Brouwer.

?

If you mean shot metrics,

With Brouwer, Bennett’s CF% was a putrid 44.4%. Away from him, it shot up to an above average 51.7%.

The only reason Bennett's so-called "advanced stats" look weak overall is because he played with Brouwer, a lot more than he should have.

Bennett also had elite shot suppression and goal-against metrics on the penalty kill:



Per this article.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

?

If you mean shot metrics,



The only reason Bennett's so-called "advanced stats" look weak overall is because he played with Brouwer, a lot more than he should have.

Bennett also had elite shot suppression and goal-against metrics on the penalty kill:



Per this article.

And this is why I argue that Bennett has taken a massive forward step in his development last season. It isn't just the offence that we should concern ourselves with when it comes to Bennett, but his overall game.

I think he really does need at least a winger with skill who can play with said skill at top speed. It will create turnovers and put other teams on their heels a bit. His offence will come, and it was never a concern of mine.

What I was concerned about was his defensive acumen as I thought he was shockingly awful. He has become a MUCH, MUCH better player in 2 out of the 3 zones. Now it is a matter of making it click offensively while maintaining (and hopefully, continuing to improve) the defensive side of things.

That is why I think Jankowski ends up a winger - at least in the shorter term - because Bennett has been progressing really nicely, and his speed and non-stop motor really help him at both ends of the ice. People want to see his grit and his speed on the forecheck more, but I argue that his speed and grit are better utilized on the back check and then to jump up in the rush or lead the rush as a center.

I imagine him as the type of center to knock a guy down in the corner while punching him without the ref noticing, or simply crushing a guy in open ice, and then taking the puck and zooming the opposite way and create a scoring chance. That's the Sam Bennett I see developing. He has options now that he has never really had before - Foo, Lazar, Jankowski, Poirier (I bet he gets NHL time this year) - all guys that can pretty much stay in the play by matching Bennett's speed and have the skill to make plays themselves at that speed.

Jankowski won't replace Stajan on the 4th line unless Gulutzan wants to scrap a 4th line and just start rolling 4 scoring lines. When there is an injury to a center, you just rotate Janowski off the wing. If he ends up being a better center in time over Monahan, Backlund or Bennett, then you adjust at that time. You don't keep Jankowski down in the AHL waiting for it if he is NHL ready (which I would say he is).

It is getting really damn hard not to be excited to see this team again.

[taco.vidal]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett. The only good thing coming out of Bennett is if Treliving can trade that potential and fetch a player that will make the core bigger and better, it's the only way to go. Otherwise, we can reminisce on his 4-goal game back when Hartley was the coach. The Bennett potential dwindles each passing year. Currently, the way I see it, the Flames are still small and soft up front. You can stack the back all you want, but you still need the forwards to do most of your scoring.

Bennett is a dud. Trade him now while he still has value near that of his draft position. Jankowski is more likely to be anthing better than a third line centre.

The Flames window is narrow and will last only as long as Gaudreau remains a Flame. Gaudreau is pretty much guaranteed to be gone back east when he hits UFA. Hopefully the Flames trade him in advance of that and get some value for him to help start the next push with the next young core.

[Coach]

I do believe the core has Cup potential BUT...

We need a legitimate starting goalie under 30 and in the long term plans to complete the core. One of Gillies, Rittich or Parsons needs to hit and soon.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett. The only good thing coming out of Bennett is if Treliving can trade that potential and fetch a player that will make the core bigger and better, it's the only way to go. Otherwise, we can reminisce on his 4-goal game back when Hartley was the coach. The Bennett potential dwindles each passing year. Currently, the way I see it, the Flames are still small and soft up front. You can stack the back all you want, but you still need the forwards to do most of your scoring.

Bennett scored 18 goals and 36 points as a 19 year old. That's not counting a few goals he had called back because review technology sucks a couple hairy ones. That without AHL seasoning. He's a player. But how good is the question.

Just because we've been fortunate to have Monahan and Tkachuk step right into the NHL and make an impact to never look back doesn't mean that it isn't still difficult the first couple seasons for most players, and it doesn't mean sophomore slumps aren't a thing. They certainly are, and counting Bennett out right after his is premature to say the least.

Chances are very strong that Bennett did not peak or plateau as a teenager.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by CSharp

Not sure why everyone is still so high on Bennett. The only good thing coming out of Bennett is if Treliving can trade that potential and fetch a player that will make the core bigger and better, it's the only way to go. Otherwise, we can reminisce on his 4-goal game back when Hartley was the coach. The Bennett potential dwindles each passing year. Currently, the way I see it, the Flames are still small and soft up front. You can stack the back all you want, but you still need the forwards to do most of your scoring.

Jankowski is 2 years older and has 1 NHL game. He is a bum and we should trade him. Valimaki better make the team or we should dump him
While there is still a chance.

This is an embarrassingly bad post on your part. Gaudreau was a rookie the same age Bennett is now. Giving up on a guy who just turned 21 or writing off his potential is one of the most short sighted opinions I have read on these
Boards.

[FireGilbert]

Yes, the Flames have a cup winning core with the missing piece being an above average goaltender who can get hot in the playoffs.

I also don't understand that you need an elite centre to win the cup. Sure it has worked for Pittsburgh but there are other was to win too. Nashville doesn't have an elite centre but got close to the cup with a great D, forward depth and solid goaltending. LA won with Kopitar and Carter who are great players but hardly elite. Even Toews on Chicago, although elite defensively, isn't close to an elite scorer and I'd argue an elite winger in Kane and elite D in Keith were bigger reasons for their cup wins.

The Flames might not have an top 5 centre in the league at the level of Crosby or McDavid but they do have a top 15 in Monahan, an elite two way in Backlund, and a wild card with Bennett. That is great centre depth.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

Yes, the Flames have a cup winning core with the missing piece being an above average goaltender who can get hot in the playoffs.

I also don't understand that you need an elite centre to win the cup. Sure it has worked for Pittsburgh but there are other was to win too. Nashville doesn't have an elite centre but got close to the cup with a great D, forward depth and solid goaltending. LA won with Kopitar and Carter who are great players but hardly elite. Even Toews on Chicago, although elite defensively, isn't close to an elite scorer and I'd argue an elite winger in Kane and elite D in Keith were bigger reasons for their cup wins.

The Flames might not have an top 5 centre in the league at the level of Crosby or McDavid but they do have a top 15 in Monahan, an elite two way in Backlund, and a wild card with Bennett. That is great centre depth.

Toews and Kopitar were certainly elite centres when their teams won the Cups.


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[CSharp]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Jankowski is 2 years older and has 1 NHL game. He is a bum and we should trade him. Valimaki better make the team or we should dump him
While there is still a chance.

This is an embarrassingly bad post on your part. Gaudreau was a rookie the same age Bennett is now. Giving up on a guy who just turned 21 or writing off his potential is one of the most short sighted opinions I have read on these
Boards.

I don't think it's that bad of a post. It's more stupid to continually talk about a "potential" on a yearly basis when you look north and that potential has actually become a star and our "potential" is still being talked as a "potential" - both drafted in the same year. It's almost like talking Fata - he was once a great potential too! Hey, I hope Bennett becomes great next year and then we can start comparing him to Draisaitl at par. But you know that if he goes into another year and another summer where we're still talking about his potential greatness, his stock dwindles quite a bit more.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by CSharp

I don't think it's that bad of a post.

I do.

It's more stupid to continually talk about a "potential" on a yearly basis when you look north and that potential has actually become a star and our "potential" is still being talked as a "potential" - both drafted in the same year.

Uh you are talking about a guy who was physically mature the day he was drafted, who still had an atrocious year the only time he played a similar role to what Bennett played last year (look up Draisaitl's 2014-15 NHL season) , who had a full season centering Taylor Hall because there was no Monahan class player up north, and then spent last season on Connor McDavid's right wing and 1st power play as clear second fiddle every moment he hit the ice. Oh and he is 8 months older either way, which is nearly a full draft year of difference.

I admit Bennett's season last year was more underwhelming than it should have been, but he still oozes potential and if he got to play with Taylor Hall next year you would be singing a different tune.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Just to be clear...are you saying that Bennett hasn't signed a contract yet because he either hasn't been given good enough line mates yet to play with, OR, the even sillier scenario, he's negotiating who he gets to play with?

I agree that Brouwer wasn't a good fit with him last year, and he may not be good this year either, but Bennett's advanced stats from last year indicate that he wasn't much better than Brouwer. He had a down year. Sophomore jinx. It happens, but I expect that he will improve a fair amount this year after adjusting to the league and adjusting to playing center.

Also, if Bennett had shown more throughout the year, he probably would have been given better line mates to play with.

It's just "of course for The Par". Don't worry too much about it.