Sam Bennett

[travel_dude]

1 hour ago, cross16 said:

 

Wasn't a problem his rookie year. Having to carry 2 non nhler as a rookie center really didn't help either. 

 

Agree to disagree. I also don't mean to suggest Bennett should shoulder no blame and it's all on the Flames, that's not fair either. But I point heavily to the Flames here. 

 

His rookie year....

Having some trouble remembering that.

Was it the year he played wing to Granlund, then played center?

In 15/16 he only took 347 faceoffs.  Granlund was traded in February.

 

Also, did he play with Backlund and Frolik that same year or did that happen the previous playoffs only?

 

Back to this year.  Him getting time with Dube and Neal does show some trust in him, given his play in the first two games.  He absolutely needs to show that he belongs there.  It may not happen in one game, but you need to see some signs.  Scoring chances, shots, etc.  We've seen the defensive game.

[LouCifer]

I like that BP isn’t afraid to play science experiment with the lines. Maybe he’ll discover some “chemistry” 

[89Again]

Credit where credit is due;

 

It appears that Mr Peters is going to give him a shot up the lineup.  Can.t ask for more than that.  SB has looked good and now he has a shot with a playmaker and a shooter.  Its up to him now.

 

Sure like what I am seeing but still am not sure on Backlund.

 

 

[robrob74]

1 hour ago, flames for life said:

This lends to my point exactly.  He scored 18 and 18 in his first year.  Not exactly a playmaker, but the hint of a playmaker.  The big difference between Mony and Bennett lies in the hidden strengths.  Most of Mony’s goals are from in front of the net.  Bennett plants in the corner and tries to charge into the front.  He needs to either place himself better or play with his head more in tune with the pass.  Just a reminder that Mony also played his first while without Gaudreau, and scored goals the same way he does now.

maybe this speaks more so of his hockey smarts and on ice vision, as well as understanding the role you need to accept in order to succeed in this league.

 

Monahan had Hudler for most of the first year. And it was Hudler probably at his best.

[conundrumed]

9 minutes ago, 89Again said:

Credit where credit is due;

 

It appears that Mr Peters is going to give him a shot up the lineup.  Can.t ask for more than that.  SB has looked good and now he has a shot with a playmaker and a shooter.  Its up to him now.

 

Sure like what I am seeing but still am not sure on Backlund.

 

 

Good call.

[MAC331]

13 hours ago, lou44291 said:

I like that BP isn’t afraid to play science experiment with the lines. Maybe he’ll discover some “chemistry” 

I believe it is essential that BP experiment and find the right alignments.

[MAC331]

13 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

Monahan had Hudler for most of the first year. And it was Hudler probably at his best.

I don't think there should be any doubt Monahan is smarter and a more fundamentally sound player than Bennett. Bennett entire style is built around being aggressive towards the net because it served him well in Junior. Having said this I also think he has learned a lot since being a Flame. He is a more sound defensive player and sees the ice better IMO. Now is the time to get him placed properly and bring out that aggressive competitive player we drafted for.

[robrob74]

18 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

I don't think there should be any doubt Monahan is smarter and a more fundamentally sound player than Bennett. Bennett entire style is built around being aggressive towards the net because it served him well in Junior. Having said this I also think he has learned a lot since being a Flame. He is a more sound defensive player and sees the ice better IMO. Now is the time to get him placed properly and bring out that aggressive competitive player we drafted for.

 

I don’t mean to say or downplay Monahan, but a lot of posters on here like to say Monahan scored as a rookie without Gaudreau while forgetting to mention that he had an exceptional playmaker in Hudler to help him along. That was great! 

Then Bennett had Backlund and they thought he could hold his own as Monahan did, but never did get another player like Backlund or Gaudreau and the expectations are that he plays up to those levels. 

I know I have to come to terms that Bennett is what he is I guess.

[DHT]

On 10/8/2018 at 10:37 AM, MAC331 said:

So how does he do that with 6 or 8 minutes from the 4th line and no PP time ?

Do you think if he was as good as McDavid that he will only get 6 to 8 minutes on the 4th line and no PP time?

[MAC331]

3 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

I don’t mean to say or downplay Monahan, but a lot of posters on here like to say Monahan scored as a rookie without Gaudreau while forgetting to mention that he had an exceptional playmaker in Hudler to help him along. That was great! 

Then Bennett had Backlund and they thought he could hold his own as Monahan did, but never did get another player like Backlund or Gaudreau and the expectations are that he plays up to those levels. 

I know I have to come to terms that Bennett is what he is I guess.

Timing is everything sometimes, maybe it is good that Bennett experienced some adversity and hardship. Now that Tkachuk has 2 seasons under his belt I would like to see him away from Backlund and use his playmaking abilities wit someone like Bennett. Should we really be wanting to see Bennett held back any more than what has gone on.? I say no because it could be changes such as these that get this team to the next level along with the new additions.

[travel_dude]

5 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

Timing is everything sometimes, maybe it is good that Bennett experienced some adversity and hardship. Now that Tkachuk has 2 seasons under his belt I would like to see him away from Backlund and use his playmaking abilities wit someone like Bennett. Should we really be wanting to see Bennett held back any more than what has gone on.? I say no because it could be changes such as these that get this team to the next level along with the new additions.

 

I have no issue with moving Tkachuk to another line, as long as he's still getting 15+ minutes per game, including PP.

Play him with Neal and Dube.

In theory, Tkachuk will help that pair control more of the play.

We could move Bennett to play with Backlund and Czarnik, as long as we reduce the ice time to about 15 minutes max.

Everybody wins, except Janko.

With Frolik-Janko-Ryan, we potentially have a decent defensive line.

 

First things first.  He need to continue his stong play in whatever minutes he gets tonight.  The Dube-Ryan-Neal line had real trouble last game.  He needs to help them control more of the play.  And he needs to be able to feed Neal and finish from Dube.  Do it for one game, and he will earn his ice time. 

 

[cccsberg]

On 2018-10-07 at 5:42 PM, kehatch said:

If you are playing Bennett based on what he could be your making a mistake.  That is a poor idea for any prospect / player, but especially one that has been in the NHL for years.  Take Dube, he is getting his time based on what he has been able to do to date.  That said, I like what I have seen from Bennett.  I think he should be getting some time because he has been playing well.  If the coach doesn't want to mess with his top two lines then lets put Bennett with Ryan/Neal on the third line. 

I believe its a still early feeling out period with the 12+ pretty good players BP has to work with, with several being new to the Flames.  No line is set fully, but a few trends seem to be emerging.  The trends are in respect to scoring, defensive play, face-offs, line chemistry and other matters.  It is still a work in progress.  In addition, the overall team play is still a work in progress in terms of how BP wants them to play to be most effective.  I don't think the team is there yet either.  As far as results go, the results are mixed but not unusual for any team at this point.  I think the best NHL team (results) out there today is Carolina, but I'm doubtful that will stand.  Once the team gets its first ten or twelve games in we'll have a much better picture.

 

The four trends that seem apparent to date are, first, the team is scoring way more than last year.  Secondly, the PP is way more diverse than last year.  Thirdly the coaches seem way more involved and responsive to changes in game.  The final trend is that there seems to be more resilience than last year with the Flames fighting harder right to the end.  Defensively, personnel-wise, TOI, goalkeeping, systems changes and PP/PK are still trying to get settled.  The Flames sit 3rd in the Division and 6th in the Conference at this point, after 2 games..... Let's see where they are November 1st........

 

 

[Cowtownguy]

4 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

I don’t mean to say or downplay Monahan, but a lot of posters on here like to say Monahan scored as a rookie without Gaudreau while forgetting to mention that he had an exceptional playmaker in Hudler to help him along. That was great! 

Then Bennett had Backlund and they thought he could hold his own as Monahan did, but never did get another player like Backlund or Gaudreau and the expectations are that he plays up to those levels. 

I know I have to come to terms that Bennett is what he is I guess.

I am giving him this year before I conclude what he is as a hockey player. He had a good rookie year followed by two average years. Given the people he played with and the stubborn coaching, I am going to give him time. It looks like Peters recognizes the talent and is matching him up with some good players. I hope that is being done in tandem with working him interpersonally. If he still shows little sign of improvement, then have him use his speed to play a defensive game. Some players do take time to excel, and these lineups give him some serious opportunities. Neal is simply an excellent line mate for him. He has speed, a great shot, loads of experience, and confidence that comes with age and success. I fail to think of many other better mentors for him. So, this is it.

[Going4TheCup]

I like how the coach said that Sam Bennett hasn't been getting enough minutes and that he is now getting a chance for more minutes!

[The_People1]

2 hours ago, DHT said:

Do you think if he was as good as McDavid that he will only get 6 to 8 minutes on the 4th line and no PP time?

 

Ya man.  I don't get this "he needs to play with scorers to score" but look at Elias Petterson.  Whatever line he's on and whoever he plays with, his line is the #1 line. 

 

Suggesting anyone needs to play with elite players to put up numbers means that player as an individual isn't very good.

[robrob74]

3 minutes ago, The_People1 said:

 

Ya man.  I don't get this "he needs to play with scorers to score" but look at Elias Petterson.  Whatever line he's on and whoever he plays with, his line is the #1 line. 

 

Suggesting anyone needs to play with elite players to put up numbers means that player as an individual isn't very good.

 

Let's put Monahan on his own line without any talent and see what he does? My guess is he will get 40-45 points. 20 goals and 20 assists. Not bad. Much like Lindholm when in Carolina. 

No one is saying that Bennett is elite. Right now you're comparing to elite players. And people are starting to talk about how Petterson is going to be elite/ as good as the Sedin twins/elite.

[travel_dude]

30 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

Let's put Monahan on his own line without any talent and see what he does? My guess is he will get 40-45 points. 20 goals and 20 assists. Not bad. Much like Lindholm when in Carolina. 

No one is saying that Bennett is elite. Right now you're comparing to elite players. And people are starting to talk about how Petterson is going to be elite/ as good as the Sedin twins/elite.

 

A somewhat broken Monahan still put up 31 goals last year.

He scores because he has a sneaky good shot and a nose for loose pucks.

Having a Gaudreau spot you in the clear is the result of being in the clear.

Much like Lindholm was.

All Bennett has to do is follow those examples.

 

Have we seen that kind of game yet from Bennett?

Can't say for sure.

Seeing as Dube has decent vision, Bennett needs to get open.

He needs to be near enough to the net to dig pucks free.

He needs to be setting up Neal for heavy shots and head to the net.

 

Just saying what I think he needs to do.  I have no idea if his performance to date is related to lack of vision or bad luck or trying to play the same level as his linemates.

[Cowtownguy]

40 minutes ago, robrob74 said:

 

Let's put Monahan on his own line without any talent and see what he does? My guess is he will get 40-45 points. 20 goals and 20 assists. Not bad. Much like Lindholm when in Carolina. 

No one is saying that Bennett is elite. Right now you're comparing to elite players. And people are starting to talk about how Petterson is going to be elite/ as good as the Sedin twins/elite.

Better yet, let's put McDavid on a line with boat anchor Brouwer and see how low point production can go. I am sure that McSaviour would be scoring leader playing with Brouwer.

[MAC331]

1 hour ago, The_People1 said:

 

Ya man.  I don't get this "he needs to play with scorers to score" but look at Elias Petterson.  Whatever line he's on and whoever he plays with, his line is the #1 line. 

 

Suggesting anyone needs to play with elite players to put up numbers means that player as an individual isn't very good.

It would be quite interesting to see what McDavid would do with 4 to 8 minutes a game and lousy line mates. I think the theory would be more about finding the right complimentary players, playing with good play makers and other scorers frees up space an time for all of them. If everyone concentrated on shutting down McDavid only on a line it could be done but you won't shut the entire line down. This happens in playoff hockey all the time.

[travel_dude]

6 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

It would be quite interesting to see what McDavid would do with 4 to 8 minutes a game and lousy line mates. I think the theory would be more about finding the right complimentary players, playing with good play makers and other scorers frees up space an time for all of them. If everyone concentrated on shutting down McDavid only on a line it could be done but you won't shut the entire line down. This happens in playoff hockey all the time.

 

I have rarely seen McDavid play 8 minutes in a game where he wasn't the best player on his team.

It happens, but not often.

He's played with Lucic and makes Lucic look like an anchor.

[Flyerfan52]

12 minutes ago, MAC331 said:

It would be quite interesting to see what McDavid would do with 4 to 8 minutes a game and lousy line mates. I think the theory would be more about finding the right complimentary players, playing with good play makers and other scorers frees up space an time for all of them. If everyone concentrated on shutting down McDavid only on a line it could be done but you won't shut the entire line down. This happens in playoff hockey all the time.

Except in the playoffs when you concentrate on 1 player the other 2 on the line can & will hurt you. Edmonton has McDavid (& without him his wingers become rather average) & Draisaitl (who's wingers are not exactly world beaters on their own.

Shutting down McDavid as the main goal when Draisaitl was on his wing allowed the German to feast but since the Oilers think they have 2 world class centers that can each drive a line they are split up.

If you totally shut down McDavid he can't even set up the others on his line making them useless.

 

[MAC331]

26 minutes ago, Flyerfan52 said:

Except in the playoffs when you concentrate on 1 player the other 2 on the line can & will hurt you. Edmonton has McDavid (& without him his wingers become rather average) & Draisaitl (who's wingers are not exactly world beaters on their own.

Shutting down McDavid as the main goal when Draisaitl was on his wing allowed the German to feast but since the Oilers think they have 2 world class centers that can each drive a line they are split up.

If you totally shut down McDavid he can't even set up the others on his line making them useless.

 

I understand all that and all I'm saying is I would like to see what a line of Tkachuk, Bennett and Neal could do together. Don't really care where others are taking this conversation.

[cross16]

7 hours ago, robrob74 said:

 

I don’t mean to say or downplay Monahan, but a lot of posters on here like to say Monahan scored as a rookie without Gaudreau while forgetting to mention that he had an exceptional playmaker in Hudler to help him along. That was great! 

Then Bennett had Backlund and they thought he could hold his own as Monahan did, but never did get another player like Backlund or Gaudreau and the expectations are that he plays up to those levels. 

I know I have to come to terms that Bennett is what he is I guess.

 

We also tend to forget that when you compare their rookie season, Bennett had 4 less goals and 2 more points then Monahan. 

[cross16]

2 hours ago, The_People1 said:

 

Ya man.  I don't get this "he needs to play with scorers to score" but look at Elias Petterson.  Whatever line he's on and whoever he plays with, his line is the #1 line. 

 

Suggesting anyone needs to play with elite players to put up numbers means that player as an individual isn't very good.

 

Problem that I have with this, is your picking rare players. I see it as a common knock against Bennett that people argue that he should have been able to produce no matter who he played with. however, if you look at young players coming into the league most of them get help and most get coddled. 

 

Guys like Petterson, McDavid etc are the exception, they are not the norm. Heck even Draistl didn't do crap until McDavid came along. 

[The_People1]

12 minutes ago, cross16 said:

 

Problem that I have with this, is your picking rare players. I see it as a common knock against Bennett that people argue that he should have been able to produce no matter who he played with. however, if you look at young players coming into the league most of them get help and most get coddled. 

 

Guys like Petterson, McDavid etc are the exception, they are not the norm. Heck even Draistl didn't do crap until McDavid came along. 

 

What do you mean?  Draisaitl proves my point.  He is crap.  He needs elite talent on his line to put up numbers.