Player Discussion #93 - Sam Bennett
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Ace Rimmer
Stoke me a clipper.
Dack
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- Jun 16, 2014
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Once he gets into the offensive zone with possesion he's pretty effective (his assist and beautiful cross slot pass to Kulak) displayed his vision the issue is his line struggles to enter the zone both Jankowski and Bennett are decent puck carriers but neither reaches Gaudreau or Backlund level. Hathaway is a black hole and has been for a while now he came up and went all out for like 10 games but since then has been bad. Also I think he'd actually get past people if when he deked he just did it rather than hesitating so much.
The offensive zone penalties are a huge issue but his penalty differential is just about 0 I think which is impressive because he takes a lot of them.
If we don't acquire anyone new than I hope Versteeg is healthy soon because they need someone who has a little skill to play with.
The offensive zone penalties are a huge issue but his penalty differential is just about 0 I think which is impressive because he takes a lot of them.
If we don't acquire anyone new than I hope Versteeg is healthy soon because they need someone who has a little skill to play with.
Lunatik
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- Oct 12, 2012
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Versteeg has literally had zero success with Bennett, why do so many people thin he is the answer? They shit on Brouwer being apart of the line, but he's had significantly more success with Bennett than Versteeg
crackdown44
Cold milk cools down hot food
- Dec 1, 2017
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I don’t think people think Versteeg is the answer they just think he’ll be a better fit than Hathaway. And I’d say winger-winger chemistry is less important than winger-center chemistry so having a different C between them in janko will be a different look.
Also that line had 0 success with brouwer on it and Brouwer was only on it for like 5 games
Dack
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- Jun 16, 2014
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They were absolutely fine when they didn't have Brouwer as well. Brouwer has success for like 20 games at the start of last season he hasn't gotten better and he still doesn't produce much no matter who he is played with.
Also Versteeg if he has played with Bennett on the wing it hasn't been for longer than a few games.
Pretty much this, it'd be a different look with a player who is clearly more offensively gifted to Brouwer. I'm not a Brouwer hater by any means, but at this point, all he offers is one of our best 4th line options...and he kills penalties well enough.
EDIT: Again, an upgrade for that line via trade would be best case scenario if the cost is right. Then you could deploy a 4th line of
Versteeg-Stajan-Brouwer
Calgareee
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- Jun 29, 2015
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meh, it's worth trying again as nobody else seems to offer anything more. TBH, I've really liked Lazar the last couple of games. But we'll see what happens moving forward. I'm not terrified to try something that failed in the past.
It really is, but I haven't seen a single stockton kid that provides something more then Troy Brouwer...So even though he is vastly overpaid, he still deserves a spot in our bottom six. Hopefully Versteeg comes back fully healed and ready to roll.
Baxterman
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- Aug 27, 2017
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My issue with that line is that I don't see what it provides. It can't an energy/forechecking line as none of those 3 can do that, it can't be a match-up line as Versteeg is weak as hell defensively and Brouwer/Stajan are way to slow at this stage to keep up with top lines and it doesn't provide much offense as Browuer/Stajan are blackholes offensively. I guess it would be Pking since GG is obsessed with having Stajan and Brouwer on the PK no matter how bad they do.
This basically leaves them as a placeholder that you basically want to get off the ice as fast as possible. I would much rather see a 4th line that brings something whether it be energy in the form of a Lomberg-Lazar-Hathaway line that can be thrown out for 5-8 minutes to go balls to the wall hitting everything etc. or a line with some offensive potential like a Mangiapane-Jankowski-Hathaway line and hope they rekindle some AHL chemistry.
I guess what I am mainly saying is a line-up that doesn't include either Stajan or Brouwer makes the most sense to me. Its hard to construct a line-up with either guy in there that makes much sense.
Fair enough, I'm simply saying I'd go back to the well again when/if Versteeg returns, at least for a few games. Those guys are the best players available...If they cannot provide solid 4th line minutes, then so be it, plug some kids in there. At the end of the day, whatever combo gives us a half decent 4th line, is the one I want on the ice.
Baxterman
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- Aug 27, 2017
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I guess I am just tired of seeing two vets that are clearly way to slow to keep up and offer basically zero offensively being thrown out there time and time again. Which is crazy because I was 100% on the Stajan needs to be the 4th line center.
It just seems like everything is pointing towards skating being key in the NHL and those two are the exact opposite. I also think that this team needs to find some internal solutions to their scoring issues and I don't hold much hope that Brouwer or Stajan are going to be the answer.
Well my take on the 3 mentioned:
Stajan: Honestly has been pretty great lately as a 4th line C. He's no speedster, but I don't find him slow. Lately, he's provided grit, solid fore checking, and seems to bring solid defensive play to every game. He's valuable on the PK, and IMO, is currently our best 4th liner of the bunch.
Brower: I cannot imagine he has too many fans on these boards, but I also do not see a single kid that would be a better option than him. He's a big body and a very tough dude, who prior to his injury, was starting to actually throw his weight around. He's ok on the PK, and is a good net front presence when chaos happens at the oppositions net. In an ideal world, I'd trade him for a 4th line upgrade, but his contract is what it is, and we are stuck with him. If someone like Lazar could prove more serviceable, I'd have zero issue watching him eat popcorn.
Versteeg: From what I can tell, he was injured to start the year. He's a complete mystery box at this point. If he can come back with some energy, and provide a solid RHS one-timer for the PP, we'll have a good addition to our bottom six.
Again, I'm not advocating trying something for too long if it isn't working...I'm more curious to try it out again then anything else, assuming we find an upgrade for the 3rd line.
Johnny Hoxville
The Return of a Legend
They should just try Lazar with Janks and Bennett for a few games. All he needs is some confidence.
Mr Snrub
I like the way Snrub thinks!
- Oct 12, 2016
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I was gonna disagree, but you might be right. In his first year in Ottawa he definitely had a lot more jump than he does these days.
Does anyone remember who he was playing with? Was he getting gifted top six minutes?
OvermanKingGainer
#BennettFreed #CurseofTheSpulll #FreeOliver
He was playing on Dave Cameron's third line with Condra at LW, JG Pageau at C, and himself at RW.
Basically a very poor man's 3M. What ever happened to Condra, he was a really good bottom sixer back then.
DFF
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- Feb 28, 2002
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According to this article, he also played with a couple kids named Stone and Hoffman
Curtis Lazar finds home in middle of Ottawa Senators 'kid' line
Apparently they moved on and left him behind
Curtis Lazar finds home in middle of Ottawa Senators 'kid' line
Apparently they moved on and left him behind
Mr Snrub
I like the way Snrub thinks!
- Oct 12, 2016
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OvermanKingGainer
#BennettFreed #CurseofTheSpulll #FreeOliver
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Still love this kid. Hope Peters sees the IQ, vision, edgework, hands, tenacity, and overall complete package - and not the Gulutzan-fudged-numbers. He's our best center after Backlund, after all.
Still love this kid. Hope Peters sees the IQ, vision, edgework, hands, tenacity, and overall complete package - and not the Gulutzan-fudged-numbers. He's our best center after Backlund, after all.
What the f***? Seriously, this narrative is actually starting to anger me. Gulu didn't ruin tkachuk or Monahan or Gaudreau or anyone else, but Bennett must have some unlocked potential right? HE WILL NEVER BE AN NHL CENTRE! Yes, it truely sucks, but he simply doesn't have the hockey iq. Hopefully he can be a decent top 6 winger, but even I'm not sure anymore.
MonyontheMoney
Registered User
- Apr 5, 2015
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I’m not as down on Sam this offseason as I have been before - I actually think he’ll have a strong year surrounded by all our newfound depth. This “best centre on the team” needs to stop though, it’s getting extremely tiresome having it forced into every possible opportunity.
Johnny Hoxville
The Return of a Legend
I’m getting really angry with people saying Bennett is dumb and can’t play C. The only thing Bennett didn’t do very well playing C was put up points. Had he scored more, no one would be talking about his IQ. Bennett has the on ice vision and hands that really only come second to Gaudreau. Taking a penalty out of frustration doesn’t mean you lack IQ. It means you lack discipline lol. His problem is confidence, let’s hope Peters can restore that in him. I think the only other thing Bennett lacks is finishing ability, I have never had a problem with his all around game at C.
