just wondering why Beautiful Bennett never gets a shot on the top line over ferland ?
Well, Ferland has looked pretty great on the top line RW for the last two games, I don't think it would serve us to move him off now. Meanwhile, why would we promote Bennett when he has frankly looked like garbage outside of one or two games. That sends the wrong message.
I would like to see Bennett back on Backlund's wing. Regain some confidence. Then Tkachuk plays with Janko-Jagr:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Jankowski-Jagr
that looks like a pretty solid lineup to me. In dream world the 4th line would only play like 6 minutes a night in this scenario, but Glen loves them and they would likely play 10, which is the main reason this won't happen. Can't reduce Tkachuk's minutes like that and expect to win.
There are two sides to the coin, though. It's in the organization's best interest to pump players up with confidence by putting them in good situations, because they do better with every line going. Condensing all the hot players together and letting the others toil away in a situation that isn't working might be fair, but it doesn't necessarily make for the most effective lineup.
The goal has to be getting offence from top to bottom. Punishing players for bad play is only useful if you think the message will lead to results. Punishing for principle's sake can just end up hurting the team.
I'm not advocating Punishing bennett, more advocating not removing the mojo from our most successful offensive line. If you break up any line at this point it's 3M. Getting Tkachuk his own line could create another scoring threat, and we've seen bennett succeed on that backlund line in the past. If he starts producing, then you start talking about him on the top wing. I think planting him on the top line when he's so cold could be seriously detrimental- it guarantees he's facing top D men and likely getting less space overall to regain some of that confidence.
I think Gulutzan really likes to lean on past history. And the history from last year was that Ferland worked when put on the top line. Even though it was a relatively short stretch when the line was really on fire, it's sticking in his mind and making it the default. They've tried Bennett - Monahan - Gaudreau about three times, and broken it up just as quickly. If a line doesn't immediately show results, Gulutzan seems to want to revert pretty quickly.I don't see how Ferland has looked fantastic at all on that top line and there have been many moments (as usual) where his passing and positioning kill plays for Monahan and Gaudreau.
It is interesting that Ferland keeps getting chances without doing anything to deserve them while others don't.
I think in Bennetts case they were pushing so hard to make him a center that obviously held him off that line and now they are trying to see if a Jankowski-Bennett pairing can work so again he is held off the top line.
With Ferland it seems like a default move to keep putting him back on the top line but hopefully soon we can have someone there on merit rather than just because they are a warm body that very occasionally can leach a goal off of Gaudreau or Monahan's great play.
Well, Ferland has looked pretty great on the top line RW for the last two games, I don't think it would serve us to move him off now. Meanwhile, why would we promote Bennett when he has frankly looked like garbage outside of one or two games. That sends the wrong message.
I would like to see Bennett back on Backlund's wing. Regain some confidence. Then Tkachuk plays with Janko-Jagr:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Jankowski-Jagr
that looks like a pretty solid lineup to me. In dream world the 4th line would only play like 6 minutes a night in this scenario, but Glen loves them and they would likely play 10, which is the main reason this won't happen. Can't reduce Tkachuk's minutes like that and expect to win.
" understandable but really how can he do much stuck on the 3/4th line ?
I imagine it's due at least in part to GG wanting to have some kind of scoring in the bottom six. Ferland is a great complementary winger, but he's not likely to drive a ton of offence for a line; Bennett, at least in theory, has the type of skillset that should allow him to drive the offence on a line.just wondering why Beautiful Bennett never gets a shot on the top line over ferland ?
I imagine it's due at least in part to GG wanting to have some kind of scoring in the bottom six. Ferland is a great complementary winger, but he's not likely to drive a ton of offence for a line; Bennett, at least in theory, has the type of skillset that should allow him to drive the offence on a line.
Honestly they should do this:
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Tkachuk-Janko-Jagr
That’s the most balanced top 9 you could ask for.
I imagine it's due at least in part to GG wanting to have some kind of scoring in the bottom six. Ferland is a great complementary winger, but he's not likely to drive a ton of offence for a line; Bennett, at least in theory, has the type of skillset that should allow him to drive the offence on a line.
The tools are clearly there: he's a great skater, is an excellent stickhandler, and a good passer. The only thing wrong with him his his brain (which seems to have become better since he was moved to the wing). Ferland, much as I love him, lacks the same agility and level of offensive skill that Bennett has (not that he has none; it's just not at the same level). Ferland learned how to play to his strengths and position himself properly, and if Bennett can do the same he should be a driving offensive force to some degree.The mythical skill set no one has seen outside of one or two games in his rookie reason.
I’m terms of pure skill, hands, size, skating, shot, there isn’t a more talented player on the Flames, other than Gaudreau, then Ferland.
He lacks consistency but when he is moving his feet he’s a great player.
He’s on pace to score 20+ goals even strength this year. Don’t really know what more people expect from him.
I guess once people treat someone like a punching bag on this site, they never stop. Because of some sort of pride which manifests itself in the form of bad narratives that people never seem to give up.
Honestly I think the biggest complaint about Ferland is his consistency. If he's on, he's on, but lots of games he's just passable. Whether that's an effort thing or not is hard to say. Imo if he played in his "playoff mode" all the time he'd be a first liner. Right now I think he's comfortably a middle sixer that can play up.Ferland's skill is not special. His package combination though I wouldn't complain too much though.
Good size
Good speed
Good physicality
Great finish
Good IQ.
IMO, he's a jack of all trades, master of none sort of dude. That's pretty special as the majority of players have specific facets that stick out. Less so for Ferland.
Honestly I think the biggest complaint about Ferland is his consistency. If he's on, he's on, but lots of games he's just passable. Whether that's an effort thing or not is hard to say. Imo if he played in his "playoff mode" all the time he'd be a first liner. Right now I think he's comfortably a middle sixer that can play up.
Meh to me he's in the same realm as Rene bourque and we'd be very lucky if he came close to bourque best numbers.If Ferland were "On" every night, he would basically be Jamie Benn. Gotta have realistic expectations. He's no less consistent than 75-85% of NHLers. It's just become a buzz word about him by people holding him to the standard of 2015 Playoffs Ferland, which no player in history could pull off for 82 games a year. He'll never shake this "inconsistent" label unless he becomes a star player who plays like he did VS Washington every night - which is a tall ask of anyone not considered a franchise player.
If Ferland were "On" every night, he would basically be Jamie Benn. .