But only like a 4% shooting
Indeed, someone put in the Bakersfield thread he’s been snake bitten, he also went through a pretty poor stretch about a month ago, as 20 yo players do, so having a very stellar year though. Hopefully he pans out
But only like a 4% shooting
At least the guy isn't letting something like that rattle him. We've seen this in the past where guys hit a wall with part of their game and then everything falls apart.Indeed, someone put in the Bakersfield thread he’s been snake bitten, he also went through a pretty poor stretch about a month ago, as 20 yo players do, so having a very stellar year though. Hopefully he pans out
Now that would truly be something.
That’s not the way I recall it. I believe it was the scouts/management thought the team needed to go D instead of forward...AKA draft need not BPA, and Katz stepped in and they drafted Yakupov. If I recall, most thought we were taking Ryan Murray, but there was a late night rumour that the Oil were hot for Reinhart(don’t know if there was any merit to that or not).Well that is the rumor. Apparently our scouts were very much against drafting Yakupov and were over-ruled.
Murray is quite a useful hockey player.That’s not the way I recall it. I believe it was the scouts/management thought the team needed to go D instead of forward...AKA draft need not BPA, and Katz stepped in and they drafted Yakupov. If I recall, most thought we were taking Ryan Murray, but there was a late night rumour that the Oil were hot for Reinhart(don’t know if there was any merit to that or not).
In the end, this team would be no better having taking Murray or Reinhart over Yakupov, so let bygones be bygones.
I wasn't a big fan of the pick. Him and the Yamamoto pick are too high risk for my tastes.
Don't like his lack of scoring.
Heard his speed isn't great.
No nhl shot and even average speed is not a good combo for a productive nhl career. He's not big either.
After saying all that negative... He has surpassed all my expectations and got his career back on track. He was a long shot prospect that honestly didn't show anything impressive in his injury studded time in junior. His ahl numbers and play is impressive and exactly where it needs to be to offset that injury riddled unspectacular career to date.
To be perfectly honest there doesn't seem to be much of rhyme or reason for what skills/players need to make a successful jump to the nhl with.
He is back on track. Keeping expectations reasonable I'm really looking forward to him and Maxismov maybe being a dynamic duo next year in the AHL rather than him making the nhl roster next year.
Primarily because of his injury history I think it makes sense to be given another full year in the AHL before seriously giving him a real look at the nhl level. Two impressive injury free years in a stable environment "could" really be exactly what is needed to develop him "best".
As good as he has been he turns 21 in a few months so it's definitely more on track than "he's omfg amazing".
If he somehow pushes his way on to the nhl team obviously that's great but if I was predicting a good development path for him it would be.
Strong finish this year regular season plus a deep successful playoff run. Hopefully scoring more.
A big offseason where he trains crazy hard without injury. Improves his skating and shooting particularly. Intense offseason strength and skill training sometimes makes a players career.
Next year going from impressive ahl rookie to dominate ahl softmore is a lot harder than it sounds.
I don't know why but I always think of David Krejci when I think of Benson. Career wise Benson is a long ways off what Krejci managed to do at the same point.
Currently I think if everything goes great that is Bensons ceiling.
A long and hard road before we are talking about this guy actually helping our team win. 3 years before that happens, if it happens, seems optimistic.
any update on how he's been playing? great ppg in the A
He has 1 less point than 1st in rookie scoring while playing 7 less games. Bensons is also a year younger.He's playing amazing. Record for most points in a season for Bakersfield. 1 point out of first for rookies. At first, he mostly recorded assists, and people worried about his scoring ability, but he picked it up in the second half and now has 14 goals in 60 games. (He went 23 games or something with 1 goal at the start).
Looks to be a good top-6 prospect.
Chia's son worked out pretty well, so Ben's son should as well.I got time for Ben's son.
Geez though he’s got Lucic ahead of him on the depth chart, so its gonna be tough for him to crack the lineup.Oilers are a calling: We need cheap wingers. Benson gonna get a good look next year I would imagine!