Player Discussion #93 - Sam Bennett

[tmurfin]

Bennett needs to stop trying to do it all on his own

Agreed, he needs a coach who can reign him in and simplify his game, without neutering him.

 

[Fig]

Agreed, he needs a coach who can reign him in and simplify his game, without neutering him.

That, or a player he can watch up close and emulate. Bennett has too many skills and can't string them together cohesively to play an effective game. It's almost a decision paralysis IMO which puts him in poor situations (doing too much) and causing him to be far less effective than the sum of his tools.

But when he was emulating Jagr, fantastic.

I mentioned last season that if he simplified his game to what Ferland plays, he'd be great and more consistent than Ferland IMO.

I honestly believe he should emulate Neal this season and yes I believe he has the right set of tools and IQ to emulate it effectively. IMO, Bennett is not dumb, but in his head, he's trying to figure out which of the 4-5 options he thinks he can do at any given point and it takes too long (milliseconds to a second) which allows the other team to get in position and take him out easily. If he simplified his head to 1-3 options at any given point, he'd be far more effective. But I feel like this will resolve over time.

I saw him in preseason before his surgery and I thought he'd quickly overshadow Gaudreau in terms if flash and effectiveness. But I haven't seen much of that at all lately. I hope he can figure out how to bring it back and use it effectively.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

That, or a player he can watch up close and emulate. Bennett has too many skills and can't string them together cohesively to play an effective game. It's almost a decision paralysis IMO which puts him in poor situations (doing too much) and causing him to be far less effective than the sum of his tools.

But when he was emulating Jagr, fantastic.

I mentioned last season that if he simplified his game to what Ferland plays, he'd be great and more consistent than Ferland IMO.

I honestly believe he should emulate Neal this season and yes I believe he has the right set of tools and IQ to emulate it effectively. IMO, Bennett is not dumb, but in his head, he's trying to figure out which of the 4-5 options he thinks he can do at any given point and it takes too long (milliseconds to a second) which allows the other team to get in position and take him out easily. If he simplified his head to 1-3 options at any given point, he'd be far more effective. But I feel like this will resolve over time.

I saw him in preseason before his surgery and I thought he'd quickly overshadow Gaudreau in terms if flash and effectiveness. But I haven't seen much of that at all lately. I hope he can figure out how to bring it back and use it effectively.

This is a good analysis. A rarity WRT Sam Bennett.

I'd like to see him play less physically and less dump n chase and focus on playing an east-west game. In his rookie season and early in his second season (before Gulutzan coached the effectiveness out of him) he was always at his best making confident plays in motion in the middle of the ice. Some of the best passes he used to make were often at the top of the slot as the F3 where he could see the whole ice, and I haven't seen him do that in ages.

Physicality has also done him few favours even though it's part of his game. Playing on the walls and trying to cycle hasn't helped either, even if he's become a pretty good cycling forward, I just feel the cycle game isn't what it used to be in the NHL. I doubt the Sedins or Getzlaf/Perry in their prime would be as effective these days either, because of the shift in how teams defend - more aggressively, shorter shifts, cleaner breakouts.

 

[Fig]

This is a good analysis. A rarity WRT Sam Bennett.

I'd like to see him play less physically and less dump n chase and focus on playing an east-west game. In his rookie season and early in his second season (before Gulutzan coached the effectiveness out of him) he was always at his best making confident plays in motion in the middle of the ice. Physicality has also done him few favours even though it's part of his game.

Bennett doing amazing emulating Jagr is actually a very interesting case study IMO. It showed Bennett was capable of playing a cycle styled game. Previously, I thought he was essentially a player completely miscast as his skill set was purely rush styled skills. The Jagr mentorship IMO showed that I was wrong in my guess. I don't fully agree with many posters that he has poor hockey IQ. I think he's like the fox in the Aesop story of the Fox and the cat. Long story short, Fox is more skilled than cat, but the cat survives, fox dies.

The Fox and The Cat - Fables of Aesop

Better one safe way than a hundred on which you cannot reckon. A cat goes up a tree and gets away while a fox is caught trying to figure out what to do.

After his rookie season, I seem to recall he bulked up a ton. I possibly really hurt his game. Gully's system also hurt his and all the bottom 6 player's games. I felt like the bottom 6 always were second guessing their moves (perhaps to try and adhere to Gully's cycle system vs their rush skill instincts) and thus got in trouble.

I also (could be wrong) seem to remember Bennett did a lot of play making when he first played C. However, his wingers sucked and missed many passes, which then ended up as rushes in the opposite direction. After a while Bennett stopped passing and tried to do things himself. I've been curious as to whether that's completely all on him, or if someone in coaching spoke to him and told him to hold onto the puck longer. There's some serious similarities to Baertschi IMO in terms of a player looking like he's playing an unnatural style. I hope Peters can get Bennett back on track.

 

[Corpus X]

18yr old Sam Bennett will shine like a shooting star... That lasts for a solid 15 yr career.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I also (could be wrong) seem to remember Bennett did a lot of play making when he first played C. However, his wingers sucked and missed many passes, which then ended up as rushes in the opposite direction.

When Bennett first played center the first time around, he actually had wingers who skated with him - guys like Raymond, Frolik, Jooris, and Gaudreau and he actually started scoring at nearly a PPG as a C. Even when he then got moved to wing (people forget why this originally happened - because we lacked the depth that year to put anyone else with Backlund and Frolik - in fact for a while Backlund was demoted to the Bollig line that year out of desperation) he was effective with Frolik and Backlund.

Since then though, he's always been the fastest player on his line and since his lone weak area is utilizing drop passes and button hooks, it's affected his ability to make great passes. he's played with guys who are always naturally behind him on the rush. Hudler. Granlund. Versteeg. Brouwer. The few times he has had success it's been back with Gaudreau, or with otherlinemates that play at a (relatively) high tempo - Chiasson, Jankowski, and if you want to include him, Lazar (though Lazar sucks for every other reasons). Yes, the Versteeg-Bennett-Jagr line was dominant in its own way - on the cycle, but as I said in my previous post I don't think cycling hockey is the best way to score given the way teams defend.

Bennett's a pass-forward player who has to play non-instinctively and pass back when you give him the linemates we've given him. This is often confused for hockey IQ/linemate utilization but I disagree with that. Those kind of passes are nice but they're not the end-all be-all. Plenty of very good centremen always pass forward - actually I can't remember the last time I saw Patrice Bergeron button hook or drop pass either, but he also plays with a stud in Marchand (..and Pastrnak, and Seguin in the past). There are plenty of excellent players who just don't click with some lines - that list goes right on up to Sidney Crosby who has had months at a time of pouting about his crappy linemates before a change is made and he rockets himself back towards the Ross.

 

[SKRusty]

I think Burke summed up Sam Bennett very well tonight and Brian definitively said that Sam will be a great NHLer that can be played up and down the line-up BUT that we as fans should not expect him to be a scoring leader on the team.

I know this will be ignored but a man with 31 years in the NHL should have a half an idea as to the talent level of one of the players he was involved in drafting.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Meh. He also said Backlund would never be more than a third line centre.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Well Burke was right about Sven and Colborne. Nonetheless all GM’s are wrong at times, I still have high hopes for Benny. He’s so close, my biggest issue with him is how much he bobbles the puck. He needs to slow the game down and relax.

 

[SKRusty]

Well Burke was right about Sven and Colborne. Nonetheless all GM’s are wrong at times, I still have high hopes for Benny. He’s so close, my biggest issue with him is how much he bobbles the puck. He needs to slow the game down and relax.

I had an epiphany when I awoke this morning and looked at the score sheet from last nights game.

Bennett is Frolik. Frolik is another player that showed signs in his early years of having all the tools to be this dynamic player that does all the things right but for whatever reason is never able to put it together in an offensive sense.

Few people can make sense of Frolik's historically low shooting percentage, when you see him play. Everything you see tells you he should be better than what he is but it never comes to fruition. He has a good shot, appears to be in the right spots until just before the decision is made and poof a great opportunity turns into nothing.

Both players are incredibly good on the defensive side of the puck, both players can skate, and both players have relatively good shots.

The reality of why they can't put the final pieces together is that it takes that special offensive awareness to be an offensive power-house and unfortunately that is the one tool that is in neither Frolik's or Sam's boxes. For whatever reason neither can find the defensive soft spots, and when they are driving play (unlike Johnny, Mony, or Lindholm) the game speeds up instead of slows down and this causes them to stop skating so they can think about what has to come next.

Frolik is an incredibly important part of this team and so is Sam but the long and short of it is they are just not going to be that offensively dynamic player.

 

[Calculon]

I'd say Bennett is currently the Flames' version of Tom Wilson, but with a much higher offensive ceiling.

One day there will be an injury or a trade that gets Bennett consistent time in the top six/top unit powerplay and then he'll put up numbers. Just wait.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I'd say Bennett is currently the Flames' version of Tom Wilson, but with a much higher offensive ceiling.

One day there will be an injury or a trade that gets Bennett consistent time in the top six/top unit powerplay and then he'll put up numbers. Just wait.

I feel like an injury to Backlund could be the best thing to happen for the Flames. Have Bennett center Tkachuk and drive the second pp unit. Then Backlund can return and dominate his own way without needing to take Bennett away from his role.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I can see parallels between Frolik and Bennett. Sam is more physical for sure and I think Frolik is more of a safe player, but I think we can say at worst that is Sam’s floor.

I really it’s a matter of time with him. I get the sense that when he gets the puck he thinks to himself “I need to make something happen and try to score”. I think he gets overly excited and handles the puck like a hot potato as a result. He also whiffs on a lot of shots and doesn’t get all of the puck, I think this is why.

I really like how Peters has been able to get him to simplify his game this season, he looks much better. What he really needs is to stop forcing things, slow the game down and just let things come to him, much like how Tkachuk does. Tkachuk is always cool and calm whereas Sam can look frantic at times. I think with further maturity and experience, we’re going to see this change and one day it’ll all make sense and just click with him like we saw with Backlund.

 

[Arcana]

I feel like an injury to Backlund could be the best thing to happen for the Flames. Have Bennett center Tkachuk and drive the second pp unit. Then Backlund can return and dominate his own way without needing to take Bennett away from his role.

Uhm, no.. just no. Backs being injured isn't something to wish, like, ever.

Boourns.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Uhm, no.. just no. Backs being injured isn't something to wish, like, ever.

Boourns.

Good teams need some missed time to injuries throughtout an 82 game season. I have held this theory for a long time. The 2014-15 Flames needed injuries to Backlund, Stajan, Jones, Glencross, Colborne, and Raymond for guys like Monahan, Gaudreau, Ferland, Jooris, and Granlund to emerge.

In 2016-17 an injury to Gaudreau was vital as we had to learn if Johnson, 3M, Bennett, Stajan, Monahan, and Versteeg could keep the team afloat, which they did. It was during that time the team started to play a structured team game.

Already this year, without Hamonic getting injured, Rasmus Andersson would still be in the AHL. Instead he is our #5D and seeing ice time in 6v5 situations. You telling me you wish Hamonic had played 15 atraight games to now?

The Leafs are without Matthews and Nylander right now and that is helping then evaluate guys like Kapanen, and Par Lindholm as well as further experiment with roles for Kadri and Tavares.

Last year had Monahan not tried to play through injuries when the team was still in the race, we might have seen a different story. When Monahan was finally shut down was so deep into a failed season and we were playing a guy like Foo on the top line and just going through the motions. When Monahan missed a game in January though we had our most dominating win of the 2017-18 season in Carolina. And in 2016 when Brodie missed the first dozen games or so it probably sunk our season because Hamilton needed to learn the system. I wonder if the same could be said if it happened later in the year though. Hartley never tried Gio-Hamilton again after that even though Russell-Brodie was a superior second pair to Russell-Hamilton.

So to recap
- I don't wish for a major or long term injury to anyone. Especially not a great player like Backlund.
- But having guys miss time to minor issues is not a bad thing and often a blessing in disguise.
- The timing of the injury matters.

 

[Deen]

Bennett is going to be a beast in the playoffs. He's the bull you need to win series when it starts to get nasty.

 

[SKRusty]

Good teams need some missed time to injuries throughtout an 82 game season. I have held this theory for a long time. The 2014-15 Flames needed injuries to Backlund, Stajan, Jones, Glencross, Colborne, and Raymond for guys like Monahan, Gaudreau, Ferland, Jooris, and Granlund to emerge.

In 2016-17 an injury to Gaudreau was vital as we had to learn if Johnson, 3M, Bennett, Stajan, Monahan, and Versteeg could keep the team afloat, which they did. It was during that time the team started to play a structured team game.

Already this year, without Hamonic getting injured, Rasmus Andersson would still be in the AHL. Instead he is our #5D and seeing ice time in 6v5 situations. You telling me you wish Hamonic had played 15 atraight games to now?

The Leafs are without Matthews and Nylander right now and that is helping then evaluate guys like Kapanen, and Par Lindholm as well as further experiment with roles for Kadri and Tavares.

Last year had Monahan not tried to play through injuries when the team was still in the race, we might have seen a different story. When Monahan was finally shut down was so deep into a failed season and we were playing a guy like Foo on the top line and just going through the motions. When Monahan missed a game in January though we had our most dominating win of the 2017-18 season in Carolina. And in 2016 when Brodie missed the first dozen games or so it probably sunk our season because Hamilton needed to learn the system. I wonder if the same could be said if it happened later in the year though. Hartley never tried Gio-Hamilton again after that even though Russell-Brodie was a superior second pair to Russell-Hamilton.

So to recap
- I don't wish for a major or long term injury to anyone. Especially not a great player like Backlund.
- But having guys miss time to minor issues is not a bad thing and often a blessing in disguise.
- The timing of the injury matters.

Injuries are part of the game but hoping for injuries especially to a specific player is another matter and I find it distasteful. My hope would be every player in the NHL has zero time lost due to injury but we all know that is unrealistic.

No matter how you butter this I think your wish for someone to get injured is wrong.

 

[SKRusty]

Bennett is going to be a beast in the playoffs. He's the bull you need to win series when it starts to get nasty.

I will agree 100% with this statement. Bennett is that type of player you need in the tight checking times or hot goalie of a playoff run. When others shrink Bennett often elevates.

 

[Rubi]

Bennett can't operate in heavy traffic with the puck. He can't dangle the puck out of traffic and he doesn't have the vision to make the outlet pass when under heavy pressure. Because of that he hangs on and hangs on and tries to force his way clear and he ends up losing the puck and the play dies.
He's like a bull in a China shop... Head down and power forward.... Except in the NHL the China doesn't break as easily as it did in junior. Eventually it always overwhelms him.

 

[Kahvi]

Bennett can't operate in heavy traffic with the puck. He can't dangle the puck out of traffic and he doesn't have the vision to make the outlet pass when under heavy pressure. Because of that he hangs on and hangs on and tries to force his way clear and he ends up losing the puck and the play dies.
He's like a bull in a China shop... Head down and power forward.... Except in the NHL the China doesn't break as easily as it did in junior. Eventually it always overwhelms him.

That might be his biggest problem. He should simplify his game, not overthink or overdo, and not try to do everything himself

 

[FerklundCGY]

Poor Bennett.

 

[Mobiandi]

It's going to come soon for Bennett. I just don't think it's going to work out if Ryan or Jankowski are centering him. Let him play with Czarnik and Frolik if he won't get a look in the top 6

 

[Volica]

It's going to come soon for Bennett. I just don't think it's going to work out if Ryan or Jankowski are centering him. Let him play with Czarnik and Frolik if he won't get a look in the top 6

That Bennett - Ryan - Frolik line was flying last night.
All three dudes can skate, it makes sense to keep them together.

Outside of Neal, those two guys are the best player Bennett's played with since his rookie season.

 

[Dack]

Poor Bennett.

He did this last season as well. His rookie season he was also really high up in IHDCF, I wonder if he'll be like Meier or Hertl and eventually breakthrough or if hes a player who gets lots of chances and is never going to finish them.

 

[Mobiandi]

That Bennett - Ryan - Frolik line was flying last night.
All three dudes can skate, it makes sense to keep them together.

Outside of Neal, those two guys are the best player Bennett's played with since his rookie season.

Fair enough, I didn't watch last night. Though like Jankowski, I don't think Ryan's much of a line-driver and he seems to get knocked down pretty easily along the boards. I like Czarnik because he's a burner and a monster on the forecheck...Byron-like