Player Discussion #93 - Sam Bennett

[Volica]

Like brouwer? He will have no value by the end of the year. He has no place on the team, simple as that.

His play has been nothing like Brouwer.
Brouwer just looked lost out there, and was a possession blackhole; that made no impact.

Neal even with these struggles, still gets good chances nightly and is a possession positive player.

 

[Volica]

Elliot was on 960 this morning.

Really pumping Bennett's tires in a big way. Says that he's 100% a core piece in Calgary, him and Tkachuk really change the game together. Mentioned that why can't Bennett be something like Kadri? 20 goal man, who plays against the other teams' best players; and be an absolute pain in the ass to deal with.

I think that's a good comparable. I've compared Bennett to Kesler; I really think he still has that type of ceiling.

 

[super6646]

His play has been nothing like Brouwer.
Brouwer just looked lost out there, and was a possession blackhole; that made no impact.

Neal even with these struggles, still gets good chances nightly and is a possession positive player.

Brouwer has more goals and points than Neal right now, and is on pace for less production than either of brouwers years here.

Neal is firing muffin shots into goalies and doesn't look engaged at all. He's slow as hell and is getting PAID. I brushed it off early on, but he has looked awful out there.

 

[The Gnome]

His play has been nothing like Brouwer.
Brouwer just looked lost out there, and was a possession blackhole; that made no impact.

Neal even with these struggles, still gets good chances nightly and is a possession positive player.

Agree, he's not Brouwer bad. I really want to see them setup the 2nd PP unit using him as a trigger man. The guy has a great shot, and it's not like a lot of the regulars on our 2nd PP are pure snipers.

 

[The Gnome]

Brouwer has more goals and points than Neal right now.

Neal is firing muffin shots into goalies and doesn't look engaged at all. He's slow as hell and is getting PAID. I brushed it off early on, but he has looked awful out there.

This is still my biggest concern, he just looks too f***ing slow for this team.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Brouwer has more goals and points than Neal right now, and is on pace for less production than either of brouwers years here.

Neal is firing muffin shots into goalies and doesn't look engaged at all. He's slow as hell and is getting PAID. I brushed it off early on, but he has looked awful out there.

Honestly someone should kidnap Treliving a week before free agency starts and hold him captive for a few weeks. Guy can’t FA

 

[Rubi]

If he's still a 15-20 point player by the deadline I would absolutely take a mid-round pick for him just to clear up salary for the contracts we're gonna have to hand out this offseason.

Hey I'd be happy with a bag of used pucks, if he's got that type of pt total come the deadline. Its not like we traded for him and gave up another player or two or draft pics. We gave up nothing. He was a UFA when we signed him.
Its a win for us just to be able to get rid of his $5.75m contract thats on the books until 2023. That type of $$ can definitely be better used elsewhere.

Sometimes some players just aren't a fit on certain teams. We've all seen that. Neal may just not be a fit with the Flames and every time I see him out there skating I'm more and more positive he isn't. I really really hope I'm completely wrong about Neal but so far I just don't believe I am.

 

[SKRusty]

Honestly someone should kidnap Treliving a week before free agency starts and hold him captive for a few weeks. Guy can’t FA

Nah. Tre is okay at signing RA's except when they are over the age of 30. Czarnik is a good pick up. Stone believe it or not was a good pick-up. Unfortunately for the Flames management the kids have grown faster than Tre anticipated.

We just need to pay off his secretary when 32 year olds come calling so that their agents calls get bumped.

PS Neal will get it going despite the panic going on here. Neal has played with speed before and when the playoffs come you all will be going "Damn that Tre is a Genius!"

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Nah. Tre is okay at signing RA's except when they are over the age of 30. Czarnik is a good pick up. Stone believe it or not was a good pick-up. Unfortunately for the Flames management the kids have grown faster than Tre anticipated.

We just need to pay off his secretary when 32 year olds come calling so that their agents calls get bumped.

No he’s atrocious

 

[super6646]

Nah. Tre is okay at signing RA's except when they are over the age of 30. Czarnik is a good pick up. Stone believe it or not was a good pick-up. Unfortunately for the Flames management the kids have grown faster than Tre anticipated.

We just need to pay off his secretary when 32 year olds come calling so that their agents calls get bumped.

PS Neal will get it going despite the panic going on here. Neal has played with speed before and when the playoffs come you all will be going "Damn that Tre is a Genius!"

Like brouwer? 4 points in 22 games is terrible no matter how you spin it.

 

[SKRusty]

Like brouwer? 4 points in 22 games is terrible no matter how you spin it.

Brouwer is a horrid comparison because unlike Brouwer, Neal does not drag his line-mates down in CORSI or SCF. Brouwer wasn't bad just because he was not scoring. Brouwer was bad because he wasn't generating scoring chances and was a liability defensively.

Brouwer cost the Flames games and to this point Neal hasn't. The only thing people can say is he isn't generating much offensively at this time. Banging these drums is completely pointless and if Neal doesn't produce either in the regular season or in the playoffs then Tre will do something about the situation. The sky is not falling Chicken Little and to this point the Flames are performing at a level to win the Pacific. As a fan there is not much more that can be asked.

For the first time since Hartley the Flames started off solidly in a playoff position. We as fans have not had the luxury of good starts in years so why not look around and enjoy the games. I find it rather refreshing to look at the team and not wondering what we have to do right to get into a play-off position. If the Flames continue the way they have for the last 3 games it is going to be a GREAT season.

 

[CraigsList]

Neal is a forward that can get in the lineup when injuries occur. I’m sure we are all grateful that Andersson and Valimaki play well because if they didn’t, we would be in a heap of trouble with Stone out.

Back to Neal, he’s still good insurance. I’m sure no one will want his contract right now, but 2 years down the right someone might. He’s still a top 6 player, just isn’t one here because of better and younger players.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Trelivings FA record I would describe as a mixed bag.

Engelland - Mixed. Overpaid but was a serviceable bottom pairing guy.
Hiller - Mixed. Had some big highs, and then huge lows.
Raymond - Bad. Never did all that much as a Flame and was ultimately bought out.

--

Frolik - Good. Despite his poor showing last year (broken jaw in included) he has been a steady player and looks back to normal this season.
Grant - Mixed. Was a depth signing, played about a dozen games for the Flames and was an effective AHL player.

--

Brouwer - Bad. Don't think we need to rehash why.
Johnson - Good. We have to put the Johnson signing in context. He was signed to be the backup. Although he wasn't always good he stepped in and was our starter for a pretty good stretch.

--

Foo - Good. Rolling the dice on a young free agent. Still might turn into an asset.
Hrivik - Mixed. Another depth signing that didn't amount to much but also didn't hurt the organization really.

--

Ryan, Czarkin and Neal I won't comment on yet as the jury is still out.

 

[The Gnome]

Trelivings FA record I would describe as a mixed bag.

Engelland - Mixed. Overpaid but was a serviceable bottom pairing guy.
Hiller - Mixed. Had some big highs, and then huge lows.
Raymond - Bad. Never did all that much as a Flame and was ultimately bought out.

--

Frolik - Good. Despite his poor showing last year (broken jaw in included) he has been a steady player and looks back to normal this season.
Grant - Mixed. Was a depth signing, played about a dozen games for the Flames and was an effective AHL player.

--

Brouwer - Bad. Don't think we need to rehash why.
Johnson - Good. We have to put the Johnson signing in context. He was signed to be the backup. Although he wasn't always good he stepped in and was our starter for a pretty good stretch.

--

Foo - Good. Rolling the dice on a young free agent. Still might turn into an asset.
Hrivik - Mixed. Another depth signing that didn't amount to much but also didn't hurt the organization really.

--

Ryan, Czarkin and Neal I won't comment on yet as the jury is still out.

In terms of FA impact, Tre has a poorish record. Frolik has been the highlight, worth every penny, despite his struggles last year.

 

[Nanuuk]

Bennett has improved this season in whatever role he has been put in. Right now he is absolutely flourishing playing right wing on the second line. He has developed chemistry with Tkachuk, I think, and the two of them are evil twins creating havoc wherever they go. Wiley veteran Backlund is keeping them grounded and as a trio they are controlling possession while remaining offensively lethal.

Neal requires a set-up man. So far he has been bounced around and had ever changing line-mates. I'm sure he and Treliving thought the 1 line RW job would be his, but who could have predicted the great success that line has had. They are truly something special to watch and while their stats to match other top lines I can't think of any other that is so exciting to watch. So Nealer might be expected on the 2 line. But that just wasn't a fit or at least not the way Benny is fitting. So its down to the 3 line. There isn't really a playmaker there. Yet. I'm convinced Dube has the creativity. I'm convinced Czarnik can be that guy too. Young Jankowski, in his second year, isn't there yet and I see him as more of a finisher at any rate. Playing Neal with Frolik and Ryan isn't going to spark him either.

Neal will come around. Tre was patient with Rittich and it appears that is working out. Tre was patient with Brodie and Hamonic and that appears to be working out. Have faith. Neal will break out.

 

[super6646]

Bennett has improved this season in whatever role he has been put in. Right now he is absolutely flourishing playing right wing on the second line. He has developed chemistry with Tkachuk, I think, and the two of them are evil twins creating havoc wherever they go. Wiley veteran Backlund is keeping them grounded and as a trio they are controlling possession while remaining offensively lethal.

Neal requires a set-up man. So far he has been bounced around and had ever changing line-mates. I'm sure he and Treliving thought the 1 line RW job would be his, but who could have predicted the great success that line has had. They are truly something special to watch and while their stats to match other top lines I can't think of any other that is so exciting to watch. So Nealer might be expected on the 2 line. But that just wasn't a fit or at least not the way Benny is fitting. So its down to the 3 line. There isn't really a playmaker there. Yet. I'm convinced Dube has the creativity. I'm convinced Czarnik can be that guy too. Young Jankowski, in his second year, isn't there yet and I see him as more of a finisher at any rate. Playing Neal with Frolik and Ryan isn't going to spark him either.

Neal will come around. Tre was patient with Rittich and it appears that is working out. Tre was patient with Brodie and Hamonic and that appears to be working out. Have faith. Neal will break out.

I always had Lindy on the top line. I just didn't think him and Backlund would have such terrible chemistry.