Benning vs Jones/Persson/etc.

[Cloned]

With Benning almost ready to come back from injury, there are decisions to be made.

Good Benning:

• Easily the most physical of the bottom pairing guys
• Underrated offensive ability, decent point shot
• Generally reliable defensively, doesn’t make a lot of small errors
• Is a right handed shot

Bad Benning:

• I’ve never seen a defenseman go full spaz to the extent he does when he makes a big mistake; Jones and Persson might make more smaller errors but they don’t make the “holy shit Benning” big errors that Matt does
• Not as mobile as Jones
• Persson has a better breakout pass

Who would you play on the bottom pairing?

Click to read more...

 

[Llamamoto]

I would prefer to trade Russell and run a bottom pairing of Jones - Benning.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Benning this year. Jones as spare and sub him in every 3rd game to keep him dialed in.

Off season trade Russell when he’s far easier to trade and a probable higher return due to low salary but much higher cap hit/final year of deal.

 

[GOilers88]

For this year, yeah Russell - Benning.

Hopefully Russell can be moved this summer and they can run Jones/Lagesson-Benning next season.

 

[Old Boys Club]

I tend to flip-flop a lot on Benning, but he is fine as a bottom pair d-man. His problems arise when he is asked to play more than that, that's when we see spaz benning. Ride Russell-Benning for the rest of the season then hopefully find a taker for Russell in the offseason.

No more overpaying UFA dmen for the bottom pair, Oilers need to develop replacements internally.

 

[oobga]

I would prefer to trade Russell and run a bottom pairing of Jones - Benning.

My first thought as well. I want to see guys away from Russell. Russell is putting every D he plays with at a disadvantage with his poor puck moving and giving up the blue line constantly. I give Benning a lot of credit for making Russell-Benning work as well as it did. But, it's very possible replacing Russell with someone else could make that pair even better.

I'm a little more confident in Benning than I am in Persson right now. Need to see Persson show some more consistency in his next opportunity. 3rd pair can be tough physically, and Persson got flustered a number of times after taking a big hit. Benning seems happy to be a rag doll out there, and he keeps on trucking, aside from concussion situations of course.

 

[LMFAO]

Russell - Benning

 

[BudBundy]

For this year, Benning and Russell. Russell is ok on his strong stride and Benning is better than Russell or Jones playing off hand. Next year? I’m all in on a cheap Jones and Benning bottom pairing with Lagesson getting in games against heavier teams on the LH side and Bouchard getting a cup of coffee on RH side late next year. Russell can and should be moved for the cap relief.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I would like Jones and Benning to play together, Benning's low even style of play can help settle and support Jones. Either way, I want Benning back on the Right Side.

 

[SwedishFire]

I liked Persson, but its clear Persson is done this year. ANd I dont know if they have hope for next year. Maybe they are keeping him secretly for a big return next year.

I dont know... Probably is Persson, together with Puljujärvi and Russel, the most surefire tradebaits on the team.

 

[bone]

This year, easily Russell-Benning.

On the right side, Benning is the best defenseman overall when compared to Jones, Lagesson or Persson (or Russell for that matter) provided he stays on the bottom pair.

On the left side, Russell is leaned on very heavily by a strong Penalty Kill group this year, so much so he's second in average PK ice time per game. Until someone can replace his PK minutes, he's likely the best option for third pair left side.

However, the emergence of Jones and to a lesser extent Lagesson, and the still coming potential of Bouchard and Persson, it's probably time to move on from Russell for next year. Hopefully, there's a bit of grooming going on in Bakersfield so these guys arrive capable of killing penalties. Perhaps that conditioning assignment for Benning includes extensive penalty killing time.

 

[Aceboogie]

This year: Russell-Benning > Russell on the left side is a solid bottom pairing D
Next year: Jones-Benning. Hard to judge Jones when hes playing the offside

 

[ujju2]

This year: Russell-Persson
Next year: Jones-Persson or Lagesson-Jones/Persson

 

[belair]

Move Benning in a deal for forward help, run Russell-Jones in the short term and acquire a cheap, bottom pairing rental.

 

[3IR]

I liked Persson, but its clear Persson is done this year. ANd I dont know if they have hope for next year. Maybe they are keeping him secretly for a big return next year.

I dont know... Probably is Persson, together with Puljujärvi and Russel, the most surefire tradebaits on the team.

Yeah, I really don't understand how they're handling Persson. He's got 13 games of NHL experience, and possessed a great breakout pass, okay point shot, but was lackluster defensively, but instead of tossing him on the bottom pairing to let him work on his game, they send him down to the AHL where he seems dominant, and as far as I'm concerned, doesn't teach guys like persson what they need to learn about defending at NHL speed. Meanwhile Jones was doing even worse than persson (imo) in his first 10+ games, and has only now started to look like he can possibly handle third pairing in the NHL, but has just signed a 2 year deal. Does that mean its the end of the line for Persson and Lagesson? I was kind of hoping we'd see each of them get a 20 ish game tryout on the bottom pair to evaluate before signing any of them. Almost feels like they had their mind made up from the start.

As far as the thread goes I really have no idea what they're going to do on the third pairing. We really can't afford to have jones in the pressbox with lagesson and persson all sitting in the AHL. We have until the end of this season to make a call on lagesson and persson, and to hopefully get jones the game experience he needs to come into next season and be a legit NHL Dman. Meanwhile Russell is a complete tire fire in every sense.

Personally I'd try to move whoever they see as the odd man out between Persson and Lagesson, play Jones and Benning as the third pair, and have Russell ride the pine. Whoever isn't traded between Persson and Lagesson can be the first recall.

 

[Stud Muffin]

It’s Easily get rid of Russell for Me.
Jones-Benning as the bottom pair and Persson as the 7.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

With Benning almost ready to come back from injury, there are decisions to be made.

Good Benning:

• Easily the most physical of the bottom pairing guys
• Underrated offensive ability, decent point shot
• Generally reliable defensively, doesn’t make a lot of small errors
• Is a right handed shot

Bad Benning:

• I’ve never seen a defenseman go full spaz to the extent he does when he makes a big mistake; Jones and Persson might make more smaller errors but they don’t make the “holy **** Benning” big errors that Matt does
• Not as mobile as Jones
• Persson has a better breakout pass

Who would you play on the bottom pairing?

Good analysis here.

He just murdered a guy with two last names in Bako.

 

[tardigrade81]

Jones and Benning. Start them from
The bottom, and now they’re here.... hahaha get it.... like the song....

anyway, seriously Jones and and Benning. Make it happen.

 

[Stoneman89]

It’s Easily get rid of Russell for Me.
Jones-Benning as the bottom pair and Persson as the 7.

But Russell is not easily gotten rid of.

 

[Blue Line Turnover]

I think Persson wasnt really given a fair chance. His raw talent and IQ are impressive

 

[Anarchism]

Is it at all realistic that by late January next year we could see....

Nurse Bear

Klefbom Bouchard

Jones Benning/Persson

Persson/Benning

 

[oobga]

Brandon Manning says hi.

 

[nexttothemoon]

The Oilers best set of 7 dmen on the roster would be...

Benning
KRussell
Nurse
Persson
Lagesson
Klefbom
Bear

Those 7 lead this team to the playoffs.

 

[voxel]

Persson is an adventure in his own zone in the AHL. He wants to play a high-risk, high-event game. Not sure Tippett will approve

 

[fuswald]

Agree Russell should be traded. I disagree he is no good. New partner all the time and he still keeps his head above water. On his off wing most of the time.

Trade to Winnipeg and right away while they are desperate .