Moving him between Wing and C indicates to me that they are trying to ease him into the Center role.
That is still alot different than the blunt "he will be playing center". It tells me they are seeing where he plays best.Moving him between Wing and C indicates to me that they are trying to ease him into the Center role.
Yeah nothing has changed...... except he isn't exclusively playing center.
Don't let facts get in the way of your narrative Calc.
That is still alot different than the blunt "he will be playing center". It tells me they are seeing where he plays best.
it varies, they have been trying him in several places to try and get him (and everyone else) going. He's played a decent amount of LW, alot more than one would figure when the team adamantly stated he would be used at center.I don't have any offhand information about when they are playing him wing vs C, but I am assuming it is mostly situational based on who is on the ice with him.
it varies, they have been trying him in several places to try and get him (and everyone else) going. He's played a decent amount of LW, alot more than one would figure when the team adamantly stated he would be used at center.
I think if they were winning (or scoring) they'd continue using him at centre.
And really they were playing him at centre last night between Gaudreau & Frolik which ended up being a good decision.
and if they were winning with him on LW he'd keep playing there too. They have relaxed from a hard stance, that tells me they are opening up to other possibilities.I think if they were winning (or scoring) they'd continue using him at centre.
And really they were playing him at centre last night between Gaudreau & Frolik which ended up being a good decision.
True, but keep in mind that playing centre for Gaudreau made both Jooris and Granlund look really good last year, too.
Also keep in mind that Bennett has been buzzing for multiple games. It's not like he was in any sense a product of Gaudreau last night.
I'd agree with you there based on what we saw, but maybe there are more subtle factors like how Gaudreau draws attention and that sort of thing. Also, Bennett was buzzing last game, too, but he also played with Gaudreau for part of the game at the same time, so...
But I would hope you're right, and that Bennett is looking good because Bennett is good.
Bennett is by no means a lock to end up a centre. Their treatment of Bennett early this season isn't that different than Colborne. The early line was that they saw him as a centre and they wanted to make that happen. However, right now, would anyone say Colborne is more likely to end up a centre than a winger?
Difference being that Colborne has about 1/10th the hockey sense that Bennett does, and isn't anywhere near as good a skater. There's nothing about Bennett that indicates he couldn't succeed at centre. The only real drawback so far is his dismal FO%, but most young kids suck at faceoffs.
And Colbornes played 160+ NHL games and Bennett is a rookie, there's no real comparison to be made there.
I was talking about Colborne's rookie season, though. He was brought in, everyone was talking about how he was going to be a centre, and that's what the organization wanted from him, then he was moved to the wing, and they talked about how it was temporary, and they just wanted him to get confidence before moving him back to centre in the future. Then the same thing happened last year in his sophomore year, and now, where we are right now, it really doesn't look all that likely that he'll be a centre.
That's the point I'm making; in two years from now, Bennett could follow that same path (although we would hope he's a much better hockey player than Colborne). Some guys find their home in the NHL on the wing, and that's okay.
Why rush it? Bennett and Monahan are expected to be established top 6 Cs, possibly as soon as next year (Monahan obviously already is, so it's just Bennett now). Is it really worth trading Backlund, adding assets to him, acquiring a guy who will pretty much be guaranteed to be older or more expensive, just to get a small performance boost a year or two early?