If you want to know what Benson is all about read the following article by Spector who as you know is not shy about taking a contrarian view and is one of the last guys to pump up players .
Why AHL coaches, teammates have no doubt Tyler Benson will be NHLer - Sportsnet.ca
What was I looking for in these games? I wanted to see him move on the ice since he spoke about working hard on his skating. It was his skating that was the key issue that could hold him back. He is more agile and his speed is not really a problem anymore even if he will never be a burner. So that is the main box I checked off.
Frankly I couldn't care less about three bad passes or any of the things you say you saw in these two games. They mean virtually nothing compared to his full body of work. This kid is a superb passer and is a full on competitor.
I have followed Benson as closely as I could since before his draft with a particular focus on his final year in Vancouver. It's not easy top watch Giant games out here or games from Bak but they are all on the radio. IN his last year in junior I watched almost no OHL hockey but instead listened to games from Vancouver and Spokane. And if a guy can impress you on the radio he is doing something right. Everything in that article is completely consistent with what I have always believed about this kid.
I read the Spector article. Contrary to what people might think I do full on researches on players. I know what Lowetide states, what coaches state, Woodcroft, his team mates etc. I've poured through it because Benson is a player of interest within the org. We need him to round out to be a useful NHL player.
Full on competitor? He got beat to the puck more times than I could count yesterday. He was guilty watching the play on several Flames rushes and not working hard to get back in the play.
I didn't see appreciable speed from him. I didn't see the two step acceleration people say he has to separate from opposition.
I do thank you for the reply. We'll see what happens. AT this level. What occurs at the AHL level is not a barometer for what occurs at this level.
Much of Bensons assists in the AHL, from what I gauge from highlights are due to having space out there. Much more time and space available in AHL than NHL. Yama has a lot of difficulty with this as well here. You just get closed down at this level without top speed and strength.
I see replays of Marody, Gambardelli beating people one on one, getting to the net after winning a key battle, and creating. Not seeing a lot of those big one on one plays with Benson. I'm seeing plays where the coverage is not so great and he connects a pass that is open.
Gamba for instance made a terrific play completely destroying his checker on the boards and coming to the net and scoring. Those plays, where you absolute own one on one, I lean to those.
I've seen the Benson "saucer pass" from last season most are raving about. Topsix players at this level can make that pass a lot of the time, just saying.
The knocks on Benson are substandard NHL speed, with scouts saying that.
By Bensons own account he has a whole lot to work on. Tick tick.