Sam Bennett is not a bust.

[DFF]

The guy had 6 playoff points in 15 playoff games before this year. His top seeded team just got embarrassed by the 8 seed in the playoffs, but Bennett had 5 points in 5 games. So we should base that Bennett is now a good player on a 5 game stretch?

The fact that Sam Bennett is such a playoff standout to you is probably the reason the Flames didnt advance to the second round....

Yes, agreed with the last sentence

Bennett is really a good player despite the stats though. I' d take him over soft overpaid Willi and his soon to be golfing team

 

[rosscow]

He wasnt drafted to be a 3rd line stiff. He is a bust from what he was suspose to be. 5 games doesnt change that. He does have a legendary 70s porn stash though.

 

[Aceboogie]

Not a bust, just a big disappointment. Hes a useful depth/role player, but ou always want something more from a top 5 pick (and not every top 5 pick ends up a stud)

 

[nbwingsfan]

Bennett: 55g/116pts in 312 games
Nylander: 55g/162pts in 239 games

so sam has played 73 more games to have the same amount of goals, and 46 less points

solid comparable. you expect more than a 25-35pt 3rd line grinder from a top 5 pick especially when guys like nylander,ehlers,larkin, tuch, schmaltz and pasta were available.


here is a good one. Kapanen, picked #22, who apparently was never gonna be more than a 4th liner/AHLer

28g/54pts in 133 games (66G/127pt pace across 312 games)

Sure, but what kind of Nylander are we getting from here on out?

The 60+pt budding star he was in 16/17 & 17/18 regular season?

Or the ~40pt, scared of physical contact, liability he’s been since the 2018 post season?

Remains to be seen I suppose.

 

[Fixxer]

Looking at his stats, I think he is a pretty consistent guy...
But, I understand why he could be a 4th rounder instead of a 4th overall pick though.
When you get drafted that high, expectations are huge. So, a disappointment is the correct term, offensively at least.

 

[Mr Positive]

He's not a bust based on his draft position, just on his rep before that draft. He was talked about as maybe going ahead of Draisaitl and Reinhart. But, in the end, he didn't. As an Oiler fan I recall Paajarvi getting this big rep leading up to the draft, but he fell. So it seemed like a gift, but maybe these scouts see more than we do, or even the people who make the mock drafts. I know at times the armchair experts get it right and the teams get it wrong, but that doesn't mean that the quality of the info was better. There's luck too.

Sometimes it's just rough. Reinhart just had a good season but it took a while. As an Oiler fan I'm waiting on Puljujarvi still. Similar situation as Bennett.

 

[Gainesvillain]

Just picked too high is all.

If Bennett were picked anywhere after 15th OA he'd be seen as a great choice.

 

[Groo]

Cal Clutterbuck was drafted 72nd

 

[RobbieJMosher]

I’m not a flames fan but I live in Calgary and watch almost all of their games. He’s someone that constantly buzzes and you wonder why he doesn’t put up more points.

He could still break out offensively. It took Sean couturier a few years before he really broke out offensively. They’re similar enough players (poor mans couturier)

I still have hope he could put up 50-60 pts consistently and be tough to play against

 

[Flyers1928]

needs a trade, best I saw live in OHL other than 97

 

[emmjayb]

The thing that endears Bennett to Flames fans is that despite the fact that he is not and will not be the offensive power that he was expected to be coming out of the draft, he has essentially reinvented himself as a very effective grinder. Maybe this is an overstatement, but generally when players his size come of out junior with ridiculous offensive credentials and they don't translate to the NHL, they go away because they don't have the mental fortitude and character to do whatever it takes to change and stay. Bennett refuses to go away. He is my favourite Flame (tied with Gio) because of one thing - heart. If the rest of the high scoring "skill" guys had a little more of that, maybe we wouldn't have been absolutely destroyed by Colorado. Sam Bennett can be on my team any day.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Bennett isn't a bust but an underwhelming player

a decent 3rd liner that provides much needed grit in the Flames line-up...something they sorely lack

 

[Schred]

Bennett isn't a bust but an underwhelming player

a decent 3rd liner that provides much needed grit in the Flames line-up...something they sorely lack

He is definitely a useful player and one of my favourites. But I'd say he is the definition of a bust. He was drafted to be our top center, and is now a middle six winger. He is a bust based on draft position but he is still an NHL caliber player no doubt.

 

[AvsCOL]

If he was drafted even 10 spots lower, I think you'd be sort of okay with the pick, but top-4.... that's bust territory.

Really if you're drafting anywhere in the top-5, you're expecting an elite player, not just a good player.

 

[madmike77]

I’m not a flames fan but I live in Calgary and watch almost all of their games. He’s someone that constantly buzzes and you wonder why he doesn’t put up more points.

He could still break out offensively. It took Sean couturier a few years before he really broke out offensively. They’re similar enough players (poor mans couturier)

I still have hope he could put up 50-60 pts consistently and be tough to play against

I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s playing with Gaudreau next year. I think Monahan’s days as the 1C are pretty much over. I could see Lindholm as the 1C with Bennett on the wing.

 

[Zerotonine]

No, he doesn't. He played in the playoffs in 2017 and put up good stats.

16 points in 13 games +8 for your first experience ain't so bad

 

[Crazydounut]

Lmao yes he is

 

[Monsieur Miz]

Like Dylan Strome, he needs a change of scenary.

 

[Lemontree]

Like a few others have mentioned, he is not a bust. Based on his draft position and expectation he has been a disappointment so far in his NHL career.

 

[tfong]

I'm a flames fan but you probably shouldn't be comparing him to Larkin and Drai.....

 

[96]

So it's decided. A player should be evaluated on a 20 game window and by no other means.

Isn’t that what you guys did when claiming Larsson is an elite #1Dman?

Yes, agreed with the last sentence

Bennett is really a good player despite the stats though. I' d take him over soft overpaid Willi and his soon to be golfing team

Hey everyone ! Let’s not let this go unnoticed! This guy would take Sam Bennett over Nylander (+ the rest of the Leafs?) WOW

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Yes he is.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Woah

A 20-20 pace in a 20 game sample size means he’s not a bust?

I’m sold.

Yes. Bust doesn't mean disappointment. If he turned into nothing, he would be a bust. He's a quality depth forward right now. Not what they wanted out of him, but not a bust either.

 

[Golden Puppers]

Bogosian, Pietrangelo, L.Schenn
Duchene, E.Kane, B.Schenn
Gudbranson, Johansen, Neiderreiter
Huberdeau, Larsson, R.Strome
Galchenyuk, G.Reinhart, Rielly
Drouin, Jones, Lindholm
Draiaitl, Bennet, Dal Colle
D.Strome, Marner, Hanifin
Dubuois, Puljuarvi, Juolevi
Heiskanen, Makar, Pettersson

-------------------------------------

The value Bennet has provided at the NHL level has definitely fallen short of the 'expected' value someone drafted 4th should provide. How negative that number is I guess depends on if he's a disappointment vs a bust.

I color coded some recent 3-5 draft picks in recent entry drafts. There are some duds in there, it happens. Red is for total busts, i.e guys who really can't provide any value to a NHL teal i.e Griffin Reinhart and Mike Dal Colle, this is obviously very rare for someone taken 3-5.

Puljujavi and Juolevi are half red/black as they seem to be on the same track as the other 2 but there's still some time to right the ship.

I lumped Bennet in with guys like Luke Schenn, Erik Gudbranson and Ryan Strome. Guys who can play in the league but don't really provide a lot of value (if any) over an average player at their positions. It happens not super rare but definitely disappointing.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Isn’t that what you guys did when claiming Larsson is an elite #1Dman?



Hey everyone ! Let’s not let this go unnoticed! This guy would take Sam Bennett over Nylander (+ the rest of the Leafs?) WOW

Literally nobody ever called Larsson an elite #1 dman.
Link? I'll wait.