Sam Bennett - most needed change of scenery ever or hot streak?

HugginThePost

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Dec 28, 2006
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Because he was stupidly played as a 4th line winger instead of being played as a top 6 center.

Tell me when he deserved a chance....

He was given top line minutes and did nothing with them. Nothing

He was played on the 4th line because he was a fourth line player.

It's not like one coach played him there. Three coaches, or was it four, played him there.

Let's revisit this in a year......
 

WhiskeyYerTheDevils

yer leadin me astray
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Apr 27, 2005
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Tell me when he deserved a chance....

He was given top line minutes and did nothing with them. Nothing

He was played on the 4th line because he was a fourth line player.

It's not like one coach played him there. Three coaches played him there.

Let's revisit this in a year......

Wait, you just said he was given many chances? But now you're saying he didn't because he didn't deserve the chance? Which is it?

And all three coaches are morons who obviously don't have a good eye for talent. Because they've had the top line center they've needed for decades playing right under their noses.
 
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WaitingForThatCab

Gas up the Lombo
Mar 11, 2017
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Unfortunately, I don't get to watch enough Flames games to have a strong opinion on what went wrong for Bennett in Calgary.

What I can tell you is that Jonathan Huberdeau is not a guy who just plugs and plays well into any line the team slaps together. He's a rather unique playmaker and he doesn't adjust well when guys can't keep up with him or anticipate what he's trying to do. Bennett has been able to do just that for him while crashing around like a bull in a china shop. If you want to tell me this guy is a bottom six player, I'm just not going to believe you.

So it goes. Sometimes, a change of scenery breathes new life into people in stale situations, and this is not necessarily instructive of either organization. It goes both ways; look at Vincent Trocheck.
 

choirboy

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Apr 12, 2006
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It's nice to see how happy Bennett looks now. Kid cant stop smiling on the bench
Of course he is smiling. He gets to play on the second line with great line mates. Plus on a playoff bound and contending team.

Lastly, he leaves the city of Calgary and now gets to live in Miami as a multi millionaire. That alone is a win.
What more would any human being want?
 

WhiskeyYerTheDevils

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Perhaps what's more impressive than his point totals is that he's averaging 4.0 shots per game, and is 2nd in the league in SOG since he joined Florida (only Matthews has more). His career average in Calgary was 1.7 shots per game...

He's outperforming the expected goals model, but not really by an outrageous amount. He's potted 5 goals vs 4.01 ixG in all situations. That puts him at a pace of 41 expected goals over 82 games. I suspect he falls off from that a bit, but it's gotta be encouraging to Panthers fans that his production thus far isn't just lucky.

Also - the team has scored 16 goals with him on the ice vs 10.5 expected goals. Considering most skilled players typically outperform expected goals, and he's now playing alongside skilled players, we may not see to much regression in Bennett's production. He's also up to a 73% xGF% at 5v5, which is quite impressive as well.

Essentially, the underlying numbers suggest that he's been playing like a 30-40+ goal 70-80+ point player two way top line center. Even assuming he cools down and his underlying play drops off, it seems unlikely for him be any worse than a 25 goal 55 point center.

And they got him for essentially two 2nd round picks...
 

Two4Fighting

Registered User
Oct 17, 2007
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he's playing on a line with much better talent

It is the other way around if you were to watch the Panthers, Huberdeau was in a serious slump, and he was the sparkplug that he needed, all of the sudden Huber is back putting up multiple points per game, It has a lot to do with Bennet himself, doing the heavy lifting as well as being himself a threat, so it gives Huber a lot of room.

Lots of people are afraid to accept that they miss judge the trade and calling him a bust and lazy, but he has shown none of that, he is actually behind Barkov one of the most liked player in the time right now, they are others Duclair, Verhaegue, Forsling, etc , but he offers so many tangibles that is impossible to ignore all of the things that he does right.

As for the people who wants to be right about their miscalculated prediction, it is Ok to be wrong, it is Hockey after all, we all make assumptions about players value and abilities, but it is another thing when they are on the ice.

This happened to us with Trotchek, we let him go because he appeared done, not trying anymore, look at him in Carolina now,
it seemed like a great idea at the time of the trade.
 

Two4Fighting

Registered User
Oct 17, 2007
1,088
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Perhaps what's more impressive than his point totals is that he's averaging 4.0 shots per game, and is 2nd in the league in SOG since he joined Florida (only Matthews has more). His career average in Calgary was 1.7 shots per game...

He's outperforming the expected goals model, but not really by an outrageous amount. He's potted 5 goals vs 4.01 ixG in all situations. That puts him at a pace of 41 expected goals over 82 games. I suspect he falls off from that a bit, but it's gotta be encouraging to Panthers fans that his production thus far isn't just lucky.

Also - the team has scored 16 goals with him on the ice vs 10.5 expected goals. Considering most skilled players typically outperform expected goals, and he's now playing alongside skilled players, we may not see to much regression in Bennett's production. He's also up to a 73% xGF% at 5v5, which is quite impressive as well.

Essentially, the underlying numbers suggest that he's been playing like a 30-40+ goal 70-80+ point player two way top line center. Even assuming he cools down and his underlying play drops off, it seems unlikely for him be any worse than a 25 goal 55 point center.

And they got him for essentially two 2nd round picks...


He does so many good things on the ice. even if he cools down, he still will be worth more to the panthers than 2 second round picks, he feistiness and aggressiveness on the puck add to the Panthers something that we were missing. last night he was playing with a different partner on his right, Owen Tippet, he had no problem scoring.
 

Fig

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Dec 15, 2014
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Unfortunately, I don't get to watch enough Flames games to have a strong opinion on what went wrong for Bennett in Calgary.

What I can tell you is that Jonathan Huberdeau is not a guy who just plugs and plays well into any line the team slaps together. He's a rather unique playmaker and he doesn't adjust well when guys can't keep up with him or anticipate what he's trying to do. Bennett has been able to do just that for him while crashing around like a bull in a china shop. If you want to tell me this guy is a bottom six player, I'm just not going to believe you.

So it goes. Sometimes, a change of scenery breathes new life into people in stale situations, and this is not necessarily instructive of either organization. It goes both ways; look at Vincent Trocheck.

Sounds like something specific that I had mentioned before. Bennett thrives on chaos and is absolutely one of the league's best for that type of scenario.

If Huberdeau is a unique playmaker that can get the puck to his team mates through absolute chaos, then that sounds like perfect chemistry and fit between two players to me.

For the bottom 6 comments, he wasn't given a solid top 6 chance here. Bennett has so many tools that are often coveted in many other teams bottom 6, but perhaps he's also a kind of top 6 boom or bust player?
 

YesCubed

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Mar 2, 2015
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what the owners and dale tallon did to what was a promising Panthers team after the 15-16 season should be criminal. sucks that tallon gave a final f*** you in the form of the bob contract, but it looks like zito is turning things around
 
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Gurglesons

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Dec 18, 2009
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what the owners and dale tallon did to what was a promising Panthers team after the 15-16 season should be criminal. sucks that tallon gave a final f*** you in the form of the bob contract, but it looks like zito is turning things around

I think part of this was exorcising that old core. Losing all of Matheson, Bjugstad, and Trochek probably gave the room back to the leaders who should be there. I think the rumors about moving Yandle further prove they wanted to get away from that old group.
 

CTZ181

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Jan 18, 2021
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I've always been a fan of Bennett and knew he just needed a new role and team. I wanted the Pens to take him for a long time. I'm happy with Jeff Carter, he's been great and brings a bit more all-around skill and leadership but I legit would have been happy with Bennett.
 

42

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Sep 8, 2013
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I've always been a fan of Bennett and knew he just needed a new role and team. I wanted the Pens to take him for a long time. I'm happy with Jeff Carter, he's been great and brings a bit more all-around skill and leadership but I legit would have been happy with Bennett.
He would have been stuck behind Crosby and Malkin. Florida is a better landing spot for him.
 
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