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

[blankall]

Time for the Flames to once again begin the long journey of finding a young centre.

People do realize that Lindholm is playing great as a #1 centre? He looks amazing right now. He is a PPG player since Sutter took over and looks to be getting stronger and stronger every game. He's also leading the team in points and is an outstanding 56.8% in the dot.

Lindholm has always been a consistent worker. Now that Sutter is whipping his wingers to bring the same intensity, he's getting results.

Lindholm-Monahan-Backlund-Ryan is actually pretty great centre depth.

 

[Castle8130]

Calgary is where things go to die.

That's not how you spell Detroit

 

[Perfect_Drug]

We did the same with Jesse Puljujaarvi in Edmonton.
He played most of his first stint stapled to Lucic, and wondered why he wasn't effective.


Now he's stapled to McDavid and has a huge hand in helping him have the best season in his career, with most Oiler fans turning a complete 180 on him.

 

[lightstorm]

To me this is a question that will take a long time to answer. We’ve seen streaks of hot play from Sam before. Can he maintain it has always been the question with Sam.

The 'problem' with Sam was that every time he had a great game, he would be demoted the next game. Being coached by baboons like Wardo and Goofutzan will do that to you.

Bennett had 22 mins TOI last game. He had that kind of opportunity in 6 (six) games in Calgary out of 400. Let that sink in.

He had 6 points in his last 6 games under Darryl. Then of course Treliving got rid of him.

 

[Ratsreign]

Bennett had 22 mins TOI last game. He had that kind of opportunity in 6 (six) games in Calgary out of 400. Let that sink in

 

[flamesforcup]

Bennett was the most poorly utilised player i have seen in my life. He was always put on wing with meh players, never given proper playing time with proper offensive players. It was 5 years and they still kept playing him on the wing with grinders. Bennett was the most mishandled player i have seen in Flames history. Flames fans saying he was given the chance are out to lunch. He was never given proper top 6 centre time. At best he was given a game or 2 but never a consistant few weeks at least. How is a player supposed to flourish when he keeps getting moved around and gets no consistant time with elite wingers? I had a feeling hes gonna do good with Florida. Its probably too late for him to turn out elite but i can still see him become a Kadri type player. A solid #2 Centre.

Like a poster above said. The Flames did Bennett dirty.

 

[Kojo]

Good for him but we've seen this before. His next test is can he keep up this pace?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Bennett walking around with a 68.3% expected goal share at 5v5 through 5 games. His xGA numbers really standout.

He's definitely been the beneficiary of some good puck luck (for the first time in his career). He's been on the ice for 9 GF vs 6.1 xGF in all situations.

I think he'll likely to slow down to a ~55-70 point type of player who plays a solid two way game and can play in all situations. So an elite #2C or capable #1C.

Crazy to think that Calgary traded this type of players after literal decades of looking for a center like him.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Bennett walking around with a 68.3% expected goal share at 5v5 through 5 games. His xGA numbers really standout.

He's definitely been the beneficiary of some good puck luck (for the first time in his career). He's been on the ice for 9 GF vs 6.1 xGF in all situations.

I think he'll likely to slow down to a ~55-70 point type of player who plays a solid two way game and can play in all situations. So an elite #2C or capable #1C.

Crazy to think that Calgary traded this type of players after literal decades of looking for a center like him.

Strictly talking 5v5, Score-venue-adjusted,

62:37 TOI 5v5
61.16 CF%
7 GF / 0 GA
2.95 GF / 1.4 GA (67.86% xGF)
59.52% OZS

Remains to be seen if it's sustainable, but here are the stats of the 2013 Blackhawks' line of Saad-Toews-Hossa.

378:04 TOI 5v5
61.43 CF%
18 GF / 7 GA
16.73 GF / 10.14 GA (62.26% xGF)
61.75% OZS

Why did I pick this line?

Toews and Bennett are also both 24 years old in these respective seasons.
Both lines to have a similar style of play.
The coach is the same, and used both centers similarity (he gave Kruger most of the hard defensive matchups in Chicago, and Barkov gets the same hard defensive matchups in Florida)
Toews won the Selke that year with these numbers

Kinda funny how Barkov is simultaneously 2013 Kruger and 2013 Kane as far as the "other" roles go.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Another one for Bennett lol

 

[Some Other Flame]

With 4 goals in 6 games with the Panthers, Bennett now has as many goals as he did in 38 games with the Flames this season.

It's amazing what a little opportunity can do.

 

[Scrantonicity 2]

Bennett is playing like a stud! I love seeing it. I wish it had worked out in Calgary but I hope he continues on a tear for the Panthers.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Bennett was the most poorly utilised player i have seen in my life. He was always put on wing with meh players, never given proper playing time with proper offensive players. It was 5 years and they still kept playing him on the wing with grinders. Bennett was the most mishandled player i have seen in Flames history. Flames fans saying he was given the chance are out to lunch. He was never given proper top 6 centre time. At best he was given a game or 2 but never a consistant few weeks at least. How is a player supposed to flourish when he keeps getting moved around and gets no consistant time with elite wingers? I had a feeling hes gonna do good with Florida. Its probably too late for him to turn out elite but i can still see him become a Kadri type player. A solid #2 Centre.

Like a poster above said. The Flames did Bennett dirty.

Even worse utilized than St. Louis?

 

[Bond]

Well, might be eating crow on this one. Will give it next season.

 

[thaman8765678]

Flames management look real smart right now.

 

[TheNumber4]

Calgary is where things go to die.

True. The only franchise that was able to finally put a nail into the immortal Jaromir Jagr's NHL career.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

With 4 goals in 6 games with the Panthers, Bennett now has as many goals as he did in 38 games with the Flames this season.

It's amazing what a little opportunity can do.

At least the Flames still have vanilla Monahan to carry them!

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Not sure what is more impressive, his individual stats or his possession stats.

In his 6 games as a Panther:
4g 3a 7p +8 (all even strength points)
21 Shots 20 Hits 5 Drawn Penalties
17:41 TOI (averaging 20 mins his last 4 games)

Speaking of even strength play, he's posted a 74.1% xGF% at even strength.

What a pickup for the Panthers.

 

[violaswallet]

Not sure what is more impressive, his individual stats or his possession stats.

In his 6 games as a Panther:
4g 3a 7p +8 (all even strength points)
21 Shots 20 Hits 5 Drawn Penalties
17:41 TOI (averaging 20 mins his last 4 games)

Speaking of even strength play, he's posted a 74.1% xGF% at even strength.

What a pickup for the Panthers.

To be fair we’ve essentially cannibalized our other lines to help him: our third line had Lomberg and Lammmiko last game; our top line had Gusev and Vatrano with Barkov. Line maters a lot here

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

To be fair we’ve essentially cannibalized our other lines to help him: our third line had Lomberg and Lammmiko last game; our top line had Gusev and Vatrano with Barkov. Line maters a lot here

I think Gusev and Barkov could be a very good pair, have looked good together. And Vatrano is an excellent finisher

But yeah you guys miss Verhaege and Hornqvist.

Verhaege - Barkov - Gusev
Huberdeau - Bennett - Duclair
Vatrano - Wennberg - Hornqvist

I feel like that's a pretty strong top 9

 

[violaswallet]

I think Gusev and Barkov could be a very good pair, have looked good together. And Vatrano is an excellent finisher

But yeah you guys miss Verhaege and Hornqvist.

Verhaege - Barkov - Gusev
Huberdeau - Bennett - Duclair
Vatrano - Wennberg - Hornqvist

I feel like that's a pretty strong top 9

Eh most Panthers fans disageee with Gusev: he’s looked relatively poor for a winger of Barky hahah

I agree that’s our likely top nine unless Tippett takes a major step forward!

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Eh most Panthers fans disageee with Gusev: he’s looked relatively poor for a winger of Barky hahah

I agree that’s our likely top nine unless Tippett takes a major step forward!

Really? I thought he's looked pretty good, made some real nice setups etc. Looks like he's been struggling with puck luck though.

At 5v5 he's 6.14 xGF and 2.93 xGA but only 2 GF and 2GA (2.67 on ice sh%)

 

[violaswallet]

Really? I thought he's looked pretty good, made some real nice setups etc. Looks like he's been struggling with puck luck though.

At 5v5 he's 6.14 xGF and 2.93 xGA but only 2 GF and 2GA (2.67 on ice sh%)

Take a look at Barky’s advanced stats; he’s that good, goose is a bit slow and hasn’t been able to convert chances given to him.

right now Barkov is playing as good as hockey as anyone else in the world

 

[Paperbagofglory]

This is an organization that had Brett Hull and gave up on him up early. They had Martin St Louis and they gave him up early, its going to look really bad if Bennett turns out to be a star. Thats potentially 3 players they whiffed on horribly.

Drafting busts is bad, drafting potential superstars in your own organization and punting them is way worse.

 

[DecadeofDarkness22]

This is an organization that had Brett Hull and gave up on him up early. They had Martin St Louis and they gave him up early, its going to look really bad if Bennett turns out to be a star. Thats potentially 3 players they whiffed on horribly.

Drafting busts is bad, drafting potential superstars in your own organization and punting them is way worse.

It's the flames way....Forever mediocore.