Player Discussion Tyler Benson

[Aceboogie]

I'm actually pretty surprised about the lack of optimism around Benson. When healthy hes been one of the beat players in every league hes been in. He was a prodigy in AAA, in the WHL he was a phenomenal player when healthy. Was on a bad team but got rave reviews. And in the AHL has been a near ppg player and a staple on the best line

Hes been healthy for a while and proved himself at every level. This is a guy who's had top 6 upside since pre draft and has yet to disappoint

I expect big things from him

 

[Barrsy]

you play the **** out of your best player?
shocking!

Well, did I criticize it? No I did not.
But they kept on trotting him out there when they were pounding teams, double shifts, pp's..etc when pounding teams.
And the only reason I point that out is in the media circus that was going on then (remember it was a lockout year) some were saying they just rolled the lines, making it even more impressive his record. Which was laughable (No, Im not from that team, but know others that were and also saw it occur on numerous occasion).
Just pointing it out.
Kid was very good. But as I say, that was a super strong year from around Edmonton & there were 5 or so kids that were his equal, give or take.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I'm actually pretty surprised about the lack of optimism around Benson. When healthy hes been one of the beat players in every league hes been in. He was a prodigy in AAA, in the WHL he was a phenomenal player when healthy. Was on a bad team but got rave reviews. And in the AHL has been a near ppg player and a staple on the best line

Hes been healthy for a while and proved himself at every level. This is a guy who's had top 6 upside since pre draft and has yet to disappoint

I expect big things from him

Benson always take about a dozen games to get himself going imo.

Takes him a few games to get a read on the league's style of play, what he can and can't get away with and then he is off to the races.

However him and Yamamoto seem really close so I feel like that will make the transition easier for him.

 

[BurnabyJoe7]

Do we know if he's playing tonight?

 

[Aerchon]

Likely not but no confirmation yet.

 

[Leon Draisaitl]

Once he's in, I think he'll make our top 6 a lot better. Archibald has his moments but I think Benson (if given an adjustment period) can have a Yamamoto-like impact.

 

[Todd Parchment]

Replace Khyra with ben’son and we are u beatable put him on McDavid Kassians wing and lower Archie to our amazing bottom 6 and we are set...

 

[SwedishFire]

When you see him, you directly see - he would work for the military, if just hockey wasnt in the way. His look, his demeanor, his face - everything for me screams "in service for military guy".

And thats what I expect him to be. Oilers may need that guy.
Havnt seen him play that much, but that Lander comparison is great in my view.
High moral, work etich, Ok with the stick, some offense, defensive knowledge average skater
But what Benson has over Lander, is probably physicallity.

What makes a player doable for playing in top 6 is simple - intelligence, puckhandling and vision (And that is not hockey IQ - hate that expression).
Iwonder if Benson has enough of that for top 6. As for today, I do not think he has.
He has to work his way to that level.

I see a bottom 9 player. Someone like Lander or Hendricks.

 

[Thomas Tatar]

Benson always take about a dozen games to get himself going imo.

Takes him a few games to get a read on the league's style of play, what he can and can't get away with and then he is off to the races.

However him and Yamamoto seem really close so I feel like that will make the transition easier for him.

Not that I doubt you, but what makes you believe him and Yamamoto are close?

 

[Messrules11]

When you see him, you directly see - he would work for the military, if just hockey wasnt in the way. His look, his demeanor, his face - everything for me screams "in service for military guy".

And thats what I expect him to be. Oilers may need that guy.
Havnt seen him play that much, but that Lander comparison is great in my view.
High moral, work etich, Ok with the stick, some offense, defensive knowledge average skater
But what Benson has over Lander, is probably physicallity.

What makes a player doable for playing in top 6 is simple - intelligence, puckhandling and vision (And that is not hockey IQ - hate that expression).
Iwonder if Benson has enough of that for top 6. As for today, I do not think he has.
He has to work his way to that level.

I see a bottom 9 player. Someone like Lander or Hendricks.

You say you haven’t seen him play that much and then say you see a Lander or Hendricks? Such a bad take. This IS an offensive player with some sandpaper. Put him on the 3rd line for starters and see if he can move up in the lineup.

 

[Aerchon]

When you see him, you directly see - he would work for the military, if just hockey wasnt in the way. His look, his demeanor, his face - everything for me screams "in service for military guy".

And thats what I expect him to be. Oilers may need that guy.
Havnt seen him play that much, but that Lander comparison is great in my view.
High moral, work etich, Ok with the stick, some offense, defensive knowledge average skater
But what Benson has over Lander, is probably physicallity.

What makes a player doable for playing in top 6 is simple - intelligence, puckhandling and vision (And that is not hockey IQ - hate that expression).
Iwonder if Benson has enough of that for top 6. As for today, I do not think he has.
He has to work his way to that level.

I see a bottom 9 player. Someone like Lander or Hendricks.

Lander and Hendricks were low vision/talent players with a high engines and great work ethic.

I've always heard Benson is a highly skilled playmaker with great work ethic.

So while all three have good work ethic you actually picked three significantly different players.

Lander average at everything great at nothing two way forward with below average skating.

Hendricks tough as nails grinder with a good shot and good wheels.

Benson skilled playmaker with below average skating.

A bottom 9 player in overall talent seems like a fair assessment except play makers can really get put anywhere and have some success.

 

[guymez]

You say you haven’t seen him play that much and then say you see a Lander or Hendricks? Such a bad take. This IS an offensive player with some sandpaper. Put him on the 3rd line for starters and see if he can move up in the lineup.

Thats exactly what I would do.
Take Khaira out and put in Benson.
Move Haas to the wing on the 3rd line and put Benson in at the 3rd line centre position.

 

[Messrules11]

Thats exactly what I would do.
Take Khaira out and put in Benson.
Move Haas to the wing on the 3rd line and put Benson in at the 3rd line centre position.

I could see that, or leave him at LW, Haas at C and Chaisson at RW. You have a playmaker, speed and size

 

[Crabapple]

Hard to change up the lineup after our last two games, but hopefully he gets a shot soon.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

 

[SwedishFire]

Thats exactly what I would do.
Take Khaira out and put in Benson.
Move Haas to the wing on the 3rd line and put Benson in at the 3rd line centre position.

Welcome to the NHL kid. You center the 3rd line, as orginal LW:
Well, I think Benson would be thrilled to get that opportunity. But will i be sink or swim?

If Khaira and Russell is his challengers, I dont think he will sit for that many games.

 

[SK13]

Welcome to the NHL kid. You center the 3rd line, as orginal LW:
Well, I think Benson would be thrilled to get that opportunity. But will i be sink or swim?

If Khaira and Russell is his challengers, I dont think he will sit for that many games.

Yeah, Benson is not a C and you don't play a 21 year old rookie out of position in his first game.

TBH, you just take Khaira out and put Benson in. That's the solution. Whether or not they do it after Khaira fought in an 8-3 win, we'll see.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

Put him in Khairas spot and if he’s doing well swap him and archibald around throughout the game depending who has more juice.

 

[Mowzie]

Start him with McDavid and move him down if it doesn't work. McDavid has the ability to be the shooter on his line. I understand the hesitation to start him there, but I think he could swim.

 

[SwedishFire]

Start him with McDavid and move him down if it doesn't work. McDavid has the ability to be the shooter on his line. I understand the hesitation to start him there, but I think he could swim.

Maybe Benson could be that "put it in" guy for McDavid. I think it has more to do with smartness and hands, than pure goalscoring abillity.

 

[3IR]

Honestly, I'd be fine with Benson starting lower in the lineup and working his way up regularly, but we have absolutely no offensive wingers for Mcdavid right now. We have 2 guys in Kass and Archi that fill the same role while leaving a massive skill gap between Mcdavid and the two of them put together.
We know how good Archibald is on a line with Sheahan, and we know that Khaira and P.Russell have been junk, so why is it so hard to give our best offensive prospect a chance to bridge the skill gap between mcdavid and his wingers, while allowing Archibald to go back to the Sheahan line that was doing so well for us before.

We just saw Yam have immediate success with Drai and Nuge, but for the guy who's been a pro longer and lead the AHL team for the last 2 years in points, we're about to start him on a line where he might see 10-12 minutes with career bottom 6ers while continuing to force mcdavid to play with his current linemates. This method of thinking just doesn't make sense to me at all. Why does 1 prospect get a chance to shine off the bat and immediately get confidence playing with good players who help him fulfill the role he was drafted for (offense), but another offensive prospect is gonna have to try and maintain his offensive confidence by playing with guys like Khaira or Russell.

 

[SwedishFire]

Honestly, I'd be fine with Benson starting lower in the lineup and working his way up regularly, but we have absolutely no offensive wingers for Mcdavid right now. We have 2 guys in Kass and Archi that fill the same role while leaving a massive skill gap between Mcdavid and the two of them put together.
We know how good Archibald is on a line with Sheahan, and we know that Khaira and P.Russell have been junk, so why is it so hard to give our best offensive prospect a chance to bridge the skill gap between mcdavid and his wingers, while allowing Archibald to go back to the Sheahan line that was doing so well for us before.

We just saw Yam have immediate success with Drai and Nuge, but for the guy who's been a pro longer and lead the AHL team for the last 2 years in points, we're about to start him on a line where he might see 10-12 minutes with career bottom 6ers while continuing to force mcdavid to play with his current linemates. This method of thinking just doesn't make sense to me at all. Why does 1 prospect get a chance to shine off the bat and immediately get confidence playing with good players who help him fulfill the role he was drafted for (offense), but another offensive prospect is gonna have to try and maintain his offensive confidence by playing with guys like Khaira or Russell.

I see good chemistry with Draisaitl and Yamamoto, so put Nuge with McDavid and Kassian.
Fill in Benson or Khaira(I know, but I think it could work though) with Draisaitl and Yamamoto
So funny, that the easiest spot to get a player, LW, is the weakness for Oilers. Its Nygård, then nothing.
Nuge and Draisaitl fill in as LWs because of need.

Good though Oilers are strong on the right side, when its often the hardes area to fill.

 

[guymez]

Welcome to the NHL kid. You center the 3rd line, as orginal LW:
Well, I think Benson would be thrilled to get that opportunity. But will i be sink or swim?

If Khaira and Russell is his challengers, I dont think he will sit for that many games.

I may have been under the mistaken impression that he was playing some centre as well.
If not then starting him on the wing is a better option but I think the sink or swim part of it would apply if he was to start on the first line as some posters are suggesting.

The main point for me is that he should be starting further down in the lineup.

 

[Messrules11]

Honestly, I'd be fine with Benson starting lower in the lineup and working his way up regularly, but we have absolutely no offensive wingers for Mcdavid right now. We have 2 guys in Kass and Archi that fill the same role while leaving a massive skill gap between Mcdavid and the two of them put together.
We know how good Archibald is on a line with Sheahan, and we know that Khaira and P.Russell have been junk, so why is it so hard to give our best offensive prospect a chance to bridge the skill gap between mcdavid and his wingers, while allowing Archibald to go back to the Sheahan line that was doing so well for us before.

We just saw Yam have immediate success with Drai and Nuge, but for the guy who's been a pro longer and lead the AHL team for the last 2 years in points, we're about to start him on a line where he might see 10-12 minutes with career bottom 6ers while continuing to force mcdavid to play with his current linemates. This method of thinking just doesn't make sense to me at all. Why does 1 prospect get a chance to shine off the bat and immediately get confidence playing with good players who help him fulfill the role he was drafted for (offense), but another offensive prospect is gonna have to try and maintain his offensive confidence by playing with guys like Khaira or Russell.

You make some valid points. I guess for me there’s a couple reasons I plug him in lower and the first is Yamamoto has atleast had a cup of coffee up here whereas Benson is just getting his feet wet. Playing him McD minutes on the top line seems a bit of a stretch. Second is Yamamoto beat him to the 2nd line already. If he looks good by all means I’d like to try him with McD.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I see good chemistry with Draisaitl and Yamamoto, so put Nuge with McDavid and Kassian.
Fill in Benson or Khaira(I know, but I think it could work though) with Draisaitl and Yamamoto
So funny, that the easiest spot to get a player, LW, is the weakness for Oilers. Its Nygård, then nothing.
Nuge and Draisaitl fill in as LWs because of need.

Good though Oilers are strong on the right side, when its often the hardes area to fill.

I understand what you're saying..but don't break up that 2nd line, they are going too well.