Will Bennett eventually become 'Crosby's Neal'?

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Yes but he'll have to bulk up and improve his skating by quite a bit.

I have pointed out numerous times his skating needs work, but it's something that may not hold him back. His skating isn't overly worrisome, just his technique needs cleaned up.

I thought Bobby Ryan was a poor skater when he was drafted. He had a roller hockey background like BB and the sloppy stride roller players tend to have. However, his skating took quantum leaps after a year in the NHL.

 

[Richard]

Bennett needs to be able to give the Puck to Sid in motion. Armstrong, for all his faults, knew how to give the puck to Sid in the neutral zone to enable him to fly into the zone. Hopefully Bennett, who is a good passer, has this ability.

 

[Darth Vitale]

I think he will become Crosby's Bennett, mostly.

 

[wtbipyo]

I really hope he gets a chance to show if he is ready in our shortened camp. If he excels, then let him have 5-6 games.

Kunitz-Crosby-Bennett
Dupuis-Malkin-Neal *Is Duper a Talbot 2.0? All he has to do is play great D, cause TO's*
Kennedy-Sutter-Cooke *Can these two work with Sutter?*
Glass-Vitale-Tangradi *Nice grit to this line*

Side Note - Are Bennett, Tangradi playing for WBS tonight or are they with the Pens now?

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Last I heard they're back in the lineup for tonight.

 

[KIRK]

I really hope he gets a chance to show if he is ready in our shortened camp. If he excels, then let him have 5-6 games.

Kunitz-Crosby-Bennett
Dupuis-Malkin-Neal *Is Duper a Talbot 2.0? All he has to do is play great D, cause TO's*
Kennedy-Sutter-Cooke *Can these two work with Sutter?*
Glass-Vitale-Tangradi *Nice grit to this line*

Side Note - Are Bennett, Tangradi playing for WBS tonight or are they with the Pens now?

I hope Dupuis is Talbot 2.0 and not Dupuis circa 2009-2010 playing with Geno and Fedotenko 2.0 in that case.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

If you mean Crosby's Neal, in terms of a winger that can build a lot of chemistry and become a set fixture on Crosby's flank? Then yes, with some added size, and finding some more speed in his skates. I think Bennett could become a steady 25-30 goal, 55-65pt winger playing beside Crosby.

And I would be extremely happy with that result. But like I said he needs a bit of size and speed to even give himself a stage to do that with.

Now... If you are expecting him to become the 40 goal scorer Neal we saw with magic chemistry last season with Malkin... Then I think you are setting the bar a bit to high and sadly will be disappointed. I have learned in this life to never say never... But I am for the better part a realist. I just do not see it happening, if it were to happen no one would be happier to eat crow.

But I think its a pretty safe bet that I will not have too.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I really hope he gets a chance to show if he is ready in our shortened camp. If he excels, then let him have 5-6 games.

Kunitz-Crosby-Bennett
Dupuis-Malkin-Neal *Is Duper a Talbot 2.0? All he has to do is play great D, cause TO's*
Kennedy-Sutter-Cooke *Can these two work with Sutter?*
Glass-Vitale-Tangradi *Nice grit to this line*

Side Note - Are Bennett, Tangradi playing for WBS tonight or are they with the Pens now?

I hope Dupuis is Talbot 2.0 and not Dupuis circa 2009-2010 playing with Geno and Fedotenko 2.0 in that case.

In the past Malkin and Dupuis have not meshed very well. I am not some Malkin fan boy trying to dump all the talent on his line. Its just a reality that only in small portions of games have the two blended well together. Dupuis basically in this roster, plays on the 1st line with Crosby, or he plays a 3rd line roll with Sutter.

And honestly I would like to see the line, if Bennett could hack it on Crosby's wing, a Dupuis - Crosby - Bennett line. Dupuis has become very adept at the pace in which Crosby can cover and command ice, and can at that speed make room for Crosby. With one of the question marks with Bennett being his speed, which would inhibit his ability to make his own space I wonder how playing with those two would compliment him. Not having to worry about being the first guy in the zone, could come in and cherry pick and opening and get a shot off, or a tic-tac-toe with Sid or Duper. I can visualize a lot of good coming out of the line... Or it could be a train wreck... Who knows, but when you look at it objectively I see the top six of...

Dupuis - Crosby - Bennett
Kunitz - Malkin - Neal

...If Bennet can hang with the big boys, being a the well rounded top 6 we could create currently without trade.

 

[KIRK]

In the past Malkin and Dupuis have not meshed very well. I am not some Malkin fan boy trying to dump all the talent on his line. Its just a reality that only in small portions of games have the two blended well together. Dupuis basically in this roster, plays on the 1st line with Crosby, or he plays a 3rd line roll with Sutter.

And honestly I would like to see the line, if Bennett could hack it on Crosby's wing, a Dupuis - Crosby - Bennett line. Dupuis has become very adept at the pace in which Crosby can cover and command ice, and can at that speed make room for Crosby. With one of the question marks with Bennett being his speed, which would inhibit his ability to make his own space I wonder how playing with those two would compliment him. Not having to worry about being the first guy in the zone, could come in and cherry pick and opening and get a shot off, or a tic-tac-toe with Sid or Duper. I can visualize a lot of good coming out of the line... Or it could be a train wreck... Who knows, but when you look at it objectively I see the top six of...

Dupuis - Crosby - Bennett
Kunitz - Malkin - Neal

...If Bennet can hang with the big boys, being a the well rounded top 6 we could create currently without trade.

I don't like those lines. Sid needs some a Kunitz style guy on one of the wings. Geno does too. Problem is there's only one Kunitz.

Then again, in the interest of full disclosure, I have not wavered from my Iginla and Kulemin = Kunitz-Sid-Iginla + Kumy-Geno-Neal dream.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I don't like those lines. Sid needs some a Kunitz style guy on one of the wings. Geno does too. Problem is there's only one Kunitz.

Then again, in the interest of full disclosure, I have not wavered from my Iginla and Kulemin = Kunitz-Sid-Iginla + Kumy-Geno-Neal dream.

I am high on Kully being brought in to be paired up with Geno and Neal, that line would be scary... Flat out scary.

Iginla I view it as a pipe dream, it would cost to much to pull him from Calgary as a rental, and I am not sure how much of a discount he would take in the offseason to sign here... Whether it would be enough to fit him.

In the other thread I brought up, at least in terms of a rental, Ryan Clowe, San Jose has a lot of question marks interms of its roster going forward and needs to clean a tad bit of cap space before next season. He gets paid no more than Kunitz, and it off the books at the end of the season.

I think in terms of a rental that could add an extra threat, and could be had without having to put together a big package trade, he is one of the best bets we have at adding to the roster.

Could work out like this...

Kunitz - Crosby - Bennett/Dupuis
Clowe - Malkin - Neal
Cooke - Sutter - Kennedy/Dupuis
4th line

 

[OnMyOwn]

How "big" are we wanting BB to get here? He is around 200lbs already.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

How "big" are we wanting BB to get here? He is around 200lbs already.

Well I am only a couple of inches taller than Bennett and I am at 206 and athletic, and Ill tell you id have problems taking NHL hits. 210 with good conditioning would be ideal.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

From when I saw him skating out here with Sid in the few practices in LA at the TSC, BB's shot is def. there and his hockey sense is pretty decent too.

The only thing that worries me about him developing into a 30 goal guy (his shot is good enough to be one) is his skating and his foot-speed.

The dude is clunky, kind of slow, and his balance looked shaky at best.

I think this all comes from how much roller hockey he played growing up, he was kind of falling all over even the shortened ice they were playing on.

Now that being said he was in decent position to take Sid's passes and burry a couple, when he wasn't falling over off balanced.

Sid found his through a ton of traffic and he was in more or less the right places, just wondering how and IF his game will translate to the fast paced of the NHL with Sid flying around like a rockets up his ass.

Also as others have said he played a little soft / floater-sih... don't know how well that will go in the NHL either and play along side Sid the way he plays the game.

If anything I think Geno would help BB a lot more than Sid, with the way he can control the puck and slow everything down, but we shall see!

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

In the past Malkin and Dupuis have not meshed very well. I am not some Malkin fan boy trying to dump all the talent on his line. Its just a reality that only in small portions of games have the two blended well together. Dupuis basically in this roster, plays on the 1st line with Crosby, or he plays a 3rd line roll with Sutter.

And honestly I would like to see the line, if Bennett could hack it on Crosby's wing, a Dupuis - Crosby - Bennett line. Dupuis has become very adept at the pace in which Crosby can cover and command ice, and can at that speed make room for Crosby. With one of the question marks with Bennett being his speed, which would inhibit his ability to make his own space I wonder how playing with those two would compliment him. Not having to worry about being the first guy in the zone, could come in and cherry pick and opening and get a shot off, or a tic-tac-toe with Sid or Duper. I can visualize a lot of good coming out of the line... Or it could be a train wreck... Who knows, but when you look at it objectively I see the top six of...

Dupuis - Crosby - Bennett
Kunitz - Malkin - Neal

...If Bennet can hang with the big boys, being a the well rounded top 6 we could create currently without trade.

WOW... I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, hate that first line. Yuck.

 

[Ogrezilla]

WOW... I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, hate that first line. Yuck.

Ya its pretty soft. Bennett would need to be replacing Dupuis on that line, not Kunitz.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

Ya its pretty soft. Bennett would need to be replacing Dupuis on that line, not Kunitz.

Even then BB makes Duper look like a vicious killing machine!

 

[member 51464]

So, for those more in the "know" of development, is it looking like a good choice for BB to have left Denver early? As far as I understood it, it seemed that the biggest thing for him staying in college would have been more time in the weight-room. I guess it can be tough to know the proper balance between strength/conditioning versus playing time. Just figured I'd ask.

 

[ObsessedCreative*]

So, for those more in the "know" of development, is it looking like a good choice for BB to have left Denver early? As far as I understood it, it seemed that the biggest thing for him staying in college would have been more time in the weight-room. I guess it can be tough to know the proper balance between strength/conditioning versus playing time. Just figured I'd ask.

I'd say so... to me he is able to get in the AHL with a faster paced game and better quality competition all while working with NHL level / proven skating coaches.

Skating / Balance / Speed are his biggest issues to work on IMHO.

 

[Al Smith]

No. Crosby's contract states that his regular linemates (which do not include the end-of the period shift with Malkin) shall not include any offensively creative players with good hands. Backups for Kunitz/Dupuis slots include Cooke, TK, Adams, and Orpik.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Where's the "It's too early for this thread" option?

 

[gopens66]

I think Neal scored 24 goals his rookie season. That's a tall order.

 

[HandshakeLine]

I'd settle for him becoming Crosby's Errey.

 

[Darth Vitale]

I'd settle for him becoming Crosby's Errey.

I for one, refuse to settle for this outcome. How about "Crosby's Sykora"?

 

[HandshakeLine]

I for one, refuse to settle for this outcome. How about "Crosby's Sykora"?

No way, Errey was pretty good as far as complimentary players went for Lemieux. I'd prefer that Bennet at least make it to Robbie Brown status, though I'll settle for Errey (which for a mid-round 1st, isn't really all that bad, considering Mike Rupp was a 9th overall).

I think we all want to avoid him becoming Crosby's Kip Miller, though.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

From when I saw him skating out here with Sid in the few practices in LA at the TSC, BB's shot is def. there and his hockey sense is pretty decent too.

The only thing that worries me about him developing into a 30 goal guy (his shot is good enough to be one) is his skating and his foot-speed.

The dude is clunky, kind of slow, and his balance looked shaky at best.

I think this all comes from how much roller hockey he played growing up, he was kind of falling all over even the shortened ice they were playing on.

Now that being said he was in decent position to take Sid's passes and burry a couple, when he wasn't falling over off balanced.

Sid found his through a ton of traffic and he was in more or less the right places, just wondering how and IF his game will translate to the fast paced of the NHL with Sid flying around like a rockets up his ass.

Also as others have said he played a little soft / floater-sih... don't know how well that will go in the NHL either and play along side Sid the way he plays the game.

If anything I think Geno would help BB a lot more than Sid, with the way he can control the puck and slow everything down, but we shall see!

It isn't really his speed, because his B2B speed is pretty good. It is his edge work and technique... Which is why he looks shaky at times.

I thought Bobby Ryan was a wonky, undisciplined skater coming out. He has a roller background like BB and you could see it in his stride, stops/starts, turns, how he kicked out, etc. He was a pretty ugly skater. However, he has really become a good, not great skater, since he got to the NHL.

So I'm trying not to worry about BB's skating for now.

Ironically, Crosby just called him a "great skater" in an article I read. I'll try to dig up the quote, but I'm lazy so...