Is Benoit Really... Anything?

[Cap'n Flavour]

Last night I noticed Benoit was mostly camped out in front of the net and letting Timmins rove around to chase the puck carrier on both sides of the ice, which is pretty odd because Timmins isn't a great skater. Also as a 5-man unit with Tavares they were awful, finishing the game with ~25% FF%. Nylander had a 7% xGF% which is wild (hah).

Anyway I wonder if Benoit is playing through a nagging injury because that's a thing Leafs love to do for some reason. It would make sense to rotate him out and stop forcing McCabe to play RD except Myers sucks and Hakanpaa was already a painfully slow player before his knee injury. Timmins would probably be ok with McCabe but a supposed contender should have better options for a #4 RHD.

 

[Fogelhund]

It's the Muzzin/Holl effect again, but this time Benoit is the beneficiary of playing with McCabe. Benoit is certainly a serviceable player, but McCabe made him look pretty good.

Also note, he's got the second lowest GA/60 this year, of any D man on the team. He's playing physical, blocking shots... that's his game...

 

[ULF_55]

Sorry. I don't mean it to be a personal attack. I see your point. My experience of having a new born is not everyone's, but my wife was stressed out of her mind, depressed, anxious, and that's the tip of the iceberg. My son had to go back to Sick Kids Hospital twice, etc. I absolutely was a zombie and could not work well at my job for quite a while. I don't know about Beniot, but due to some people's experiences with new born babies I'm going to cut him some slack.

Everyone I'm sure react differently. Had 3 including twins, with middle of the night feedings I handled because I can fall back to sleep and work on 5-6 hours sleep a day. We had twin group friends and their routine was a complete mess. Mind you as soon as one of their twins made a peep they would rush into the room and check on them. Twins trained them completely, we trained our twins to knock it off and go back to sleep.

My employer was not supportive though. We were supposed to work for free at least 15 hours a month ... unofficially ... but you know Corporate. Called me in after the twins were born and asked how come I wasn't forfeiting as many hours. I said I had twins and they asked if that was a problem?

Times change though, and especially if there are health issues that changes everything.

Hope everything worked out for you.

 

[1specter]

He's a decent depth stay at home guy but I think McCabe definitely made him look better

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Everyone I'm sure react differently. Had 3 including twins, with middle of the night feedings I handled because I can fall back to sleep and work on 5-6 hours sleep a day. We had twin group friends and their routine was a complete mess. Mind you as soon as one of their twins made a peep they would rush into the room and check on them. Twins trained them completely, we trained our twins to knock it off and go back to sleep.

My employer was not supportive though. We were supposed to work for free at least 15 hours a month ... unofficially ... but you know Corporate. Called me in after the twins were born and asked how come I wasn't forfeiting as many hours. I said I had twins and they asked if that was a problem?

Times change though, and especially if there are health issues that changes everything.

Hope everything worked out for you.

What do you mean "work for free at least 15 hours a month"?

That just sounds so wrong. Unless they're paying me soooooo much money the rest of the hours I work I wouldn't care. I've never had a job like that.

Had lots of bosses who would've loved it if I worked for free though.

 

[ULF_55]

What do you mean "work for free at least 15 hours a month"?

That just sounds so wrong. Unless they're paying me soooooo much money the rest of the hours I work I wouldn't care. I've never had a job like that.

Had lots of bosses who would've loved it if I worked for free though.

You know the company I worked for. Everyone who lives in the country knows it. We were paid okay, but it was market rate. IT with a punch clock that was reviewed monthly. If you didn't forfeit hours you were considered a slacker. Had a friend who used to come in weekend and recall archived files to prop up his hours. If you know what recall archived files was like "recall FILENAME", over and over again. He got promoted based on doing a clerical function on Saturdays ...

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

You know the company I worked for. Everyone who lives in the country knows it. We were paid okay, but it was market rate. IT with a punch clock that was reviewed monthly. If you didn't forfeit hours you were considered a slacker. Had a friend who used to come in weekend and recall archived files to prop up his hours. If you know what recall archived files was like "recall FILENAME", over and over again. He got promoted based on doing a clerical function on Saturdays ...

Sounds like a Japanese company.

Everyone wants you to work. But nobody wants to pay you. I wonder why that is.

You pay minimum wage you get minimum work.

 

[ULF_55]

Sounds like a Japanese company.

Everyone wants you to work. But nobody wants to pay you. I wonder why that is.

You pay minimum wage you get minimum work.

Canadian company that earns billion$ * 10, yearly (net income).

 

[mjd1001]

I think a subtle way to look at how good a player is, or at least how much a team values them, is ice time. The coach is right there on the bench, in every single practice...he will give out ice time based on what he sees.

Benoit is last among D-men in ice time. Last in Even strength ice time. Last in PP ice time. 3rd in short handed.

So, he is your last guy. hes not even a defensive specialist, just you put him out there on PK when you want to give OEL and Rielly a rest.

He's there. he's a typical #6-7 guy who is fitting in on this team as a #6

 

[arso40]

I think a subtle way to look at how good a player is, or at least how much a team values them, is ice time. The coach is right there on the bench, in every single practice...he will give out ice time based on what he sees.

Benoit is last among D-men in ice time. Last in Even strength ice time. Last in PP ice time. 3rd in short handed.

So, he is your last guy. hes not even a defensive specialist, just you put him out there on PK when you want to give OEL and Rielly a rest.

He's there. he's a typical #6-7 guy who is fitting in on this team as a #6

I just wonder how the lines would have looked with balanced left shots with right shots

 

[ULF_55]

Benoir is a good depth defender on good contract.

But it is okay to point out his limitations, like we do all players, whether they are 7th. defenders or 1st. defenders.

All teams have 3rd. pairing defenders and all teams have 1st. pairing defenders, and none of them are perfect.

 

[notdoneyet]

Who is blaming Benoit? I certainly haven’t seen anyone.

Go back and read all the comments about how bad he is and he should sit a few games
This team is back to the same old shit. McCabe gets hammered in a fight and no one takes exception. That happens on any other team and all night people are running you.
This team will never change Berube can’t make warriors out of soft players.

 

[banks]

Teams have a place for a Benoit type player. The key is keeping that type of player in their place.

Benoit can play 16 minutes without too many errors, and when needed he can play 20 minutes a game once in a while. But teams sometimes think that means this type of player can be trusted with more on a regular basis, and that's dangerous. You cant pay him or play him as more than a bottom pair guy because over the long term they'll let you down by being too event-free or wearing down.

Luckily for us, Benoit seems to be paid and used appropriately so far. 1.3 million and 16 minutes is just fine for a low-stress, low-maintenance, low-event player.

 

[sxvnert]

Having a tough season so far.

Rielly Tanev
OEL Timmins
McCabe Hakanpää

 

[Buds17]

Playing solid defensively is ultimately what will make him successful. While he's been close to adequate in that department, there's still enough room for improvement.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Benoit is dead last among Leafs defensemen by xGF%, by a considerable margin.

I like Benoit a lot, but he hasn’t been “fine.” He’s clearly been struggling so far. He gets a pass because he does a lot of good physical grunt work and isn’t afraid to mix it up to stick up for himself, his teammates, or just being an asshole.

 

[wingman75]

Benoit is dead last among Leafs defensemen by xGF%, by a considerable margin.

View attachment 926317

I like Benoit a lot, but he hasn’t been “fine.” He’s clearly been struggling so far. He gets a pass because he does a lot of good physical grunt work and isn’t afraid to mix it up to stick up for himself, his teammates, or just being an asshole.

What is the average xGF% for #5 and #6 defencemen across the league? Not much point in comparing him to guys higher up the lineup. I think also fair to say the team has not been clicking on all cylinders, which would play a part in everyones numbers.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

What is the average xGF% for #5 and #6 defencemen across the league? Not much point in comparing him to guys higher up the lineup. I think also fair to say the team has not been clicking on all cylinders, which would play a part in everyones numbers.

Timmins is on the same pairing and is well ahead of him.

 

[Apex Predator]

Benoit is dead last among Leafs defensemen by xGF%, by a considerable margin.

View attachment 926317

I like Benoit a lot, but he hasn’t been “fine.” He’s clearly been struggling so far. He gets a pass because he does a lot of good physical grunt work and isn’t afraid to mix it up to stick up for himself, his teammates, or just being an asshole.

What site did you use to get these numbers? I would be curious to see other teams players.

 

[wingman75]

Timmins is on the same pairing and is well ahead of him.

For all of his faults, Timmins can move the puck well. He has some wtf plays too, but when he does make a play it is usually a very quality one. I don't feel that is a common part of Benoit's game.

I'd still like to know how other teams 5-6 fair.

 

[Gallagbi]

For all of his faults, Timmins can move the puck well. He has some wtf plays too, but when he does make a play it is usually a very quality one. I don't feel that is a common part of Benoit's game.

I'd still like to know how other teams 5-6 fair.

Timmins, Gio and Laggeson were or top 3 last year. Sandin, Timmins, Brodie the year prior. Most of those were bottom pair guys

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

What site did you use to get these numbers? I would be curious to see other teams players.

For all of his faults, Timmins can move the puck well. He has some wtf plays too, but when he does make a play it is usually a very quality one. I don't feel that is a common part of Benoit's game.

I'd still like to know how other teams 5-6 fair.

The picture is from Kevin Papetti on Twitter/X. You can find numbers like this on Natural Stat Trick.

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick