Sam Bennett Available

[ShaneFalco]

I very much want Bennett. He would be very similar to Hyman here.

Starting to warm up to the idea - especially after these injuries

 

[ToneDog]

I'm only thinking of you guys.

I am trying my best to save you from the crushing disappointment of realizing that bennet is not tough, not big, not productive, and his low IQ aggressiveness backfires as or more often than it helps.

I'd be willing to roll the dice if it cost me a scrub or two. If Keefe can keep him in check (unlike Babs Kadri) he could be a huge pick up. I think the odds are in our favour that Bennett does well here.

 

[cesareborgia]

For people wondering why the leafs would be interested in him. He hits, he fights, he can play up and down the lineup and he’s good in the playoffs. Of course only interested at the right price.

If this is the case, I'm interested.

 

[Stephen]

I'm only thinking of you guys.

I am trying my best to save you from the crushing disappointment of realizing that bennet is not tough, not big, not productive, and his low IQ aggressiveness backfires as or more often than it helps.

Bennett isn't big or productive and his aggressiveness can be a little overzealous at times, but that's primarily the factor we'd want to harness in a Sam Bennett reclamation project.

Have a guy who wants to run the opposing D into the end boards on a forecheck, gets over aggressive on a puck battle, get into some scrappy stuff going when the team is low on energy, and will crash the net to hunt for greasy goals when other, higher IQ and more productive players are driving the play.

Basically just describing what the Leafs want Joey Anderson to become. And hey, if he finds some higher level of play, I'll take that as a bonus.

 

[Stephen]

To use another analogy on why it might be useful to have a Sam Bennett, we didn't go sign Zach Bogosian thinking he would be a franchise defenseman drafted third overall in 2008. He brings some ingredients we miss and does a job.

 

[hockeynorth]

Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Bennett-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Vesey
Petan-Spezza-Boyd

That lineup would be in fine shape, Robertson comes back in ~10 days, slot him into that L3, pull Vesey or Petan, and we just keep chugging along until Thornton/Simmonds are back.

I'm confident Sam Bennett is at a minimum Zach Hyman in this town, that guy would be a gamer for us and normally I'm very against going out to get reclamation projects or grinders. He has the skill, he has the heart, and he'd be playing on a big stage where he seems to thrive the most. I wouldn't be surprised if Bennett-Matthews-Nylander was the Leafs perfect line.

 

[zeke]

I'm confident Sam Bennett is at a minimum Zach Hyman in this town,

Not even close.

 

[hockeynorth]

Not even close.

Zeke, typically I agree on guys like this but everytime I watch Bennett I feel like Calgary just handles him so bad.

He'd go 40 points while playing a grinder role in the top 6, I'm sure of it.

 

[zeke]

Zeke, typically I agree but everytime I watch Bennett I feel like Calgary just handles him so bad.

Just remind yourself that Calgary wants this top 5 pick to succeed more than anyone, and has given him more rope than anyone ever will.

 

[hockeynorth]

Just remind yourself that Calgary wants this top 5 pick to succeed more than anyone, and has given him more rope than anyone ever will.

I know, I think he's a guy who needs a change of scenery though. Just look at Carter Verhaeghe right now as an example of what a real chance and change of place can do. That guy didn't play for Tampa like he is for Florida.

I think if he stays in Calgary and ends up in Seattle that he ends up being a real solid player for them

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Can he play centre effectively?

 

[Martin Skoula]

I know, I think he's a guy who needs a change of scenery though. Just look at Carter Verhaeghe right now as an example of what a real chance and change of place can do. That guy didn't play for Tampa like he is for Florida.

I think if he stays in Calgary and ends up in Seattle that he ends up being a real solid player for them

Hyman worked his way onto the top line and eventually the PP. Hyman wouldn't be Hyman if he sulked for 10 games and demanded a trade because he wasn't getting enough PP time for his liking, he's content being the guy who does the ugly work for everyone else. Bennett is still a star 1C who just hasn't broken out yet in his mind, I don't see the same pride in being a blue collar grinder that Hyman has.

 

[hockeynorth]

Hyman worked his way onto the top line and eventually the PP. Hyman wouldn't be Hyman if he sulked for 10 games and demanded a trade because he wasn't getting enough PP time for his liking, he's content being the guy who does the ugly work for everyone else. Bennett is still a star 1C who just hasn't broken out yet in his mind, I don't see the same pride in being a blue collar grinder that Hyman has.

I'll admit, I didn't even think about the mental aspect of it

 

[Stephen]

Just remind yourself that Calgary wants this top 5 pick to succeed more than anyone, and has given him more rope than anyone ever will.

Sam Bennett actually gets very little ice time in Calgary relative to a 4th overall player that the organization is grooming for success. Obviously there's some negative feedback loop that must be at play and I'm not saying Bennett deserves 20 minutes a night, but where is the runway for him to do much more:

Regular Season:

2015-16 36 points in 77 games, 15:09 ATOI
2016-17 26 points in 81 games, 14:59 ATOI
2017-18 26 points in 82 games, 14:24 ATOI
2018-19 27 points in 71 games, 13:17 ATOI
2019-20 12 points in 52 games, 12:31 ATOI
2020-21 2 points in 10 games, 13:09 ATOI

Playoffs Outlier:

2019-20 8points in 10 games 15:18 ATOI

If we want to look at how development of a bluechip prospect can get lost in the shuffle, it's not like the Toronto Maple Leafs are spoon-feeding Rasmus Sandin the ice time needed to succeed in the NHL this season. I'm sure the organization wants him to succeed, but Sandin is certainly not getting extended looks like Alexander Romanov, K'Andre Miller, Ty Smith from his draft who have leapfrogged over him developmentally.

 

[Stephen]

Hyman worked his way onto the top line and eventually the PP. Hyman wouldn't be Hyman if he sulked for 10 games and demanded a trade because he wasn't getting enough PP time for his liking, he's content being the guy who does the ugly work for everyone else. Bennett is still a star 1C who just hasn't broken out yet in his mind, I don't see the same pride in being a blue collar grinder that Hyman has.

Though technically Hyman engineered his way out of the Florida Panthers organization so he could play for the organization he wanted to where he would get a chance, so there are still some similarities.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Though technically Hyman engineered his way out of the Florida Panthers organization so he could play for the organization he wanted to where he would get a chance, so there are still some similarities.

Yeah maybe just being in Toronto is enough for Bennett to put his head down and work like Hyman, I just don't know how much I'd want to gamble on that with another summer of Ferris crying about how undervalued his client is.

 

[Buds17]

I know, I think he's a guy who needs a change of scenery though. Just look at Carter Verhaeghe right now as an example of what a real chance and change of place can do. That guy didn't play for Tampa like he is for Florida.

I think if he stays in Calgary and ends up in Seattle that he ends up being a real solid player for them

The playoff stats and draft position are why I'd agree with you. The risk for the Leafs is that they are looking to contend now more than a Seattle might be and that they wouldn't be acquiring Bennett via UFA as Florida did with Verhaeghe.

 

[Gabriel426]

Hyman worked his way onto the top line and eventually the PP. Hyman wouldn't be Hyman if he sulked for 10 games and demanded a trade because he wasn't getting enough PP time for his liking, he's content being the guy who does the ugly work for everyone else. Bennett is still a star 1C who just hasn't broken out yet in his mind, I don't see the same pride in being a blue collar grinder that Hyman has.

I think you nailed it.
Hyman knew and understood what he needed to do game in and game out to stick in the NHL, while Bennett still believes he is being miscast and the whole team is against him preventing him to be a star in the league.

 

[LeafSteel]

Truth be told, never given Bennett much thought before, but some of you guys are really making some compelling arguments to bring him in as a reclamation project.

The only warning flag for me is Ferris as his agent. I can’t stand that guy and hate his entire M.O. Marner still has a bad taste in my mouth and how Ferris went about it just makes him trash. Blind siding the Flames and going straight to the media with Bennett’s trade demands just keeps proving what a snake the guy is.

with Bennett needing another contract shortly, just really don’t want much to do with Ferris if there is another way around it.

 

[Ashdown2]

Hyman-Matthews-Marner
Bennett-Tavares-Nylander
Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Vesey
Petan-Spezza-Boyd

That lineup would be in fine shape, Robertson comes back in ~10 days, slot him into that L3, pull Vesey or Petan, and we just keep chugging along until Thornton/Simmonds are back.

I'm confident Sam Bennett is at a minimum Zach Hyman in this town, that guy would be a gamer for us and normally I'm very against going out to get reclamation projects or grinders. He has the skill, he has the heart, and he'd be playing on a big stage where he seems to thrive the most. I wouldn't be surprised if Bennett-Matthews-Nylander was the Leafs perfect line.

wtf ...
hes not a top 6 on an inferior calgary offensive team and somehow thats going to happen in toronto. yet alone as a top line winger.


also keep in mind that whatever you are using to trade for bennett ... bennet will be available in the expansion draft.

 

[zeke]

Sam Bennett actually gets very little ice time in Calgary relative to a 4th overall player that the organization is grooming for success. Obviously there's some negative feedback loop that must be at play and I'm not saying Bennett deserves 20 minutes a night, but where is the runway for him to do much more:

Regular Season:

2015-16 36 points in 77 games, 15:09 ATOI
2016-17 26 points in 81 games, 14:59 ATOI
2017-18 26 points in 82 games, 14:24 ATOI
2018-19 27 points in 71 games, 13:17 ATOI
2019-20 12 points in 52 games, 12:31 ATOI
2020-21 2 points in 10 games, 13:09 ATOI

Playoffs Outlier:

2019-20 8points in 10 games 15:18 ATOI

If we want to look at how development of a bluechip prospect can get lost in the shuffle, it's not like the Toronto Maple Leafs are spoon-feeding Rasmus Sandin the ice time needed to succeed in the NHL this season. I'm sure the organization wants him to succeed, but Sandin is certainly not getting extended looks like Alexander Romanov, K'Andre Miller, Ty Smith from his draft who have leapfrogged over him developmentally.

Thank you for showing how they handed him a 2nd line spot right off the bat and he slowly but surely worked his way down to a borderline 3rd line role 6yrs later, while all sorts of other youngsters came in and shot up the lineup no problem.

 

[smitty10]

I'd be happy to take Bennett on this team. However, I don't see him as a reclamation project at this point. To me, he's a bottom 6 player with some sandpaper. If we acquire him with those expectations I'd be happy to have him.

 

[TMLAM34]

wtf ...
hes not a top 6 on an inferior calgary offensive team and somehow thats going to happen in toronto. yet alone as a top line winger.


also keep in mind that whatever you are using to trade for bennett ... bennet will be available in the expansion draft.

I’m sure you would have said almost the same thing but worse about Simmonds and his time in Buffalo but here we are with him on a line with Tavares and Nylander.

That’s the beauty of having extremely skilled players on this team, guys who work hard, forecheck, go into the dirty areas, etc can play a little above what they really are hence Hyman and Simmonds which is why Bennett wouldn’t be a bad addition. Adding some sandpaper is always a good thing.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

I think he'd be a good fit on the 3rd line w the ability to move up if things come together. Hes not a center but if deployed correctly might be an asset. If the cost is reasonable I wouldn't hate it

 

[Gabriel426]

I think it will come down the cost for Bennett, is it a few draft picks or someone like Kerfoot, or Engvall....Unless Leafs work out a very creative three way trade, like Bennett to Sens and Flames retains 50%, then Bennett to Leafs and Sens retains 50%. I think either Kerfoot or Engvall needs to be included.