SAM BENNETT - Right Winger/Center - 23 - $2.55MM Cap Hit - RFA in 2021-2022
LAST UPDATED 6/28/19
While he is far from the elite offensive producer he was drafted fourth overall to be, Bennett has successfully adapted his game so he could stick on an NHL roster. Whereas he formerly was a "top-6 or bust" kind of prospect who lacked the size, strength, or defensive record to stick in a bottom-6, Bennet has completely turned his game around. He now plays with an unyielding amount of energy, anger and passion. He's turned from that little ball of skill that terrorized defenders into the little ball of hate that terrorizes the Department of Player Safety. He uses his energy and willingness to do anything to get the puck to give himself decent chance-creating value on the offensive side of the ice, and while he's not a shutdown player just yet, his commitment to defense is improving his play on that end of the ice. He's focusing on the intangibles that teams value heavily in players with his playstyle, and he seems to have shifted to become more of a winger than the center he has been throughout his career, likely due to his only mediocre defensive play. Going forward, Bennett should continue to be a strong, fan-favorite player in Calgary, and will always have that upside that got him drafted so high. It's probable that he never becomes an elite offensive player, but with players drafted so high it's still up in the air. It'll be interesting to see how much of a financial commitment the Flames give Bennett, an RFA, and it will be informative for telling fans how he's valued as a core piece of the Calgary Flames. Right now, Bennett is an angry, fast third-line energy forward.
While he is far from the elite offensive producer he was drafted fourth overall to be, Bennett has successfully adapted his game so he could stick on an NHL roster. Whereas he formerly was a "top-6 or bust" kind of prospect who lacked the size, strength, or defensive record to stick in a bottom-6, Bennet has completely turned his game around. He now plays with an unyielding amount of energy, anger and passion. He's turned from that little ball of skill that terrorized defenders into the little ball of hate that terrorizes the Department of Player Safety. He uses his energy and willingness to do anything to get the puck to give himself decent chance-creating value on the offensive side of the ice, and while he's not a shutdown player just yet, his commitment to defense is improving his play on that end of the ice. He's focusing on the intangibles that teams value heavily in players with his playstyle, and he seems to have shifted to become more of a winger than the center he has been throughout his career, likely due to his only mediocre defensive play. Going forward, Bennett should continue to be a strong, fan-favorite player in Calgary, and will always have that upside that got him drafted so high. It's probable that he never becomes an elite offensive player, but with players drafted so high it's still up in the air. It'll be interesting to see how much of a financial commitment the Flames give Bennett, an RFA, and it will be informative for telling fans how he's valued as a core piece of the Calgary Flames. Right now, Bennett is an angry, fast third-line energy forward.
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