I was disappointed at first with this pick but recently I'm changing my mind about this pick because etem's stride scares me a bit and this guy Bennett hasn't matured yet so he might be the big, strong offensively gifted player we've been looking for in a while on the wing. In the future of course depending on how much he develops physically.
I know nothing about Bennett, so I have no opinion.
...other than being disappointed it isn't Kabanov now that Shero is gambling. But hopefully it is an ace pick. Welcome Beau!
I was disappointed at first, too. Then I started reading up on the kid, watching some highlights and found out that he's got 1. a ****ing wicked shot, 2. he can stick handle with the best of 'em, and 3. he is a pretty decent passer as well.
That's good enough for me. Now we wait a few years to see if he turns into what we all hope he can.
I'll wait and see how he pans out, as I've never seen him play. But this team really does need to start drafting/developing legitimate top 6 players to play with Sid/Geno. It would help tremendously to have skill on ELCs, rather than always having to either go the FA route or to take chances on over the hill or bargain basement cheap players.
Bennett's style also seems to be even more high risk, given that he's not going to be the type you can play in your bottom 6 or in a defensive role. The guy will either be a scorer on this team, or a bust.
Here's the thing with boom or bust guys for me. Let's take Bennett and Watson as examples. So Bennett has way more offensive potential than Watson, but Bennett is also a top 6 or bust, so if he doesn't make the top 6, he is useless, where as if Watson doesn't make the top 6, he has 3rd line potential and he still holds some sort of NHL value.
I'd give up some offensive potential for that certainty. I mean, look at how coveted Colby Armstrong is.
A part of me kind of wishes if the Pens were going to take a risky pick, they'd have taken someone like John MacFarland. He's got as much offensive upside as any who were available when the Pens drafted, and also could play a physical game.
The kid has the hands, skating, scoring touch, and vision that you can't teach. He can get stronger and learn how to play responsibly in his own end. Like others are saying, I love that Shero went away from the safe grinder type and swung for the fences with this pick. I'll be excited to hear how his development at Denver goes the next few years!
That is the type of pick I want also. This kid is one of the most talented in the draft by all reports. His shot, hands, and vision sound to be top 5 in this draft. His skating is also above average. You can't teach talent but it is easy to put on muscle if he is willing to do the work.
As for a time table I would predict 3-4 years but that will depend on his rate at putting on the pounds. If this kid worked out hard in the weight room he could very easily be close to 200 pounds in two years with gaining 1 pound a month. Sounds like he has the skills to play the game right now the way the rate his shot, hands, and vision so while I would be surprised if he made it in 2 years it could happen. Will see how he does against other players with more size and closer skill at the next level.
I'd rather take the chance on a boom or bust player. Playing it safe and taking a grinder-type doesn't really solve anything. We can get grinders through small trades or UFA every year. We can't get a top line sniper that way given our cap situation. We have to roll the dice on top line sniper types in the draft and hope for the best.
I think people are getting a little xenophobic with this attraction to physical players. We don't need everyone on our team to play like Cal Clutterbuck. We sure could use some talent to compliment our two generational talents, and if those players just so happen to be "floaters" or "perimeter players" then so be it.
For the record, I'd love to have Semin on this team. I don't care what you haters say!
Here's the thing with boom or bust guys for me. Let's take Bennett and Watson as examples. So Bennett has way more offensive potential than Watson, but Bennett is also a top 6 or bust, so if he doesn't make the top 6, he is useless, where as if Watson doesn't make the top 6, he has 3rd line potential and he still holds some sort of NHL value.
I'd give up some offensive potential for that certainty. I mean, look at how coveted Colby Armstrong is.
Not me, 3rd liners are a dime a dozen and not hard to find. It is not that hard to get people for the 3rd and 4th lines and they do not cost very much either. You have a higher opinion of Armstrong than I do. I think we have guys like Cooke, Dupuis, Talbot, etc. that can play 3rd line duty now and guys like Jeffrey and others in the minors that can play those types of spots.
I want a top 6 forward or top 4 dman or bust with my 1st round pick. The team can find those 3rd line forwards and 3rd pairing dmen in the rounds after that. Give me the boom or bust every time over a 1st round draft pick like Armstrong was. You knew when we drafted him that his potential was only 3rd line ability which to me is not good value for 1st round picks. Don't give me Staal stuff either because he is a 2nd line center playing a 3rd line role.
He looks like a Peter mueller type by the sound of things as well. With his shot being as powerful and that he can run the point on the power play I heard somewhere on a website he did that, had 25 pp goals with his team. Luckily he won't be rushed to the NHL like mueller was with Phoenix.
I think people are getting a little xenophobic with this attraction to physical players. We don't need everyone on our team to play like Cal Clutterbuck. We sure could use some talent to compliment our two generational talents, and if those players just so happen to be "floaters" or "perimeter players" then so be it.
For the record, I'd love to have Semin on this team. I don't care what you haters say!
That is true that you can still be a great NHL player and not be physical and Semin is the perfect example of that.
He looks like a Peter mueller type by the sound of things as well. With his shot being as powerful and that he can run the point on the power play I heard somewhere on a website he did that, had 25 pp goals with his team. Luckily he won't be rushed to the NHL like mueller was with Phoenix.
I heard he is moving in with Crosby and playing on his line this season.
Honestly I am just glad we went for someone with top end talent. It sounds like this kid might have the best offensive skill set of any of the skaters drafted after the top 2. From what I read his shot, vision, and hands are right with the best in the draft.
The kid is not small either at 6'1" and those guys must of been short standing up with him because he was taller than all 5 or 6 guys that stood with him when he was drafted. Many high school kids are 175 pounds coming out of high school that put on 20+ pounds fast when they get in a college training systems within a few years. I don't think size will be an issue. The real issue will be if the kid is willing to pay the price and fight for pucks and can take the punishment. It sounds like he has the skills to be a very good scorer for this team so what is not to like. Who cares that he can't be a 3rd line guy if he is not a top 6. That really means nothing to me.
6'1" with top end skills, shot, is a winger, and a right hand shot. What is not to like about the kid when you are picking 20th. If he did not have any question marks he would be a top 10 pick so I will take that package and see what happens every time over a player that does not have that high upside.
Last edited by CrosbyMalkin: 06-26-2010 at 12:20 AM.
I like the pick, I just don't like the fact that kids can be selected outa high school and then we don't even see them in our farm system for 3-4 years. I'd much rather see something like the NBA did and require one year of college hockey somewhere.
So Crosby would have had to play at Nova Scotia U for a year or something?
Here's the thing with boom or bust guys for me. Let's take Bennett and Watson as examples. So Bennett has way more offensive potential than Watson, but Bennett is also a top 6 or bust, so if he doesn't make the top 6, he is useless, where as if Watson doesn't make the top 6, he has 3rd line potential and he still holds some sort of NHL value.
I'd give up some offensive potential for that certainty. I mean, look at how coveted Colby Armstrong is.
But between the two players the higher risk one might have a higher chance of becoming a star over the safer one and frankly, we still don't need more of those bottom 6 types so whether he busts and goes to Europe or plays on our 4th like like is irrelevant to me because I'd consider it a bust either way. I guess it saves you the inconvenience of signing a guy for 800k in the offseason to replace them... but really is that worth fussing about?!?
Here's the thing with boom or bust guys for me. Let's take Bennett and Watson as examples. So Bennett has way more offensive potential than Watson, but Bennett is also a top 6 or bust, so if he doesn't make the top 6, he is useless, where as if Watson doesn't make the top 6, he has 3rd line potential and he still holds some sort of NHL value.
I'd give up some offensive potential for that certainty. I mean, look at how coveted Colby Armstrong is.
