It's very close. And Loui does some things better than Benn, no doubt.
But Benn is simply more dominant on the ice offensively and ultimately that sets him apart. Benn can bend the course of the game to his will. Loui subtly influences it. Both are valuable.
Loui is sneaky, better defensively, responsible, reliable, a good finisher, but never dominant.
Benn is not as good as Loui at many aspects of the game, but has a couple of exceptional talents, namely a lightning quick release and a dominant physique with balance to match. Sometimes its just Benn's world out there.
Different players. Great together incidentally, though we haven't see that yet this year.
What is the deal with Sweet Lou? Is he on the second line as a way to balance the lineup a bit with Whitney out? I always thought him and Benn were a one two punch together. I have watched a few games and he has looked good recently, but as was said above Benn has been making things look pretty easy lately. Morrow just seems like dead weight on that line.
What is the deal with Sweet Lou? Is he on the second line as a way to balance the lineup a bit with Whitney out? I always thought him and Benn were a one two punch together. I have watched a few games and he has looked good recently, but as was said above Benn has been making things look pretty easy lately. Morrow just seems like dead weight on that line.
Seems to be a way of spreading out the scoring. It also spreads out the defensively conscious scorers as both are the two best defensive forwards on the team (though Eakin certainly seems to be working his way toward that level).
I will echo what the others above are saying, Benn is better because he is a dominant player when on his game. Loui is sneaky good and kills you quietly; he's the Robin to Benn's Batman. I feel it's worth saying that before last season Loui was the Stars' best player - yes, better than Richards. I always felt that way and still do. Benn is simply better than Loui, which says a lot about Benn.
What is the deal with Sweet Lou? Is he on the second line as a way to balance the lineup a bit with Whitney out? I always thought him and Benn were a one two punch together. I have watched a few games and he has looked good recently, but as was said above Benn has been making things look pretty easy lately. Morrow just seems like dead weight on that line.
I think the team needs someplace to put Morrow, and since it can't be the 3rd or 4th lines because he is bad, they have chosen to put him with Benn and Jagr because they can hide his badness. Loui gets bumped because Morrow-Roy-Ryder would be probably as bad defensively as the Ribeiro line was last season.
Seems to be a way of spreading out the scoring. It also spreads out the defensively conscious scorers as both are the two best defensive forwards on the team (though Eakin certainly seems to be working his way toward that level).
I will echo what the others above are saying, Benn is better because he is a dominant player when on his game. Loui is sneaky good and kills you quietly; he's the Robin to Benn's Batman. I feel it's worth saying that before last season Loui was the Stars' best player - yes, better than Richards. I always felt that way and still do. Benn is simply better than Loui, which says a lot about Benn.
Agreed. A very apt comparison was one that was made with Lehtinen and Modano.
You guys are overrating Benn. He's a solid #2 center who can score goals and pass well. But Loui affects each aspect of the game at every end of the ice. He scores (more than Benn) and defends in equal measure.
If you asked any other team who they would prefer, most all would likely say Loui. You can put him anywhere and he will reliably score 27-32 goals every year (more if he had actual quality centers to work with) and put up around 70 points, while at the same doing all the little things, just like Jere used to do.
A guy like Benn appears on highlight reels, but a guy like Loui wins Cups.
You guys are overrating Benn. He's a solid #2 center who can score goals and pass well. But Loui affects each aspect of the game at every end of the ice. He scores (more than Benn) and defends in equal measure.
If you asked any other team who they would prefer, most all would likely say Loui. You can put him anywhere and he will reliably score 27-32 goals every year (more if he had actual quality centers to work with) and put up around 70 points, while at the same doing all the little things, just like Jere used to do.
A guy like Benn appears on highlight reels, but a guy like Loui wins Cups.
There's some odd (mis)information here.
Loui reliably puts up 27-32 goals a year, yes. Benn put up 26 last year as a 22 year old; Loui scored 14 his 22 year old season and didn't have his breakout season until 23 year old season playing with a prime and revved up Mike Ribeiro. In any case, you're still talking about Benn's past accomplishments in a tense that suggests that what he has done is only what he is capable of doing, which is troubling.
Benn affects all aspects of the game as well, in all three zones. Calling him a #2 center when he scored 26-37-63pts as a 22 year old is premature at best.
And man, I really hate to be the one to bring this up but since I've seen and heard the comparison so many times... Loui is fantastic defensively and is a significantly more creative and polished offensive player than Lehtinen (the two are actually incomparable offensively IMO) but even implying he's as good defensively as Lehts was is inaccurate. I would say their defensive IQ is relatively close but Loui is just not the dogged defensive hound that Lehtinen was. Lehtinen is a level above Loui defensively.
Benn affects all aspects of the game as well, in all three zones. Calling him a #2 center when he scored 26-37-63pts as a 22 year old is premature at best.
He affects play in the defensive end negatively, and his ceiling is a #2 center. The only reason he's a #1 center is that this team has a relatively poor line-up and he's the best that we can do.
He affects play in the defensive end negatively, and his ceiling is a #2 center. The only reason he's a #1 center is that this team has a relatively poor line-up and he's the best that we can do.
So by this statement, are you saying that Benn has peaked?
Last edited by ReaallMunson18: 02-12-2013 at 01:20 PM.
So by this statement, are you saying that Benn has peaked?
I'm saying that Benn is about as good as he is going to be, and that he is a fine #2 center, but he's certainly not an elite talent. No one on the Stars is. They're a budget team that has some fine players, but nothing spectacular.
Flattering, but no. Benn is a second-line player on pretty much any team that isn't starved for talent. He'll top out about 60-70 points a year, if that.
He would play better if they would get a legit center for him and move him back to wing. He still looks uncomfortable at the center position.
in 2011/12 57 forwards scored 60 or more points. if take the top 90 forwards you go all the way down to 51 points. I think your definition of top line player is more like elite than what typical first line players actually produce. There are very few if any teams where Jamie Benn would not be one of the 3 best forwards.
