Calgary Flames: Will They Be Trading Their Highest-Ever Draft Pick?
With being a healthy scratch a few days ago and going through a rough season, will the Calgary Flames trade Sam Bennett, their highest ever draft pick, before trade deadline?
Sam Bennett hasn’t quite had the season, or the career, he was hoping for. Not even he was hoping for, but what the Calgary Flames were hoping and expecting from him. And now with him being a healthy scratch just a few games ago, will the Flames trade him before trade deadline?
Taken at fourth overall at the 2014 NHL draft, Bennett ended up being the Flames highest-ever draft pick.
In Sam Bennett’s 129 regular season career games, he has just 28 goals and 28 assists, having a mere 56 points in his career. Teammate Johnny Gaudreau had more than that in his first full NHL season. Gaudreau was taken at 104th overall in the 4th round.
Even Calgary’s first pick at the 2016 draft, Matthew Tkachuk, who was taken 6th overall, already has 31 points in his first NHL season and is on pace to hit 50 points right now.
Related Story: Matthew Tkachuk at the Halfway Mark
Back to Sam Bennett, with his play so far this season, is there room for him on the team?
Healthy Scratch
On January 19th, Bennett was a healthy scratch in the game against the Nashville Predators. Before that game, he was going through a ten-game pointless drought. He had just nine goals, nine assists, and a -9 rating int he 47 games leading up to that one. In the four games since being a scratch, he has just one goal and now on the season has a -11 rating.
How did Bennett feel about being a healthy scratch?
Via Calgary Herald:
“It was frustrating (to get the news),” Bennett said. “No one wants to be out of the lineup. It was tough to take. Watching (Thursday’s game) wasn’t fun. Everything about (Thursday) wasn’t fun. I don’t want to be in that position again. I want to do everything I can to stay in the lineup.”“Things aren’t going my way right now … but I just have to keep working hard and working hard in practice,” Bennett said. “I need to do other things that don’t involve my offensive play to stay in the lineup. Whether it’s making this or playing defensively responsibly. There are definitely a few things I can take from (Thursday’s) game.”
Head coach Glen Gulutzan says that this is no where near the ‘end of the world’ for the youngster. This happens to many young players in the NHL and it’s good to help players see it from a different perspective.
Scratch = Trade?
Sportsnet’ Elliotte Friedman pointed out that after news came out that Bennett would be a scratch, it didn’t take long for GM’s to pick up their phones.
“I understand that GM Brad Treliving had a lot of phone calls: ‘Does this mean you’re willing to do something here?’” Friedman said during the Headlines segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “Treliving told all the teams, ‘Guys, no. Sam Bennett is not getting traded.’”
Via Sportsnet:
Bennett’s place in the lineup isn’t the only question mark hovering over Calgary lately. Friedman also described the “weird” situation involving Treliving’s contract — or lack thereof.“The one question Brad Treliving would not answer — and will not answer — is the status of his contract,” Friedman explained. “He’s the only general manager in the NHL who does not have a deal for next year. It’s weird. The Flames won’t comment about it. I’ve been told it’s their position that ‘this is the way we do business’ and it shouldn’t be seen as anything ominous. But … it’s weird. And it runs the risk of them losing their general manager.”
So now we have two big names on the Calgary Flames that we’re unsure of.
But even if Treliving says that “Bennett won’t be traded,” you can’t help but wonder if he’s still listening to offers. No other teams have mentioned anything about listing offers for Bennett, but maybe after the whole Dougie Hamilton trade rumors and Calgary Flames president of hockey operations, Brian Burke, mentioning that the rumor was spread by ‘one idiot’, teams are hesitant to say anything now.
Maybe some GM’s are listing offer, but they’re scared to even say anything. Brian Burke can be a scary man.
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Like I said, there’s still a possibility for a trade. Bennett is at the end of his entry-level contract and going fourth overall, he may be wanting more money than the Flames can afford to pay for this current third-line centerman.