Follow me on Twitter @ToddCordell
The Calgary Flames made just one move on trade deadline day; and it was a good one.
GM Brad Treliving *finally* pulled the plug on Sam Bennett and, somewhat surprisingly, fetched a good haul for him.
Treliving was able to pry a 2022 2nd round pick and prospect Emil Heineman from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Bennett.
It’s worth noting the Panthers owned their 2nd this year as well. It’s possible the Flames deferred to next year in hopes of getting a better read on the draft class. This season, for example, no OHL team has played a single game. That, uh, makes scouting difficult.
Whatever the case may be, a 2nd round pick is always a valuable asset to have in your back pocket. Heineman is far from a throw-in prospect, too.
He was a 2nd round pick of the Panthers but a year ago. He brings a nice mix of skill and bite to the table, and was highly regarded by several reputable scouting outlets; such as HockeyProspect.com.
I understand Bennett was a 4th overall pick. That will always make someone feel they can get more out of him. But, honestly, I just don’t see it.
Bennett is a subpar finisher, inefficient point producer, and he takes a ton of penalties. I know he’s had some playoff success but there just isn’t much reason to believe he’s anything more than a role player.
The guy has played over 400 games in the NHL. He was drafted seven years ago. The ‘untapped potential’ part of his career has passed, I think.
Calgary was smart to finally pull the plug, especially given the return.
Calgary Flames Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»