Rumor: Former first round pick on the trading block after bad start to the season.

Former first round pick may be on his way out.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Rumor: Former first round pick on the trading block after bad start to the season.

A former first round pick is not fitting in at all with his team, and now there is rampant speculation regarding the possibility that he could be traded. 

Despite having a hot start to his National Hockey League career, 21-year-old Calgary Flames forward Sam Bennet just has not fit in with the Flames and it took him 16 games this season to pick up his very first point, an assist. 

When you consider that Bennett was selected 4th overall in the NHL Entry Draft back in 2014 he has not lived up to the expectations the team has had for him, in fact outside of his 36 point rookie season he's never even come close. 

Now two Sportsnet insiders are suggesting that the only option for the Flames could be a trade with Sportsnet insider Nick Kypreos drawing parallels to former Edmonton Oilers first round draft picks. 

“For coaches and general managers, there’s never been more pressure now in a short period of time to take a top-five pick and get him in a situation that fits for him right away,” Nick Kypreos said as per Sportsnet. “And I don’t think Sam Bennett had that. We saw the struggles in Edmonton with Yakupov. We see the struggles with Galchenyuk in Montreal. Marner here in Toronto.”

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Kypreos' broadcasting partner Doug MacLean went one step further and flat out stated he feels the best option, at least as far as the player is concerned, would be a trade. 

“You gotta consider something reasonably drastic right now,” said the former NHL GM . “I’m not convinced that Sam Bennett might not be better off somewhere else, traded.”

The problem for Calgary is that Bennett's value has never been lower, however if they can convince a team to take him on as a reclamation project while getting any kind of point production in return they may have to seriously consider it. 

What do you think? Is it time for the Flames to give up on Bennett? Or would you wait in the hopes that he finds his game on the Flames roster?

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