Benson - Keep him here

[Flashsabre]

49 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

If Benson would have gone, this thread would be about how Adams is not serious about winning and all that. 

Yes, if Benson went then there would be an uproar about them not trying to win because he is one of their best defensive forwards already and gives them a better chance to win.

Because he didn’t go it is about not letting him develop in a different environment.

Nashville didn’t let Kemell go for Finland and he is playing in the AHL.

[LGR4GM]

6 minutes ago, kas23 said:

Do we have any reliable sources that Benson was told he could not go? Or that it was never offered to him by the FO?

Yes. Adams on wgr said hockey Canada wanted Benson and Adams told them no. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

If Benson would have gone, this thread would be about how Adams is not serious about winning and all that. 

Don't we kind of know that anyway?  

[thewookie1]

8 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Don't we kind of know that anyway?  

He wants to win just not as much as many of us do.

[kas23]

58 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Yes. Adams on wgr said hockey Canada wanted Benson and Adams told them no. 

Of course Canada wants the best players they can get, but it doesn’t matter what they want. Did our FO ask what Benson wanted?

 

Edit: another thought. Maybe Benson wanted to stay with the Sabres (who knows?), but didn’t want his country knowing he declined, so he let KA be the big meany. 

Edited December 26, 2023 by kas23

[Doohicksie]

I think all the hand-wringing about whether Benson should have played in the WJC is moot at this point.  But I also expect certain Sabrespacers to harp on about it for weeks, maybe even months.

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, kas23 said:

Of course Canada wants the best players they can get, but it doesn’t matter what they want. Did our FO ask what Benson wanted?

 

Edit: another thought. Maybe Benson wanted to stay with the Sabres (who knows?), but didn’t want his country knowing he declined, so he let KA be the big meany. 

Tbh, I don't care enough to go digging. He's here, it's been decided, and Buffalo will be picking top 10 again.

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, tom webster said:

If you were an 18 year old employee making a six figure salary would you tell a company vice-president you wanted to leave for a couple of weeks? 

I could see a situation where a young player/prospect would state his preference to management to play in an international tournament. If he were on the NHL roster but given a limited role with limited minutes, I could see him wanting to play on the international stage with his peers. That's not the case here. He is playing regular minutes on one of the top two lines. And from a developmental standpoint playing with the big club makes sense for him and the organization. 

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

If Benson would have gone, this thread would be about how Adams is not serious about winning and all that. 

Probably so, but not from me. 

I said Adams was not serious about winning in the off season and I am sticking to that.  His inability to bring in goaltending and to improve the bottom 6 forwards has hurt this team.  

Adams is dam lucky.  No one had any idea that Benson would beat out Savioe, Kulich, and Rosen, and be this good at 18. 

[Doohicksie]

30 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Adams is dam lucky.  No one had any idea that Benson would beat out Savioe, Kulich, and Rosen, and be this good at 18.

Why attribute to luck, as opposed to scouting and analytics and basically Adams doing a good job?

[Thorner]

16 hours ago, bunomatic said:

I believe the team should fight tooth and nail till the very end to make the playoffs. I also believe Kevin Adams should fight tooth and nail till the last whistle to help this team make the playoffs. I’m hesitant to say KA has done that so far. 

Naaaaaaaah we’re more comfortable on the development hamster wheel 

4 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

If Benson would have gone, this thread would be about how Adams is not serious about winning and all that. 

As it should be. Score one for KA - glad he made the obviously correct call here. Regardless of it seemingly escaping the majority 

Edited December 26, 2023 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Adams is dam lucky.  No one had any idea that Benson would beat out Savioe, Kulich, and Rosen, and be this good at 18. 

Not that it matters but I called Benson our best prospect basically out of the gate. He shouldn't have been available at 13. 

Adams didn't do enough this summer. 

Edited December 26, 2023 by LGR4GM

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

He wants to win just not as much as many of us do.

Are you saying that many of the people on this site are as disinterested in winning as KA is?

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Probably so, but not from me. 

I said Adams was not serious about winning in the off season and I am sticking to that.  His inability to bring in goaltending and to improve the bottom 6 forwards has hurt this team.  

Adams is dam lucky.  No one had any idea that Benson would beat out Savioe, Kulich, and Rosen, and be this good at 18. 

Lucky somewhat.  He was supposed to be a top 6 pick.  The only real question was how quickly he'd become an NHLer not if.  He has exceeded expectations and you are correct that Adams was lucky he did as the other 3 aren't NHL-ready, but Savoie is probably close.

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

Why attribute to luck, as opposed to scouting and analytics and basically Adams doing a good job?

I think you'll admit that even Adams wasn't sure that Benson would be NHL ready at 18. Regardless of how good our junior scouting is, there is no way they'd have penned in at 18 year old into the lineup unless it was a player like Bedard or even Eichel.  2nd overall pick Reinhart was returned to juniors.

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Why attribute to luck, as opposed to scouting and analytics and basically Adams doing a good job?

Good point, and he did his homework and made a smart pick, and he seemed to know he had at the time.  The luck part comes in by considering how few 18 year old's come right into the NHL, in addition to the fact that Benson slid to him and was graded much higher by several draft pundits.  

[Pimlach]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Not that it matters but I called Benson our best prospect basically out of the gate. He shouldn't have been available at 13. 

Adams didn't do enough this summer. 

I remember when you called it.  

[Night Train]

 

Benson ! 

 

[PerreaultForever]

Still think they should have let him go to the Worlds. They are going to burn him out, overuse him and he will hit a wall. Worlds would have been a good experience/reward for him. 

[Doohicksie]

5 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Still think they should have let him go to the Worlds. They are going to burn him out, overuse him and he will hit a wall. Worlds would have been a good experience/reward for him. 

Okay but the decision's been made.  It's be great if everyone would stop whining about it.

Edited December 26, 2023 by Doohickie

[LGR4GM]

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I remember when you called it.  

Adams should have made it harder for him to make the team. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

When Benson was in Egypt land, let my Benson go!

[LGR4GM]

Benson lives in Dahlin's basement

 

[thewookie1]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Benson lives in Dahlin's basement

 

Frankly I think Benson is neither sad or happy about his situation. Being an 18 year old in the NHL where the only other 18 years olds are 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall is nothing to scoff at. He probably would of loved to play for Team Canada but its not like he's playing 4th line grinder minutes here. The desire of being wanted certainly has an effect. 

[K-9]

If Benson is heartbroken about missing the U20 Worlds, he can always go next year. 

[Doohicksie]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Benson lives in Dahlin's basement

 

Right next to the sump pump?

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Okay but the decision's been made.  It's be great if everyone would stop whining about it.

That's why I used past tense.