Nobody, at this point, would suggest the Calgary Flames did the wrong thing by keeping Sean Monahan in the NHL last season.
Maybe that will come later. Maybe if Monahan doesn’t ultimately become Alberta’s version of Ron Francis, somebody might wonder if another year of dominating junior hockey and playing in the world juniors would have benefitted him more.
But not right now. Monahan’s happy, the Flames are happy after his 22-goal debut and Calgary fans are pleased they have a living, breathing reason to believe in the future.
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So why does it appear things are going to be so different with Sam Bennett?
Monahan was the sixth overall pick in 2013, and Bennett, although the No. 1 North American draft prospect in many books, was the fourth pick last June.
But Bennett, barring a major change of mind in the Calgary front office sparked either by injuries or the kid’s performance or something else, seem pretty much set on returning him to the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs.
What’s the difference between these two that would motivate the Flames to see them so differently?
Well, lots, actually.
Monahan (born Oct. 12 1994) was almost 19 years old when the season started last fall. Bennett (born June 20, 1996) won’t be 19 for another eight months and 20 days.
That’s a big difference, and it matters. In other words, Monahan was basically two-thirds of a year older when he cracked the NHL in his first try.
Second, Bennett and Monahan are not similarly built. Monahan will play as a power forward, and easily added another layer of muscle to his frame over this summer. We can argue whether he was mentally prepared last spring for the NHL or at the right skill level, but physically, he could handle it.
Bennett’s a smaller player who plays like he’s six-foot-four. It’s going to take some time for him to fill out, and given that he’s going to make his living with the puck on his stick dodging mean-spirited defenders, he better be ready to take some punishment when he arrives in the NHL for good. An injury in rookie camp, and now another minor one in the NHL exhibition season, reinforces the notion that making the jump to the NHL right now could be a major physical challenge.
Finally, the Flames are in a different place.
Last year at this time, it was a mess. Nobody believed Brian Burke and Jay Feaster would co-exist for long (they didn’t), Bob Hartley’s ability to guide a talent-challenged team was in question and the hockey club was in need of establishing its credibility with the Calgary market and putting in place some kind of foundation and structure to move forward.
Now, Brad Treliving is in place as the new GM, Hartley received kudos all around for his work last season, the roster is organized around respected captain Mark Giordano and the team seems to have a new personality as a hard-nosed, lunch bucket group.
They may have needed Monahan to sell to the public last fall. They don’t need Bennett in the same way this fall.
Finally, and here’s the unspoken part, the Flames understand there’s a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow if they play their cards right. Imagine adding Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel to Monahan and Bennett. Or Noah Hanifin to the back end. Then you’re really in business in terms of building a winner.
The Flames aren’t going to say this. Burke, you know, will publicly rant against even the notion that his team isn’t trying to win every night. He’ll point to the off-season signing of Jonas Hiller as proof the club isn’t tanking.
Moreover, it could make for some dark days in January if this season is a major struggle for the Flames, and a bright young talent like Bennett might make those days a wee bit brighter.
But this is a sophisticated hockey market that understands a top-three pick next June is worth double a pick from No. 5 to No. 10. And Johnny Hockey can add a little light in those winter months.
So back to junior for Bennett makes sense on pretty much every level. The young man may try to make a case over the next few days that he, like Monahan, can contribute right away and doesn’t need another year in junior.
It’s not necessarily that he’s not ready. It’s more a case of he doesn’t have to be.