News: Beau Bennett and the Penguins have agreed to a one-year deal worth $800,000, the team just announced. He had been a restricted free agent.
Views: It isn’t a surprise that Bennett signed a new deal. Restricted free agents almost always do. What is noteworthy is that Bennett was only given one year. Recent restricted free agents, specifically Brian Dumoulin and Simon Despres, were given two-year contracts. Neither one of them had exactly distinguished themselves at the NHL level when those deals were given.
And yet, Bennett only gets one year. This doesn’t mean his time with the Penguins is nearing an end, but it does mean he had better become a productive NHL player this season. If he doesn’t, it’s hard to imagine him wearing a Penguins sweater for much longer. Bottom line, he needs to stay healthy and he needs to produce. He needs to play right wing, too.
It won’t be easy for Bennett top crack the top three lines with Phil Kessel, Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis, Patric Hornqvist, Sergei Plotnikov and David Perron the presumed wingers.
Update at 7:05 p.m.: I just spoke with Bennett, who is working out this summer in his native California. He has put on about 10 pounds of muscle.
“I’m working really hard, and it’s not just the normal workout stuff,” he said. “I’m trying to be better about nutrition, sleep habits, that kind of stuff. I’m taking this summer really seriously.”
He knows finding time in the top-nine won’t be easy.
“I’d love to be out there with Suttsy (Brandon Sutter) because I definitely feel like we had some chemistry last season,” he said.
But if Bennett winds up on the fourth line, he doesn’t mind. Jim Rutherford has spoken at length about his desire to have four scoring lines this season. Bennett has noticed.
“I know we want to have four skilled lines and maybe we won’t have your standard checking line,” Bennett said. “That’s good with me. Honestly, I just want to produce, no matter where I play, no matter what line I’m on.”
Bennett said he isn’t discouraged by the Penguins adding wingers to the roster this summer.
“Not really,” he said. “I just want to be the best player I can be, that’s all.”
Bennett admitted that his recovery from injuries last season — he’s no stranger to injuries, of course — limited him during the second half of the season, when he frequently was a healthy scratch.
“I was one step behind, then I’d be two behind because of the injuries,” he said. “It was tough. Not trying to make excuses, but it wasn’t an easy year.”
Still, Bennett said his relationship with the coaching staff is fine. He knows he might be running out of opportunities to impress the Penguins at the NHL level.
Bennett sounds like a player hungry to impress.
“I want to help us win and I want to be a good player at the NHL level,” he said. “I know I can be. It’s just a matter of making it happen.”
One last thing. I ask Bennett every season whether he prefers the left or right wing. He is a natural right wing, but the Penguins have seemed to think, for many years now, that he can play either side. Bennett always says it doesn’t matter. He finally caved this time.
“Well,” he said, “I can play left. And I will play where they want me to play. But I definitely am more comfortable on the right side, for the way I play.”
Beau Bennett, plagued again by injuries in 2014-15, has added 10 pounds of muscle. -- GETTY
July 15, 2015
News/views: Bennett gets one-year deal
by Josh Yohe • Coverage • Penguins
News: Beau Bennett and the Penguins have agreed to a one-year deal worth $800,000, the team just announced. He had been a restricted free agent.
Views: It isn’t a surprise that Bennett signed a new deal. Restricted free agents almost always do. What is noteworthy is that Bennett was only given one year. Recent restricted free agents, specifically Brian Dumoulin and Simon Despres, were given two-year contracts. Neither one of them had exactly distinguished themselves at the NHL level when those deals were given.
And yet, Bennett only gets one year. This doesn’t mean his time with the Penguins is nearing an end, but it does mean he had better become a productive NHL player this season. If he doesn’t, it’s hard to imagine him wearing a Penguins sweater for much longer. Bottom line, he needs to stay healthy and he needs to produce. He needs to play right wing, too.
It won’t be easy for Bennett top crack the top three lines with Phil Kessel, Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis, Patric Hornqvist, Sergei Plotnikov and David Perron the presumed wingers.
Update at 7:05 p.m.: I just spoke with Bennett, who is working out this summer in his native California. He has put on about 10 pounds of muscle.
“I’m working really hard, and it’s not just the normal workout stuff,” he said. “I’m trying to be better about nutrition, sleep habits, that kind of stuff. I’m taking this summer really seriously.”
He knows finding time in the top-nine won’t be easy.
“I’d love to be out there with Suttsy (Brandon Sutter) because I definitely feel like we had some chemistry last season,” he said.
But if Bennett winds up on the fourth line, he doesn’t mind. Jim Rutherford has spoken at length about his desire to have four scoring lines this season. Bennett has noticed.
“I know we want to have four skilled lines and maybe we won’t have your standard checking line,” Bennett said. “That’s good with me. Honestly, I just want to produce, no matter where I play, no matter what line I’m on.”
Bennett said he isn’t discouraged by the Penguins adding wingers to the roster this summer.
“Not really,” he said. “I just want to be the best player I can be, that’s all.”
Bennett admitted that his recovery from injuries last season — he’s no stranger to injuries, of course — limited him during the second half of the season, when he frequently was a healthy scratch.
“I was one step behind, then I’d be two behind because of the injuries,” he said. “It was tough. Not trying to make excuses, but it wasn’t an easy year.”
Still, Bennett said his relationship with the coaching staff is fine. He knows he might be running out of opportunities to impress the Penguins at the NHL level.
Bennett sounds like a player hungry to impress.
“I want to help us win and I want to be a good player at the NHL level,” he said. “I know I can be. It’s just a matter of making it happen.”
One last thing. I ask Bennett every season whether he prefers the left or right wing. He is a natural right wing, but the Penguins have seemed to think, for many years now, that he can play either side. Bennett always says it doesn’t matter. He finally caved this time.
“Well,” he said, “I can play left. And I will play where they want me to play. But I definitely am more comfortable on the right side, for the way I play.”