Flames Coach Talks Sam Bennett Trade Request

Last weekend Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that the agent for Sam Bennett has made it known, his client prefers a trade. While the news certainly shocked some around the NHL, nobody was more shocked than Flames head coach, Geoff Ward.

This is because Ward shed some light on Bennett's situation with the Flames, where some people feel he hasn't been given a fair shot to succeed. Meanwhile, that's not the case at all and Bennett was actually given his preference on where to play, which is something you don't see everyday.

Here's what Ward had to say to Friedman via 31 Thoughts:

At the beginning of the season, and what a lot of people don’t know, I basically gave Sam the choice of where he wanted to play. He wanted to start at centre and so we started him at centre, and he came in after a couple of games and said, ‘Hey, I think I may want to take the other option,’ which was playing on the wing. We gave him a choice to play in two different positions at the start of the year. So before anybody jumps all over that as to reasons why he may be unhappy, let’s just quell that right now.

The 24-year-old Bennett one point in nine games, and is a minus five rating. His contract is worth $2.55 million this season and he's headed to become a restricted free agent at season's end.

Look for the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota Wild all to have interest.

Just doesn't sound like a trade will be happening anytime soon.

Photo credit:  : David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire