Sam Bennett has never had any issues improving his play in the playoffs, but now, being paid among the premier players in the NHL, a new challenge awaits the 2024-25 Conn Smythe winner.
Following their triumph in winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, Bennett and Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito agreed to a monster eight-year, $8 million contract extension, putting to rest rumors of opposing teams lining up major offers to sign him.
The 29-year-old virtually revived his career when he was acquired by the Panthers. He always played with a physical edge, willing to mix it up, but since his arrival in Florida, he’s figured out how to translate it to goals and points. In his four seasons, plus 10 games when the Panthers traded for him midseason, Bennett has notched 95 of his 162 goals and 196 of his 336 points. He’s also set career highs in Florida, scoring 28 goals in 2021-22 and 51 points this past season. His time with the franchise has been a success, and it feels like it's just the beginning.
“As soon as I got here, I think I exploded into this player that I always knew that I could be one day,” Bennett said. “I didn't really know how much success we would have, but I knew that I loved the opportunity I was getting. I think year by year, my game just improved more and more, and then once we got to (Paul Maurice) and that coaching staff, my game just…it didn't change, but I changed the way I looked at the game and played it a little bit different style. I think it just it helped me so much, just playing a little bit harder hockey, more defensive-minded, and it really just helped my overall game and really turned me into the player that I am now.”
Sam Bennett discusses signing extension with Panthers: 'Being in South Florida has completely changed my life'
The Sam Bennett free agency saga wasn’t quite the spectacle that some thought, and hoped, it would be.
Although Bennett would likely say he doesn’t feel any increased pressure, it feels only human for an athlete to want to level up their game when expectations increase. If Bennett had left the Panthers to become a team's No.1 center, the pressure would be at its highest, but surrounded by his teammates in Florida, Bennett can fall on them a lot easier than he would in a new environment.
Playing in Florida is a perfect situation for the former fourth overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Aleksander Barkov is the best two-way center in the NHL and takes the bulk of the difficult matchups. If an opposing team possesses two top lines, Anton Lundell, another top defensive forward, steps in and handles the matchup, leaving Bennett to feast on less challenging matchups.
Bennett isn’t a bad defensive forward by any measure, but the Panthers are in a better situation with Barkov and Lundell handling those matchups. The recent two playoff runs have been picture-perfect for the Panthers, headlined by the genius of coach Paul Maurice.
Bennett could add additional scoring to his regular season output this season, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise, but even if he doesn’t, the cap hit won’t be seen as a negative. Bennett produces most of his offence at even strength, due to receiving second power play unit time. One of, it not the hardest things to do in the NHL is to score goals at 5-on-5, and Bennett is one of the league's best when the playoffs roll around.
The new psychological challenge might be something Bennett has never dealt with previously, but his supporting cast and situation should be more than enough for Bennett to continue to succeed in Sunrise.