Sam Bennett might be staying in South Florida beyond this year. Heading into this 2024-25 season, one of the bigger concerns on the part of Panthers fans was the contract of rugged center Sam Bennett. Bill Zito, the Panthers' General Manager and President of Hockey Operations, acquired the talented forwards in April of 2021 in a trade with the Calgary Flames.
Since then, 'Benny' has been one of Florida's premier players and a huge piece of their core. In 289 career regular-season games with the Panthers, Bennett has scored 95 goals and has assisted on 101 others for a total of 196 points. The 28-year-old has also been known to step his game up in the playoffs.
In five postseason appearances with the Cats, the former Kingston Frontenacs star has racked up 58 points(28 G, 30 A). Currently, Bennett is having his greatest postseason run, as he's scored 14 goals in 21 games. If the Cats are to win the Stanley Cup, he'll be a legitimate consideration for the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the postseason's MVP.
The former lottery pick has established himself as one of the more important players on Florida's roster, due to his ability to be a physical presence on the ice, who can be on the power-play. Without Sam Bennett, the Panthers would not be as successful as they are today, and they might not have won the 2024 Stanley Cup title.
He, along with defenseman Aaron Ekblad and recently acquired winger Brad Marchand, are the biggest priorities for Zito in the offseason. All three are set to become unrestricted free agents. Marchand is an unknown, as he is 37 years old and might retire after this run is over. Aaron Ekblad's future in the Sunshine State will come down to the dollar amount, even though he already signed an albatross contract before the start of the 2016-17 season.
This was stated by former Panthers legend and current radio color commentator, Bill Lindsay.
Bill Lindsay on TSN Overdrive — “ good chance Bennett stays , Ekblad really reallyyyyy depends on dollars AND term … and Marchand is the wild card, don’t know what happens there #TimeToHunt #StanleyCup
— x - Kirby Lupul— 😼 🏆 😼 (@KJ_Lups) June 12, 2025
As of Friday morning, it seems as if there is more clarification for a potential contract extension of Sam Bennett. David Pagnotta, an analyst on NHL Network also the editor-in-chief of The Fourth Period, spoke about the situation and gave context as to what his next deal could look like.
David Pagnotta: Sam Bennett is pretty much locked in to stay in Florida; deal around 8x8 being discussed - NHL Network
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 13, 2025
According to Pagnotta, Bennett is a lock to stay with the Panthers. If an extension is agreed upon, it would be for $8 million per year for the next eight seasons. That means that Bennett would be in a Panthers uniform until his late 30s. It's a welcome thought for Panthers fans as Bennett has become a fan favorite.
It's also possible that he might sign for a lower amount of money as well, especially if the term is long. Sam might be prioritizing winning over money, which is understandable. This is the best team he will play on throughout his career, so it'll be wise to stay with the franchise that gives you a chance to win consistently.
The $8 million per year is also a discount, considering his performance in the playoffs this year. Many people around the NHL were expecting Bennett's worth to be $10 million at the very least. There are still questions surrounding this potential deal. His style of play is what's primarily the cause for concern if this is the contract Bennett eventually signs.
With him being a physical player, there is always the concern that he will wear down as he ages, maybe even faster than a player of Aleksander Barkov's mold. Bennett's game is largely dependent on that rough style of play. However, fans must also look at the bigger picture. Sam Bennett has never had any serious injuries since joining the Panthers. He's mostly been healthy and effective since the trade.
Keeping one of the two biggest UFAs is a must for the Florida front office. They can't afford to lose both him and Ekblad in the open market. This is news that all Panthers fans should be happy about. The worries about losing both could end soon, and for the better. Most fans would probably choose Bennett over Ekblad anyway, being that the defenseman has had a lengthy injury history.
Of course, this could all just be a made-up rumor. Florida is still repeating as champions, as the team is preparing for Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final. Maybe both parties haven't been talking at this particular time. Either way, the report by Pagnotta is great to hear. Everyone knows there is an interest on both sides to keep Bennett in Florida. We will see how this progresses in the coming weeks.