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Greg Wyshynski
SUNRISE, Fla. — Every part one wants to grasp about Florida Panthers heart Sam Bennett as a Stanley Cup playoffs juggernaut was epitomized by one shift of their Game 3 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
It started with a backcheck. It continued with a thundering hit on Oilers ahead Vasily Podkolzin proper after he launched the puck — brutal, authorized. Podkolzin had made a brief move to Edmonton defenseman John Klingberg, so Bennett hit him, too. He stored combating for the puck alongside the boards earlier than trying a transparent that was intercepted briefly, earlier than Panthers ahead Eetu Luostarinen jarred it unfastened.
Bennett noticed this and — like he had simply used a power-up in a recreation of Mario Kart — blew previous everybody to simply accept a move for a breakaway on Stuart Skinner, who was frozen in place as Bennett deposited the puck behind him for the fourth objective of a 6-1 blowout.
“That shift was an ideal instance of his recreation: Blows two guys up after which he someway leads the push after that to attain a phenomenal objective. He can do all of it,” mentioned Brad Marchand, a one-time Bennett adversary turned Panthers teammate. “He has been an animal this entire playoffs. He is constructed for this time of yr.”
Each spherical, Bennett has validated this thesis. He leads the NHL postseason in targets with 14, 4 greater than Edmonton star Leon Draisaitl. That is Florida’s third straight journey to the Stanley Cup Ultimate. In that span, nobody on the Panthers has scored as many targets (26) as Bennett.
“You simply see him yr after yr, playoffs after playoffs. That is the place he makes his identify,” Matthew Tkachuk mentioned. “He is the definition of a playoff participant. And it is actually enjoyable to play with him, particularly at the moment of yr.”
His 20 factors in 20 video games leads the staff. In a Panthers run outlined by their dominance away from Florida, he has been their highway warrior, with 12 targets and three assists — his 15 away factors lead the playoffs.
After the Panthers’ Recreation 3 win put them two victories away from repeating as Stanley Cup champions, Bennett moved into the lead within the wagering odds for the Conn Smythe Trophy as NHL playoff MVP.
He is been a menace in each zone this postseason, however particularly within the offensive zone the place his punishing forechecking and controversial play across the opponents’ crease have fueled Florida’s assault.
“I believe that is one of many greatest separators that he has is whenever you get on this time of yr that it’s a must to be within the soiled areas and he lives there,” Marchand mentioned. “Quite a lot of guys get pushed at the moment of yr, however [it’s great] when you might have that means to and talent to capitalize in entrance of the online.”
Even Bennett’s rivals should nod to his postseason acumen.
“He is all the time performed with an edge, ever since he was a bit man. Nothing that we’ve not seen earlier than — he is enjoying properly, scoring targets,” Edmonton captain Connor McDavid mentioned. “We have to determine him out.”
This MVP-caliber second for Bennett is the market debut milestone in a peculiar 11-year journey within the NHL: From the draft prospect who could not full a pullup to a Stanley Cup champion who cannot cease irritating opponents — by any means needed.
BENNETT WAS DRAFTED fourth general by the Calgary Flames in 2014 behind three different gamers competing within the Stanley Cup Ultimate this season: Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad (1st) and heart Sam Reinhart (2nd, by Buffalo), and Edmonton’s Draisaitl (third).
A middle for the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs, Bennett confirmed palpable offensive upside to go together with his defensive prowess: 91 factors in 57 video games in the course of the 2013-14 season. He mentioned he modeled his recreation after Hockey Corridor of Famer Doug Gilmour, a tenacious two-way participant whose nickname with the Toronto Maple Leafs was “Killer.”
However heading into the 2014 draft, Bennett was identified for one thing else: Being the prospect who could not full a single pullup on the NHL scouting mix.
That turned a viral story, defining him earlier than the Flames chosen him fourth general. Gamers like Ottawa Senators captain Jason Spezza known as him to supply assist and recommendation on learn how to take care of the embarrassment. Bennett accomplished 5 pullups later that yr for a predraft tv particular, in an effort to show doubters incorrect.
“I knew instantly he’d be embarrassed by that. He likes to reach all the pieces he ever tries. Now we will joke about it, however when it first went down it was like, ‘Oh, buddy, yikes,'” his mom Diane told Maclean’s in 2014. “The truth that some folks within the media doubted his motivation made me suppose, ‘Oh god. They do not know Sammy in any respect.'”
Bennett’s first full NHL season got here as a 19-year-old in 2015-16. He had 18 targets and 18 assists in 77 video games, however did not obtain a single vote for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the yr. The following 5 seasons have been outlined by Bennett’s unrealized potential: 67 targets and 73 assists in 402 video games, skating to a minus-67 whereas averaging simply over 14 minutes per recreation in ice time. The season earlier than the Flames traded him, Bennett was averaging simply 12:31 in ice time per recreation — lower than 31-year-old Milan Lucic (13:20) for Calgary.
The one place have been Bennett excelled? The postseason. In 30 playoff video games, he had a 1.63 points-per-60 minutes common, larger than his regular-season common (1.41) in that span.
“He is all the time had the expertise. He is all the time had the work ethic, he is all the time had the chew, the jam, all the pieces. I believe a whole lot of it’s got to do with alternative,” mentioned Tkachuk, who performed with Bennett in Calgary.
“He did not get the chance in Calgary that he has right here with the minutes and the way he is utilized and all the pieces. I do not know why that’s. Perhaps that is only a personnel factor or no matter, however he is simply taken off as an entire new participant right here in Florida for everyone to see — although in Calgary I noticed all of it alongside and us as gamers noticed all of it alongside.”
Tkachuk was one of many Flames gamers that hated to see him go.
“We weren’t too thrilled, particularly him being an incredible buddy of mine, I used to be not too joyful when he obtained traded from Calgary,” he mentioned, “however I used to be additionally so joyful to see him come right here and have an opportunity.”
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving was working the Flames after they traded Bennett and a sixth-round decide in April 2021 for a 2022 second-round decide and winger Emil Heineman, who was subsequently traded to Montreal in a deal for winger Tyler Toffoli.
Logistically, the commerce made sense for Calgary. They have been more likely to lose Bennett within the Seattle enlargement draft that yr for nothing; or, in the event that they stored him, it will have meant giving Bennett a qualifying supply as a restricted free agent and a increase.
On the time of the commerce, Treliving admitted that Bennett’s improvement and deployment might have been “dealt with a bit bit in a different way” throughout his time in Calgary.
“I do not put that on Sam. I believe on the finish of the day, Sam labored onerous right here. That was by no means a problem,” Treliving mentioned. “I believe he will embrace a recent begin.”
Bennett appreciated the brand new alternative with the Panthers.
“I positively struggled in Calgary for some time. I believe as soon as I obtained right here, simply how the staff embraced me, the chance the staff gave me, actually from the start, was completely completely different than what I used to be getting in Calgary,” he mentioned. “I took that chance and located some success early. After which our staff positively modified fairly a bit from after I first obtained right here, however I nonetheless had that confidence.”
Bennett paid instant dividends, scoring a career-high 28 targets in his first season in Florida on a staff that completed with one of the best document within the NHL.
However issues would change dramatically within the offseason: Coach Andrew Brunette was changed by coach Paul Maurice, and Tkachuk arrived from Calgary in a commerce for Jonathan Huberdeau, Bennett’s slickly expert linemate who lacked the distinctive intangibles that Tkachuk dropped at Florida.
“Sam Bennett goes from enjoying with Jonathan Huberdeau — improbable participant, very expert and Benny can play that recreation — to enjoying with Matthew Tkachuk,” Maurice mentioned. “So his recreation modifications a bit bit.”
That is the place the “playoff animal” started to essentially emerge from Bennett. He had the scoring and the talent. He had the playoff clutch gene. Tkachuk introduced out much more tenacity and agitation from Bennett — and the swagger in relishing that model of play — forging Panthers hockey into its present blunt power type.
“I believe our model modified, however I believe it even match my model of recreation much more so. That gave me much more confidence to exit and play,” Bennett mentioned. “I’ve obtained fairly a number of playoff video games below my belt now, and all the time felt the necessity to carry out when the sport’s the largest.”
Bennett performs to win. And people wins come in any respect prices.
BENNETT COLLIDES WITH skaters.
He obtained a one-game suspension in Might 2021 for boarding and a three-game ban in January 2022 for an unlawful test to the pinnacle of Cedric Paquette of the Montreal Canadiens. He infamously punched Marchand within the Panthers’ 2024 playoff win over the Boston Bruins, placing Marchand out of the sequence for 2 video games and leading to no punishment for Bennett.
“He is obtained a superb proper hook,” Marchand said last month, remembering a time earlier than they shared the identical dressing room.
“He is not as severe of an individual as I believed he was. If you see him on the ice and also you see him type of across the media, he simply appeared like he was quiet and really reserved,” Marchand mentioned. “When you get to know him, he is really fairly vocal and actually humorous and a superb man to be round. However whenever you see him on the ice, he is so intense. He does not actually chirp. You do not hear him in the course of the recreation. He is all enterprise.”
Bennett additionally collides with goaltenders.
Like, loads.
He collided with Anthony Stolarz in Recreation 1 of the second spherical. The Maple Leafs goaltender — Bennett’s former teammate on the Panthers — left the sequence with a concussion and did not return.
He collided with Carolina’s Frederik Andersen in Recreation 5 of the Jap Convention finals. He fell backward into Skinner’s crease in Recreation 1 of the Stanley Cup Ultimate after battling with defenseman Brett Kulak, getting credited for a objective when the puck deflected in off him. He fell on Skinner once more in Recreation 2, earned a penalty for goalie interference that in hindsight he hadn’t earned, having tripped over Skinner’s leg because the Edmonton goalie went to maneuver in his crease.
Throughout a TNT postgame present early within the Stanley Cup Ultimate, Bennett was instructed that “a really massive portion of the Alberta inhabitants” now not needed to see him in entrance of the Edmonton internet.
“That is the place I’ll be for the remainder of this sequence,” Bennett mentioned.
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Puck deflects off Sam Bennett’s skate for Panthers objective
Sam Bennett deflects in a objective for the Panthers to tie the rating within the first interval vs. the Oilers.
His physicality across the crease — and into goaltenders — has been the catalyst for loads of ‘how does he preserve getting away with it?’ moments of exasperation for followers and opposing groups.
“Clearly, you do not like when guys are purposely falling into your goaltender. That is by no means good, and also you hope that will get seen,” Oilers winger Evander Kane mentioned. “You may’t exit and take a 10-minute penalty within the first interval. That would not assist anyone. However there are different methods to deal with it. Staying aggressive and going onerous to their internet as properly.”
Seth Jones used to defend in opposition to Bennett across the crease earlier than becoming a member of the Panthers by way of commerce this season.
“As a defenseman, you see the place he will get round that blue paint. He pushes off. He makes himself massive. Screens objective as properly,” he mentioned. “It is simply that fixed physique contact across the internet that actually elevates his recreation and makes it tough to deal with.”
Ekblad has been Bennett’s teammate now for 5 seasons. The best way he sees it, Bennett earns these high-danger alternatives by going to the hardest elements of the ice.
“Quite a lot of occasions there’s nothing you are able to do if he will get pushed, proper? Similar to Corey Perry, he is extraordinarily good at getting there and being between the D-man and a goalie, so there’s not a lot you are able to do,” Ekblad mentioned. “These guys have a knack for it. They’re a few of the finest within the league at it.”
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Sam Bennett scores on the facility play for Florida Panthers
Sam Bennett scores on the facility play for Florida Panthers
Bennett has been one of the best at most issues on this playoff run for Florida. All of it’s taking place at a vital time for the veteran heart’s profession.
Bennett is an unrestricted free agent this summer season. He is within the final yr of a four-year contract signed with Florida that carries a median annual worth of $4.425 million. There was hypothesis that Bennett could earn upwards of $10 million annually on his subsequent contract.
He has clearly been joyful as a Panther, not solely of their success however in how that success has been arrange by these round him.
“I am simply very lucky to get some nice teammates and nice linemates and nice coaches that imagine in me,” he mentioned. “I believe all that collectively simply is the proper mixture to have success.”
Whether or not he indicators in Florida or leaves for an additional staff’s riches, the worth positioned on Bennett will not be for his regular-season achievement. Bennett has by no means scored 30 targets in a season, and this was his first marketing campaign with greater than 50 factors.
It will be for his championship pedigree. For being the “definition of a playoff participant.” Or, as Marchand poetically mentioned, for merely being “an animal” when it counts probably the most.