SUNRISE, Fla. — The essence of Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett`s dominant playoff performance was perfectly captured by one specific sequence during their Game 3 victory against the Edmonton Oilers.
This sequence began with a defensive effort, tracking back towards his own net. It escalated into a powerful hit on Oilers attacker Vasily Podkolzin immediately after the puck left his stick – impactful and within the rules. Podkolzin had just completed a short pass to defenseman John Klingberg, and Bennett hit him as well. He persisted in battling for the puck along the boards before attempting to clear it. The clear was momentarily intercepted, but then Panthers winger Eetu Luostarinen managed to knock it free.
Witnessing this turnover, Bennett exploded forward – seemingly gaining a sudden burst of speed like in a video game – leaving everyone behind to receive a pass and break away towards Stuart Skinner. Skinner remained frozen as Bennett calmly slid the puck past him, scoring the fourth goal in what became a decisive 6-1 win.
“That particular shift illustrated his game perfectly,” commented Brad Marchand, formerly a rival and now Bennett`s teammate. “He takes out two players and then somehow joins or leads the rush to score a superb goal. He`s capable of everything.” Marchand added, “He`s been a beast throughout these playoffs. He`s tailor-made for this time of year.”
Bennett has proven this repeatedly in every playoff round. He currently leads the NHL postseason with 14 goals, four more than Edmonton`s star Leon Draisaitl. This marks Florida`s third consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, and over this period, Bennett`s 26 goals are the most by any Panthers player.
“You see it year after year, playoffs after playoffs. That`s where he makes his mark,” stated Matthew Tkachuk. “He embodies what a playoff player is. And playing alongside him, especially at this crucial stage, is fantastic.”
His performance features 20 points in 20 games, placing him first on the team. In a playoff run where the Panthers have often thrived away from home, Bennett has been their primary offensive threat on the road, accumulating 12 goals and three assists – his 15 road points are a playoff high.
Following the Panthers` Game 3 win, which brought them within two victories of securing a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, Bennett became the favorite in betting odds for the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the playoff MVP.
He has been a disruptive force across all zones this postseason, particularly in the offensive end, where his relentless forechecking and assertive, often controversial, presence around the opponent`s net have powered Florida`s attack.
“I believe one of his key differentiators is that at this point of the season, you must be willing to go to the difficult areas, and that`s precisely where he operates,” Marchand explained. “Many players avoid these spots during the playoffs, but having his ability and skill to convert chances right in front of the net is invaluable.”
Even his opponents acknowledge his playoff effectiveness. “He`s always played with an edge, going back to when he was younger. There`s nothing new about it – he`s playing effectively, scoring goals,” noted Edmonton captain Connor McDavid. “We need to find a way to neutralize him.”
This phase of potentially MVP-level play represents the latest chapter in Bennett`s unique 11-year NHL career: progressing from a draft prospect famously unable to perform a single pull-up to a Stanley Cup contender who consistently frustrates opponents through sheer will and physical play.
SAM BENNETT WAS SELECTED fourth overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Three other players from that draft class are also competing in the current Stanley Cup Final: Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad (selected 1st), Florida center Sam Reinhart (selected 2nd by Buffalo), and Edmonton`s Leon Draisaitl (selected 3rd).
As a center for the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League, Bennett displayed notable offensive talent alongside his defensive capabilities, recording 91 points in 57 games in the 2013-14 season. He mentioned basing his playing style on Hockey Hall of Famer Doug Gilmour, known as a tenacious, two-way player nicknamed “Killer” during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
However, leading up to the 2014 draft, Bennett gained notoriety for a different reason: he was the prospect who failed to complete a single pull-up during the NHL scouting combine fitness testing.
This unexpected detail became a widely discussed story, somewhat defining him before Calgary chose him fourth overall. Players, including Ottawa Senators captain Jason Spezza, contacted him to offer encouragement and advice on dealing with the public attention. Later that year, for a pre-draft television segment, Bennett successfully performed five pull-ups to counter his critics.
“I knew immediately he`d be embarrassed by that. He strives to succeed in everything he attempts. Now we can joke about it, but when it first happened, it was like, `Oh, wow, that`s rough,`” his mother Diane recalled to Maclean’s in 2014. “The fact that some media members questioned his dedication made me think, `Oh my god. They truly don`t understand Sammy at all.`”
Bennett’s first full NHL season came at age 19 in 2015-16. He recorded 18 goals and 18 assists across 77 games but did not receive any votes for the Calder Trophy as the league`s top rookie. His performance over the subsequent five seasons was characterized by potential that remained largely untapped: 67 goals and 73 assists over 402 games, with a cumulative plus-minus of minus-67, averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time per game. In the season before the Flames traded him, Bennett’s average ice time was even lower, at 12:31 per game – less than the 31-year-old Milan Lucic (13:20) for Calgary at the time.
The only area where Bennett consistently excelled? The playoffs. Across 30 playoff games, his points-per-60 minutes average was 1.63, surpassing his regular-season average of 1.41 during that same timeframe.
“He always possessed the talent. He always had the strong work ethic, the intensity, the `jam` – everything. I think a significant factor is the opportunity he`s received,” stated Tkachuk, who played alongside Bennett in Calgary.
“He wasn’t given the same level of opportunity in Calgary regarding ice time and how he was used compared to here. I`m not sure why that was. Perhaps it was related to personnel or other factors, but he has truly blossomed into a completely different player here in Florida for everyone to witness – although us players in Calgary saw that potential all along.”
Tkachuk was among the Flames players who were disappointed by his departure. “We weren`t very happy, especially since he`s a close friend of mine, I was quite upset when he was traded from Calgary,” he mentioned, “but I was also really pleased to see him come here and get a real chance.”
Brad Treliving, now the Maple Leafs GM, was in charge of the Flames when they dealt Bennett and a sixth-round pick in April 2021. In return, Calgary received a 2022 second-round pick and winger Emil Heineman, who was subsequently sent to Montreal as part of a trade for forward Tyler Toffoli.
From a strategic standpoint, the trade was understandable for Calgary. They faced the strong possibility of losing Bennett for free in the Seattle expansion draft that year; alternatively, keeping him would have required submitting a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, which would have included a salary increase.
At the time of the trade, Treliving acknowledged that Bennett`s progress and role might have been “handled slightly differently” during his tenure in Calgary. “I don`t attribute that to Sam. Ultimately, Sam worked diligently here. That was never an issue,” Treliving stated. “I believe he will benefit from a new environment.”
Bennett expressed gratitude for the fresh start with the Panthers. “I definitely faced difficulties in Calgary for a while. I think once I arrived here, the way the team welcomed me, the opportunity the team provided from the outset, was vastly different from what I experienced in Calgary,” he commented. “I seized that opportunity and found early success. While our team structure changed considerably since I first arrived, I maintained that level of confidence.”
Bennett quickly proved his worth, scoring a career-best 28 goals in his initial season with Florida, on a team that finished with the best record in the NHL.
However, significant changes occurred during the subsequent offseason: Coach Andrew Brunette was replaced by Paul Maurice, and Matthew Tkachuk joined from Calgary in exchange for Jonathan Huberdeau. Huberdeau, Bennett’s highly skilled former linemate, lacked the unique intangible qualities that Tkachuk brought to the Florida team.
“Sam Bennett went from playing alongside Jonathan Huberdeau – a phenomenal, highly skilled player, and Benny can certainly play that style – to playing with Matthew Tkachuk,” Maurice observed. “Consequently, his game adapted somewhat.”
This shift marked the true emergence of the “playoff animal” in Bennett. He already possessed the ability to score and the necessary skill, along with a knack for performing in critical playoff moments. Tkachuk`s arrival further amplified Bennett`s tenacity and ability to agitate opponents, reinforcing Florida`s current heavy, physical style of play.
“I think our overall style evolved, but I believe it actually aligned even better with my personal game style. That gave me even greater confidence to go out and perform,” Bennett remarked. “I`ve accumulated a fair number of playoff games now, and I`ve always felt the drive to perform at my best when the stakes are highest.”
Bennett plays with a determination to win, pursuing victory relentlessly.
BENNETT FREQUENTLY COLLIDES with opposing skaters.
He received a one-game suspension for boarding in May 2021 and a three-game ban in January 2022 for an illegal check to the head of Montreal Canadiens player Cedric Paquette. Notably, he punched Marchand during the Panthers` 2024 playoff series win against the Boston Bruins, an incident that sidelined Marchand for two games but resulted in no disciplinary action against Bennett.
“He`s got a solid right hand,” Marchand commented last month, recalling their history before they became teammates.
“He`s not as serious off the ice as I initially believed. When you see him on the ice or interact with him briefly, he appears quiet and reserved,” Marchand noted. “However, once you get to know him, he`s actually quite talkative, very humorous, and a genuinely good person to be around. But on the ice, he`s incredibly intense. He doesn`t engage in much chatter during the game. He`s all business.”
Bennett also has a tendency to collide with opposing goaltenders.
Quite frequently, in fact.
He collided with Anthony Stolarz in Game 1 of the second round. Stolarz, the Maple Leafs goaltender (and a former Panthers teammate), suffered a concussion and did not return for the rest of the series.
He also collided with Carolina`s Frederik Andersen in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. In Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, after battling with defenseman Brett Kulak, he fell backward into Stuart Skinner`s crease and was credited with a goal when the puck bounced off him. He fell onto Skinner again in Game 2, initially drawing a penalty for goalie interference that, upon review, seemed unearned as he appeared to trip over Skinner`s leg while the goalie was moving in his net.
During an early Stanley Cup Final postgame broadcast on TNT, Bennett was informed that “a significant portion of the population in Alberta” (Edmonton`s province) no longer wished to see him positioned in front of the Oilers` net. “That`s precisely where I intend to be for the duration of this series,” Bennett responded.
His physical approach around the net – including contact with goalies – has frequently led to moments where fans and opposing teams wonder aloud, “How does he keep getting away with that?”
“Naturally, you dislike it when players deliberately fall onto your goaltender. That`s never a good situation, and you hope the officials notice,” said Oilers winger Evander Kane. “You can`t react by taking a 10-minute penalty in the first period; that wouldn`t benefit anyone. But there are alternative ways to address it. We need to remain aggressive and drive hard to their net as well.”
Seth Jones, now a Panthers teammate, previously defended against Bennett around the crease. “As a defenseman, you observe how he positions himself near the blue paint. He pushes off defenders. He makes himself a large obstacle. He also obstructs the goalie`s view,” Jones commented. “It`s that persistent physical contact around the net that truly elevates his game and makes him challenging to defend.”
Aaron Ekblad has been Bennett`s teammate for five seasons. From his perspective, Bennett earns these prime scoring opportunities by consistently entering the most contested areas of the ice. “Often, there`s little you can do if he`s shoved into the goalie, right? Similar to Corey Perry, he`s exceptionally skilled at getting into that space between the defenseman and the goalie, leaving you with few options,” Ekblad stated. “Those players have a natural talent for it. They are among the league`s best at what they do.”
Bennett has been outstanding in many aspects during this Florida playoff run. This exceptional performance comes at a pivotal moment in the veteran center`s career.
Bennett is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He is completing the final year of a four-year contract with Florida, which carries an average annual value of $4.425 million. Speculation suggests Bennett could potentially command an annual salary exceeding $10 million on his next contract.
He has expressed evident satisfaction playing for the Panthers, not only due to the team`s success but also because of the supportive environment provided by his teammates and coaches. “I feel very fortunate to have such excellent teammates, great linemates, and coaches who have faith in me,” he remarked. “I believe that combination is the perfect recipe for success.”
Regardless of whether he re-signs with Florida or moves to another team for a lucrative deal, Bennett`s value will primarily be judged by his playoff achievements, not his regular-season stats. Bennett has never reached 30 goals in a season, and this past campaign was his first exceeding 50 points.
His worth will be based on his reputation as a champion player, for truly embodying the “definition of a playoff player.” Or, as Marchand colorfully put it, for simply transforming into “an animal” when the games matter most.
Gareth Tenby 
Duncan Priestley