Sam Bennett’s journey in the Stanley Cup Final with the Florida Panthers really shows how he’s grown from a tough depth forward into a key player who steps up when it matters most. After he was traded to Florida in April 2021, he really stepped up and became a key player in important moments. Bennett really got into the thick of things during the 2022-23 season. After sitting out Game 1 of the first round, he came back strong, scoring some key goals and delivering big hits. He scored five goals and added ten assists, playing a key role in Florida’s surprising win over Boston in the second round and their path to the Final.

That summer, people started calling him “Playoff Sam” because of his impressive physicality and scoring ability. The next year, Bennett became even more important. In the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, he racked up 14 points across 19 games, scoring four goals and providing ten assists, which made him the top scorer for Florida in the playoffs. He also topped the charts in hits, racking up 87, showing a unique mix of offense and physical intimidation.

In 2025, Bennett is once again driving Florida’s playoff success. He’s got 14 goals and 20 points in 20 games, leading the team in postseason scoring and sitting pretty among the top goal scorers overall. His knack for mixing top-notch scoring with intense physical play has really fired up the fans and set the tone for the Panthers’ toughness during this playoff run.

At a recent press conference before Game 4, the star forward let slip a locker room secret, saying, “Yeah, I think that’s kind of just evolved over the years. I think we’ve gotten looser and looser in the locker room and just around the rink, and we’re a really close team. I mean, I know everyone says that, but we are, and I think we’ve just found that it works for us staying loose, cracking jokes, and just trying to be as relaxed as possible, and we have a lot of great leaders on this team that really make that easy, and yeah, that’s kind of just the approach that our team’s kind of just really evolved into.”

Sam Bennett shared that the vibe in the Panthers’ locker room has really become a key factor in how the team deals with the pressure of deep playoff runs, particularly during a Stanley Cup Final. The group has gradually relaxed over time, depending on their inherent friendship and sharing jokes throughout practice.

It’s not just luck that brings this about; strong leadership in the locker room plays a key role in keeping everything balanced. It helps make sure players stay sharp and focused without getting too tight or too loose. The outcome is a team that really shines when the pressure’s on, taking each day and game in stride, staying cool but positive even in the whirlwind of championship hockey. But what about the recent rumors surrounding him?

Sam Bennett’s Florida Panthers future

Sam Bennett and the Florida Panthers are in talks as he gets closer to unrestricted free agency on July 1. Florida sees him as a key part of their core, especially after how well he played in the playoffs over the years. But, you know, those salary cap limitations are making things a bit tricky. Florida has some tough roster decisions ahead, especially with key players like Aaron Ekblad needing new contracts and Anton Lundell ready to step up into a bigger role.

Bennett’s camp is looking for a pretty big raise—around $7-8 million AAV for 7-8 years—while Florida seems like they might only want to match what his teammate Carter Verhaeghe is making, which is about $7 million. Recently, things got a bit playful when head coach Paul Maurice joked about Bennett, saying, “He’s got a horrible attitude. I think he’s got bubonic plague. He’s got a whole bunch of things. We’re not sure he can be cured.”

Even with all the uncertainty, a lot of hockey insiders think that Bennett would rather stick around in South Florida. We’ll just have to wait and see where the hockey star ends up in the NHL.