Florida Panthers playoff MVP Sam Bennett told fans during the team's Stanley Cup celebrations this week that he wasn't leaving.
He was a man of his word.
Bennett signed an eight-year contract extension with Florida, the team announced hours before the NHL draft Friday night. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, when he would have been one of the most coveted centers available.
Bennett's new contract has a salary cap hit of $8 million annually, up from $4.425 million on his previous contract but below what he was expected to be offered from other teams as a free agent. The Panthers are one of several NHL teams that play in a state with no income tax, which has become a hot-button issue in the league as teams such as Florida, Tampa Bay and Vegas have all won Stanley Cups recently.
Bennett, 29, had 25 goals and 26 assists in 76 games during the regular season. To say he levels up in the playoffs would be an understatement: Bennett had 11 goals and 12 assists (23 points) in 21 games, playing a physical game that resulted in him winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Last postseason, Bennett had 14 points in 19 playoff games during the Panthers' first of back-to-back Stanley Cup wins.
"Sam is a special player who has mastered a unique blend of skill and physicality in his game, becoming one of the most impactful postseason performers of his generation," Panthers GM Bill Zito said. "He played an integral role in our two Stanley Cup championships, earning the franchise's first Conn Smythe Trophy and is a dedicated contributor to our South Florida community off the ice. We are thrilled that he will continue his career with the Panthers."
In his 691 games with the Panthers and Calgary Flames, from which Florida acquired him in 2021, Bennett has 162 goals and 174 assists.
Bennett was one of three high-profile pending unrestricted free agents for the Panthers this offseason, along with winger Brad Marchand and defenseman Aaron Ekblad.