Okay, the Florida Panthers have won the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row, and yes, they played masterfully this off-season, but also, there has been talk from early on about the unusually more aggressive tactics of the Panthers when compared to other NHL teams. Now, even though hockey isn’t the most peaceful of sports, some fans argue there needs to be a line somewhere. And when it comes to the Florida Panthers, fans of other clubs believe that line seemed to have vanished completely when the era of Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett began.

Sam Bennett doesn’t play easy, and after racking up 39 hits in just the last ten games, the player is well aware that much of the talk about Florida playing dirty is targeted at him, and perhaps for good reason. However, he made his stance on the whole subject clear at a recent celebratory victory parade in the Sunshine State, following the Panthers’ Stanley Cup win.

In what began as an apology, Bennett can be seen making a speech in front of a crowd of people with an entourage behind him: “A lot of people have, they don’t like the way we play, they call us dirty, they call us nasty, they call us bullies. So now, I would like to take this time to apologize to absolutely f***ing no one. We’re the double champs; we do what the f*** we want. Let’s go!” Bennett said to the resounding applause of the sea of fans in front of him, many of whom have now gone on to quote him on the same.

However, the statement has not gone down well with other fans, who remember the incident on February 25th earlier this year in a game between the Panthers and the Nashville Predators, where Sam Bennett checked Predators defenseman Roman Josi by driving his head into the glass and giving him a concussion.

Now, months later, Josi has been diagnosed with POTS: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, after he went for a concussion checkup in Denver. POTS is a serious condition that can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, as symptoms include feeling lightheaded, dizzy and experiencing long lasting fatigue. Although Josi says he is on a good treatment plan with his doctors, fans still cannot get past the seeming insensitivity of Bennett’s recent statement.

Fans react angrily to Sam Bennett’s speech following Roman Josi’s POTS diagnosis

One fan simply pointed out the obvious: “you gave roman josi a concussion so bad he was out half the season and it led to him getting diagnosed with pots but sure whatever.” According to fans it seems a little, if not completely, out of touch for Bennett to have made this statement less than a week after Josi’s diagnosis became public.

Another fan stressed the same, albeit with more anger: “concussed a person so bad you gave him POTS, concussed a person so bad he was puking on the bench and had to be taken to the hospital, you do what you want because you can get away with literally f***ing anything without facing repercussions.” It’s true, taken in the context of what actually happened, the reality of the consequences on Josi’s life, and Bennett’s words are aggravating. We get it, hockey is a combative sport, but to show no visible remorse when the effects of it impacted someone like that was never going to sit down well with fans.

Which is why another fan simply said it like it is, taking a dig at Bennett’s character straight up, “no remorse or care for others. it’s disgusting behavior.” It’s not a good look, that’s for sure, and whether Paul Maurice or the NHL themselves say something about it will be interesting to see.

Another fan took a dig at Bennett’s other displays of violence, bringing up how he elbowed former Panthers teammate Anthony Stolarz in the head during game 1 of the second round of Stanley Cup playoffs between the Panthers and the Maple Leafs, “Made his literal ex teammate he won the Cup with concussed and puking too. He does it so much he was legitimately shocked when he finally got a goalie interference penalty in the final.” In the final series against the Edmonton Oilers, Bennett collided with the opposition’s goaltender, Stuart Skinner, and rightfully received a goaltender interference penalty; however, fans seem to think he’s gotten away with a lot worse over the years.

And finally, yet another fan brought it down to the basic questions of morality and humanity: So Sam Bennett’s a real classy guy. Can’t imagine ending another player’s season and feeling nothing. That’s pretty f***ed up dude.” True, the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup, but at the end of the day, the fans aren’t completely blinded by glory; they are still looking for sportsmen, and that’s what really counts to many.