Moving from snowy Calgary to the bright sunshine of Florida, maybe all Sam Bennett needed was the chance to thaw. Because a player who struggled with the Flames, has really come into his own since joining the Florida Panthers in 2021. From being a healthy scratch in Calgary, Bennett is now an irreplaceable part of what makes the Panthers’ tick. A reliable top-six center, he quickly signed a four-year extension after joining. Now during the 2024-25 season, Bennett has put up some impressive numbers with 25 goals and 26 assists, plus 90 penalty minutes. It really shows how he combines toughness with talent.

Off the ice, Bennett has really taken to life in Florida, saying, “I never felt so comfortable in my life playing hockey. It’s sometimes odd to go to a new team and feel that comfortable right away, but everything was clicking. Right away I got the opportunity, the coaching staff believed in me, and then found some great chemistry with the players. I got to play with great players and that always helps. The early chemistry was amazing, and I think that really helped me build my confidence and helped me have the early success.” But with his contract winding down, there are a bunch of rumors floating around that the NHL star might be wrapping up his time with the team. However, those  rumors didn’t last long at all because new ones popped up right away.

On X, NHL Rumor Report shared, stating, “David Pagnotta: Sam Bennett is pretty much locked in to stay in Florida; deal around 8×8 being discussed – NHL Network.” David Pagnotta, an insider, mentioned on NHL Network that the Florida Panthers and Sam Bennett are in talks about a multi-year deal. It seems like both sides are in agreement, and there’s talk of an 8-year contract worth eight million per season. That would be quite a jump from his current $4.425 million AAV!

The projected deal makes sense for a few reasons: Bennett’s tough, playoff-tested style—he’s got 14 playoff goals and 21 points in 21 games—and Florida’s tax advantage, which gives them a bit more leeway with the cap hit. If everything goes as planned, Bennett’s potential 8-year deal at $8 million AAV would really lock him in as a key part of Florida’s future.

It strikes a nice balance between rewarding him for his playoff performance and ensuring the team stays stable in the long run. If the reports are accurate, this deal might just be the Panthers’ biggest move of the upcoming offseason. But do you recall the locker room secret that he spilled lately?

Sam Bennett gets candid about the Florida Panthers’ locker room

Before Game 4 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, Sam Bennett mentioned something about his team, 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.”

Bennett mentioned that the atmosphere in the Panthers’ locker room has really become a crucial part of how the team handles the pressure of deep playoff runs. The team has really loosened up over time, thanks to the locker room environment, which is quite friendly, and all the jokes they share during practice.

For the Panthers, it’s not just luck that got them here; having strong leadership in the locker room really helps keep everything balanced. It helps keep players sharp and focused, striking the right balance between being too tight and too loose. The team really stands out when the pressure’s on. They take each day and game in stride, staying calm and positive, even amidst the chaos of high-stakes hockey games.