SAM BENNETT IS “NOT GOING ANYWHERE!”

Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Sam Bennett on an eight-year contract extension.

“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,” said Zito. “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.”

Bennett, 29, set career highs in assists (26), points (51) and power-play goals (7) in the 2024-25 regular season, including a career-long seven-game point streak (4-4-8) from Nov. 25 to Dec. 7. His 25 goals ranked second on the team behind only Sam Reinhart (39) while he dished out 145 hits, the fourth most in the club.

The 6-foot-1, 193-pound native of Holland Landing, Ontario has skated in 691 NHL games between Florida (2020-21 to 2024-25) and the Calgary Flames (2014-15 to 2020-21), registering 336 points (162-174-336).

During Florida’s 2025 championship run, Bennett led all skaters with 15 goals (15-7-22) to secure the Conn Smythe Trophy, presented annually “to the most valuable player for his team in the playoffs.” He scored 13 of his 15 goals on the road, surpassing the previous NHL road postseason goals record of 11 (Mark Scheifele, 2017-18), scoring a goal in each of Florida’s final six road games of the postseason, one shy of the NHL record (Brian Propp, 7GP in 1989). Eleven of his goals were scored at even strength, tied for the team lead, while his 69 shots on goal paced all Florida skaters. He also led the Panthers with 107 hits, the second most of any skater in the postseason.

Since being acquired from Calgary during the 2020-21 campaign, Bennett has compiled 196 points (95-101-196) over 289 regular season games, while amassing 59 points (29-30-59) in 77 postseason games to help Florida to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2023-24 and 2024-25. His 338 postseason hits since the start of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs lead all Florida skaters and are more than any other NHL skater, with Evander Kane’s 284 hits ranking second in that span.

Prior to his professional career, he spent three seasons (2012-13 to 2014-15) with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), amassing 155 points (65-90-155) over 128 regular season games. He was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team in 2012-13 and to the OHL Third All-Star Team in 2013-14. He was awarded the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Top Draft Prospect Award following the 2013-14 campaign.

On the international stage, Bennett won a gold medal with Canada at the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, scoring a goal in the championship game. He also earned gold at the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championship, notching seven points (3-4-7) over seven tournament games, and a gold medal at the 2013 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Bennett was originally selected by Calgary in the first round (4th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft.

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