Although contract negotiations between Sam Bennett and the Florida Panthers stalled earlier in the 2024-25 NHL season, it looks like both sides are interested in hammering out a new deal, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported late last week.
“Talks have resumed between Bennett and the Panthers,” Friedman said during the ‘Saturday Headlines’ segment of Hockey Night in Canada. “I don’t want to handicap it, don’t want to say one way or another. But they are trying, and it’s been a very good marriage between player and team.”
The 28-year-old is currently playing out the final campaign of a four-year, $17.7 million contract he signed back in July of 2021.
Bennett has been excellent in Sunrise this season, especially in the absence of superstar Matthew Tkachuk. The bruising forward is up to 22 goals and 45 points in 66 games, good for sixth in team scoring. He’s also been seeing consistent time on the top powerplay unit alongside Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Mackie Samoskevich and Seth Jones.
Friedman reiterated his comments in the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast on Monday, explaining that, although there’s no timeline on a new deal, both sides are working toward getting something done before free agency opens on July 1.
“When it comes to Florida, you sign at their number,” said the hockey insider. “One thing about Florida, they do structure that really benefits the player.”
The Panthers have already locked up multiple key pieces of the core, with Barkov, Tkachuk, Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe and Gustav Forsling all under team control until at least 2030.
Currently making $4.425 million per season, Bennett’s next contract is expected to come with an AAV that “surpasses the $7 million mark,” reported The Fourth Period on Monday.
After helping the Panthers advance to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals — and being part of the franchise’s inaugural championship team last year — Bennett will certainly be due for a raise this summer, whether in Florida or elsewhere.
But right now, the focus is on making another deep run in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the team has not looked itself as of late.
Panthers struggling without Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekblad
Although the Panthers are still tops in the Atlantic Division with a 41-24-3 record, the team has not been able to create much breathing room on the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Florida has lost two games in a row and three of four, the most notable a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the New York Islanders on Sunday night. The Cats led the game 2-0 in the third period before allowing the Isles to score four unanswered goals in just 13 minutes of play.
Although the skid came on the heels of six consecutive wins, it’s clear the team is missing both Tkachuk and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, the latter who is serving a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
The Panthers are still one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference, and Bennett’s play this season has been an important factor. Florida will look to get back on track against the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Thursday night.
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