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Elliotte Friedman Reveals Where Sam Bennett Will Possibly End Up

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Jack Sutherland | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 2:24 PM ET

Top NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman is shedding light on what he believes pending Florida Panthers free agent forward Sam Bennett will do this summer.

The Florida Panthers have returned to the Stanley Cup Final for the 3rd straight year, and are hoping to claim their 2nd straight title.

If successful, they'll have defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the Cup Final for the 2nd season in a row.

As he did in the previous pair of playoff runs, Panthers forward Sam Bennett is playing a central role in Florida's success. He's also a pending UFA this summer, and there will be teams hoping to pry him away from Florida to add not only his championship experience but his trademark grit and toughness.

While some have wondered if the divisional foe Toronto Maple Leafs will try and snag him to make good on GM Brad Treliving's pledge to change his team's DNA, a top NHL analyst believes that Bennett is most likely to simply stay put.

Not only is signing a contract in Florida attractive because of the friendly tax situation, but the Panthers are likely to remain contenders for years.

Bennett drew massive controversy earlier in the playoffs when his collision with former Panthers teammate and current Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz resulted in his missing the remainder of the series.

Bennett was then shown on video replay appearing to deliver an elbow to the head of Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen during the ECF, which Florida won in 5 games.

He didn't face any supplemental discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety for either incident.

So far in the postseason, Bennett has 16 points (10G, 6A) in 17 games.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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