How the Edmonton Oilers can contain Sam Bennett in the Stanley Cup Final

In Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch, the Edmonton Oilers were victorious—the night bookended by a pair of Leon Draisaitl goals. Both teams looked the part, as the game was hard-fought back and forth, though the Oilers were well-deserving of the win.

Although the Florida Panthers had their share of successes in Game 1, the biggest thorn in the Oilers’ side was Sam Bennett. Leading the playoffs with 12 goals, the pending unrestricted free agent is bolstering his stock. Let’s take a closer look at how the Oilers might contain Bennett for the rest of the series.

Playoffs Sam Bennett is a different beast

Once upon a time, in the 2014 NHL Draft, Bennett was a high-end prospect. Donning the number 93, Bennett often found himself compared to his OHL GM Doug Gilmour. Like Gilmour, Bennett plays much bigger than his size might suggest, a fierce competitor with a physical edge.

It took some time for Bennett to find his stride in the NHL, being dealt away from the Calgary Flames who reportedly cheered when the Oilers selected Draisaitl third overall, leaving Bennett to fall to the Flames. Despite often being starved for quality centres, Bennett was not enough for the Flames to keep him, and he was dealt to the Panthers.

As a Panther, Bennett has come alive. More precisely, as a playoff performer, Bennett has come into his own. His regular season numbers are somewhat pedestrian, but in the most intense moments, Bennett continues to find ways to come alive.

His physicality often crosses the line, though the NHL’s department of player safety rarely tends to agree. Still, the history has become undeniable, as Bennett continues to succeed on a line with Matthew Tkachuk, and did author a strong performance for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. As several teams around the league clamour for centre depth, and the Panthers in their third straight Stanley Cup Final, Bennett has come into his own at the perfect time.

How Bennett is used

Part of how the Panthers use Bennett can be understood by looking into the rest of their centres. As this season’s Selke Trophy winner, Aleksander Barkov is no stranger to shutting down high-octane players on the other side. Anton Lundell is a fantastic defensive centre in his own right as well. Consequently, Bennett is often shielded from the toughest defensive assignments, leaving him and Tkachuk to capitalize on different matchups.

While not without some skill in transition, Bennett is at his best in physical battles. He is fearless in attacking contested ice and keeps his play simple, forceful, and direct. This style is often preferred by coaches because of how it translates into the biggest moments when time and space are at a premium. With an elite, though likely hobbled, winger in Tkachuk and a ferocious Panthers lineup around him, Bennett’s offence is repeatable and sustainable.

Still, Bennett is not so much an offensive creator or generator as much as he is a multidimensional complement to that. He’s certainly skilled enough to play with a linemate who is expected to score consistently, but he brings a lot of elements physically and defensively to help balance out the lines.

The Oilers can expose Bennett with their top players

Though the Panthers may have the more complete and balanced top-nine forwards, the Oilers have the edge as a twelve-player group. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has a masterful touch in working his bench, finding opportunities within his lines themselves as much as depending on the circumstances of the game.

As much as Bennett was a factor offensively in Game 1, scoring both even-strength goals for the Panthers, he was also on for two even-strength goals against. The Oilers’ overtime goal was authored by all five players getting involved and rotating into different positions.

On the power play, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, unusually high in the zone, played pitch and catch, Nugent-Hopkins showing poise after the pass was not clean. Just outside the dot, Corey Perry makes a quick no-look backhand to McDavid, already moving into the slot, creating an isolated play with Draisaitl barreling towards the net. With so much time and space, the duo is nearly unstoppable.

Naturally, Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are central to the conversation and consistently sensational. As much as there is a period of time referred to as the “Decade of Darkness”, there is one chapter yet to be written in the hereto unnamed decade of destiny that the duo have delivered. At home, the Oilers will have a much easier time getting McDavid and Draisaitl on the ice against Bennett.

Answer with physicality

Just as the power play slid and moved, the Oilers lineup did too. Evander Kane and Kasperi Kapanen have created a ruthless forechecking attack that can wear down opponents. Each player is bringing their best, a testament to Knoblauch and the Oilers. It will be a long series, and making life difficult for the Panthers is vital. This will help stifle opportunities for the Panthers as a whole, let alone Bennett.

Another issue that must be addressed is physicality in general. Bennett brings a lot of clean and legal contributions to the table, including gamesmanship to his skirmishing. His track record of injuring opponents on questionable plays is another thing, something the Oilers need to take note of.

The important thing is not to overextend oneself on the ice. Often this might be thought of as an aggressive pinch or ambitious pass gone wrong. Perhaps physicality is similar, in that one cannot often afford to let emotions take over. The Oilers are well within their game and clearly match up physically with the Panthers, more so than any team the Panthers have met on their journey here.

The Oilers will need to play with an edge, but also with discipline. The balance between the two is vital, the quickest path to balance is to be natural. The Oilers cannot afford to let one play from Bennett set them off, nor can they relent in their attempts to maintain their level of physicality from moment to moment.

Playing for the moment

After all, McDavid did note that the Oilers were much less emotionally drained headed into the Stanley Cup Final this season versus last. Despite the intensity, there must be an emotional centre to the team, one that is as resilient and defiant as the Oilers seem to be.

Bennett and the Panthers will be back for more, and they have already proven themselves capable. Undoubtedly there will be pushback, adjustments and re-adjustments. The Oilers have all the ingredients to stop them, but the only way to prove it is to seize the moment. Until now, the Oilers are steadfast in their determination and equilibrium, their talent and their togetherness. The Panthers will not quietly in the night, but neither will the Oilers.