Dec 20, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) moves the puck against the St. Louis Blues during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Panthers Forward is Biggest Snub from Team Canada

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Jan 1, 2026 11:15 AM ET

There should be no debate about who was the biggest snub from Team Canada's 2026 Winter Olympics roster. There were many worthy candidates for Canada to choose from, but the exclusion of one Florida Panthers forward was the most glaring omission.

Panthers forward Sam Bennett was a key member of Canada's 2025 4 Nations Face-Off squad. He and his teammates took home the gold medal behind a balance of elite offense and a hard-nosed work ethic that Bennett encapsulated.

Yet, he was one of five players who won't return from that 4 Nations Face-Off team. Instead, Canada opted for players like his Panthers teammate Brad Marchand, Washington Capitals power forward Tom Wilson and New York Islanders center Bo Horvat. It's understandable why they went in a different direction, but the decision to exclude Bennett could come back to bite them in the upcoming tournament.

Good Things Happen to Good Players

The management group that assembled the Olympic roster is virtually the same one that selected Bennett for the 4 Nations Face-Off, so what changed? For Bennett, the only thing that's happened since that tournament is another Stanley Cup victory. During the run, he scored 15 goals in 23 games and captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP.

But it wasn't just his offense that earned him the honor; it was his performance on both ends of the ice. According to MoneyPuck's data from the most recent postseason, Bennett played nearly 200 minutes of ice time with winger Matthew Tkachuk and a combination of Carter Verhaeghe and Evan Rodrigues. With Rodrigues, the line controlled just over 50% of the total goals scored. With Verhaeghe, they dominated, scoring just under 67% of the total five-on-five goals scored while on the ice.

Two-Way Force

Bennett's defense often drives the offense. He is a tenacious one-on-one defender. He makes life miserable for rushing defenders as they try to carry the puck or advance it up the ice. In his own zone, he can clog shooting lanes, break up passes, and block shots. He's blocked at least 35 shots in each of the last three seasons, and he's already stopped 18 potential shots on goal.

Those are all characteristics that Canada needs in the bottom-six forward combination. Bennett has a nonstop motor and a chip on his shoulder with every shift. That's the energy Canada needs to bring home a gold medal from Italy. Unfortunately, they won't have that player in the lineup because of the most notable snub on their roster.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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