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Sam Bennett's Next Team Likely Known After the NHL Draft Combine

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 1:42 PM ET

While Sam Bennett has been linked to several teams ahead of free agency, the belief around the NHL is now that the veteran forward will be remaining in Florida.

Sam Bennett's future in the NHL has been a major topic of discussion in recent weeks, and with the expectation being that some teams in the NHL could offer him a deal upwards of $10 million per season, it was expected that he'd test the market on July 1st.

However, that has changed in recent times, and whether or not the Panthers can win their second straight Stanley Cup, the belief is that he's not going to be leaving Florida as a free agent.

That report has come from James Mirtle of The Athletic, who has given this update after speaking to people around the league at the recent NHL Draft Combine, and for Maple Leafs fans especially hoping to land the Ontario native, it's not good news.

"No one I spoke to around the league expects [him] to be available.'

Given the way that he's played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the last three years, it makes sense that Florida wouldn't want to let Bennett leave, as he recently made NHL history by scoring the most road goals in a single post-season in league history.

That had teams like Toronto excited about the opportunity to hand Bennett a massive deal, but after the Panthers helped revive his career, it's understandable why he'd want to remain with them after their recent success and the weather situation down in sunny Florida.

There's always a chance that this could change if a team does throw $10 million per season at him on a long-term deal, but with success and comfortability, if the Panthers want to keep him, the belief is that a deal will get done before free agency officially begins.

This article first appeared on House of Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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