Florida Panthers took a major step towards maintaining its masterpiece. The striker Sam Bennett signed a new eight -year contract on Friday, which will bring him a total of $ 64 million, an average of 8 million a year. The agreement also includes a ban on exchange in the first five years and a partial clause of non -changeability in the remaining three.
The 29 -year -old center has had a life season. In the regular season he scored 51 points (25+26) in 76 matches, but fully shone in the playoffs. There he scored 15 goals and added 7 assists in 23 games, which significantly contributed to the defense of the Stanley Cup. For his performance, Conn Smythe Trophy earned for the most useful playoff player.
In addition, he set a new NHL record when he scored 13 goals on the opponents’ playgrounds. Combined with a hard game and emphasis, Bennett became one of the most prominent players of the elimination fighting of recent years.
A few years ago, his career did not fulfill expectations. Calgary chose it in 2014 as the fourth overall, but waited for a more significant breakthrough until the Florida in 2021. In Panthers, it turned into a complex striker, combining an offensive instinct with the physical style of the game.
In the playoffs he has already started 107 matches in which he scored 78 points (40+38). In the basic part of the NHL, 691 duels with a balance of 162 goals and 174 assists have played.
According to General Manager Bill Zita, Bennett is an indispensable article of the current dynasty: “Sam is a unique player who perfectly combined skills with hardness. He played a key role in both of our title rides and has become one of the most prominent playoffs of his generation.”
At the same time, Bennett’s new contract means that Panthers have their key centers under the contract until the end of the decade, in addition to Bennett and Captain Aleksander Barkov and Mladík Anton Lundell.
The Florida unit now controls eight key players until at least 2030. In addition to the three, such as Matthew Tkachuk, Reinhart or Gustav Forsling. Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand striker who can sign new contracts in the coming weeks is expected.
Bennett has significantly improved with a new contract, and in the previous four years he cost less than $ 18 million. Now he enters the life phase of his career as one of the main faces of the team that will again attack the Stanley Cup.
And as the fans told him at the title celebrations: “Eight years! Eight years!” They already know that their wishes have been heard.
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