Panthers sign Bennett to 8-year deal with reported $8M AAV
The Florida Panthers signed center Sam Bennett to an eight-year extension, the team announced Friday.
The contract carries an average annual value of $8 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. It also reportedly includes a no-movement clause in the first five years and a partial no-trade clause in the final three years.
Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL's playoff MVP after scoring a postseason-high 15 goals in 23 games en route to Florida's second straight Stanley Cup title in 2025.
The 29-year-old recorded a career-high 51 points in 76 games during the 2024-25 season.
Bennett has averaged 19 goals and 20 assists per 82 games across his 11-year career. But he's consistently elevated his performance in the playoffs, averaging 31 goals and 29 assists per 82 appearances in the postseason.
The Flames drafted Bennett fourth overall in 2014, but he never lived up to expectations during his tenure in Calgary. The Panthers acquired him in a 2021 trade, and his career has taken off since.
The Panthers now have their top three centers - Aleksander Barkov, Bennett, and Anton Lundell - all signed until at least 2030.
Bennett was one of several pending unrestricted free agents for the Panthers this offseason. Cornerstone defenseman Aaron Ekblad and trade-deadline pickup Brad Marchand are among their top remaining UFAs. Florida has $11 million left in cap space.