Insider Reveals One Reason Sam Bennett Might Not Re-Sign with Panthers

Sam Bennett is having one of the greatest contract-year playoff performances of all-time. He leads the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 14 goals in 20 games. 10 of them (also league-leading) have been at even-strength. That has led to some crazy numbers being thrown around as to what the pending UFA will get on a new contract. $8 million AAV? $9 million? $10 million??

By all accounts, he wants to stay with the Panthers, and the defending Stanley Cup champs certainly aren't complete without him. And yet, there's no deal done yet. July 1st is fast approaching, when he'll be open for bidding by the 31 other teams.

Insider Elliotte Friedman, on The Fan Hockey Show, revealed one of the big issues that's held things up to this point.

I had heard late in the season that the Panthers were not willing to go past (Carter) Verhaeghe, and that was one of the sticking points, which is eight (years) x $7 million.

Verhaeghe is another key piece of this Panthers dynasty, and his eight-year extension was signed at the beginning of this past regular season, and kicks in for 2025-26.

That being said, "I think Sam Bennett wants to stay in Florida," Friedman continued. "I think he realizes it's good for him, I think he likes it there, it's a great marriage."

Will Sam Bennett

So will he take a 'hometown discount' to stay with the Panthers? One huge thing working in their favor is that no-state-tax thing.

What will Sam Bennett get on his next contract?

"$7M or $8M (in Florida) is more than what it could be in other places," said Friedman.

But will Bennett be satisfied with a $7M AAV when he could potentially make a few million a year more somewhere else?

In the end, it's going to take each side to "bend a little bit" he says, if they're ultimately going to come to an agreement to keep Bennett in Southern Florida. If not, there are plenty of other teams ready to pounce.