Panthers Trade Sam Bennett Could Be Disaster – Hockey Writers – Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers continue their strong season as the defending Stanley Cup champions. They sit atop the Atlantic Division with a record of 18-10-2 with 38 points. They have collected points in seven of their last eight games with a 6-1-1 record in that span.

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A big reason why the team has been so successful over the past few seasons has been Sam Bennett. He's been great with the style of play he brings to the table. This season alone, he has scored 13 goals and added 13 assists in 29 games. In addition, he was selected to represent Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off this coming February.

According to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, Bennett is considered a trade candidate and is being eyed by the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars. Also, he believes there is a “50-50 chance” he gets the sale. These rumors, mainly, because of his status as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this summer. Regardless, it would be incredibly foolish of the Panthers front office to ship him out of Sunrise.

When Bennett Goes, Center Depth Gets Less

If the Panthers decide to part ways with Bennett, the middle depth will take a big hit. The team has a lock with Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell in the top nine.

But if Bennet leaves, nothing else will make up for the loss. Sam Reinhart can play center, but there is a risk of creating a big gap on one of the wings on the top line. It will not be easy to replace someone of his caliber.

Playoff Goal-Scoring Will Take Surfing

The one big thing that Bennett has brought to the team since his trade to the Panthers has been his relentless playoff performance. During his time as a Panther, he has scored 14 goals in 54 playoff games. Last season alone, he scored seven goals and assisted seven others.

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If general manager Bill Zito agrees to trade him, they will lose valuable playoff points. Players like Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe excelled in that area, but Bennett was a key factor in setting the tone for the body the past few seasons in the postseason.

A Team Can't Be Like a Body

Bennett has always brought a physical presence to the program with his style of play. Granted, it resulted in a ton of penalty minutes. But, teams usually won't win cheap shots because of him. In addition, it works well for head coach Paul Maurice's style that includes a strong forecheck.

When Zito and company send him packing, a big visual piece disappears from the lineup. This will make Maurice's coaching style difficult to apply on match day.

Hopefully, it doesn't happen. But That Doesn't Mean He's Standing Still

A trade could still be disastrous for a deep playoff run. But allowing him to walk freely is in the realm of possibility. As mentioned before, he is a pending UFA this summer. Additionally, they already extended Verhaeghe, Lundell and Sam Reinhart this past season. As a result, they have just over $545,000 in limited room.

There is still an opportunity for them to remove another contract and get the money to keep him there. But with coinflip odds always there, it might not look too good in that department.