Bennett thrilled to remain with Panthers, aims to help ‘make this team a dynasty’

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Sam Bennett said his phone blew up Friday moments after the Florida Panthers announced they signed him to an eight-year, $64 million contract.

Many of the texts and video chats rolling in were from ecstatic teammates.

Good news travels fast.

“I got like three FaceTimes right away from the boys,” Bennett said Saturday. “A couple of them were together, and they were just so fired up, the group chat was going nuts.

“I've said it a million times, but this group is so tight. There are so many guys that really care about each other. I was definitely feeling the love last night.”

It was that kind of outpouring of support that swayed the 29-year-old center to remain with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions rather than become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Bennett had another strong season in 2024-25, his fifth with Florida. He had 51 points (25 goals, 26 assists) in 76 regular-season games, then led the NHL in the postseason with 15 goals -- 13 on the road -- to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

He joins captain Aleksander Barkov, forwards Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell, and defensemen Seth Jones and Gustav Forsling as core players under contract with the Panthers through the 2029-30 season.

Bennett believes the Panthers can win the Cup again next season.

"We really have the chance to truly make this team a dynasty, and I'm just grateful that I get the chance to be a part of it,” he said. “There are so many pieces in this puzzle that create this team and the success that this team has, and just to be a small piece of that is an honor.

“… I think we have a lot more success in our future. This is the core that's been here for the last three, four years, and we've had so much success, I don't see why we can't continue it. I think we're all so committed to the same goal of winning and doing whatever it takes, putting in the hard hours to do what it takes to win. This is the core that I want to be with.”

Along with his success in Florida this season, Bennett also won a championship with Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and should be a strong candidate for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina in 2026.

“I obviously couldn't be happier,” he said. “Being in South Florida has just completely changed my life. And I love playing hockey here, I love living here. I love the team, the staff, the owners, just everything about it is really a dream situation. So, I couldn't pass up the chance to be back here for another eight years.”

This season, Bennett partnered with the Humane Society of Broward County for a program called “Benny’s Buddies.” For every goal he scored during the regular season and playoffs, Bennett paid the adoption fees for dogs and cats in need.

Bennett and his fiancée Zoe -- who volunteers at the shelter -- started the program before the season started and it has been a big success.

Before the Panthers held their Stanley Cup championship parade on June 22, Bennett brought the Conn Smythe Trophy to the shelter and visited with some of the animals in their care.

As of last week, 28 were adopted from the program with six more waiting for a new home.

Bennett and a couple of his teammates -- as well as Panthers coach Paul Maurice -- wore a “Benny’s Buddies” baseball cap at the parade. He said keeping this program going is a nice perk of sticking around in South Florida.

“It's awesome,” Bennett said. “Honestly, that was one of the first things that me and my fiancée talked about was now we get to continue running ‘Benny’s Buddies’ now,’’ Bennett said. “We had no idea how much this program would blow up; so many people have reached out who want to get involved, or they want to know how they can help donate. The more this program goes, the bigger it's going to get.

“… This program has been amazing, and we're really grateful that we get the opportunity to do this and help a lot of animals.”