The Panthers initially acquired Bennett on the 2020-21 NHL commerce deadline, and it has been a seismic transfer for each him and the workforce.
Bennett noticed his profession take off whereas getting the chance to play for a greater workforce than he had round him in Calgary, whereas he additionally gave the Panthers the kind of relentless, bodily ahead that has outlined their workforce over the previous 4 years.
There’s nothing about his regular-season numbers that bounce off the web page as overly spectacular. He’ll rating 20 objectives. He would possibly get 50 factors. On the subject of his offense he’s a pleasant second-line participant.
However his worth goes nicely past that. His worth additionally contains his all-around play away from the puck in addition to his bodily presence that — together with Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand — has made the Panthers one of many NHL’s most bodily and agitating groups. Some would possibly even say soiled.
He has additionally seen his playoff manufacturing skyrocket, together with this yr’s efficiency the place he led the league with 15 postseason objectives, 4 greater than every other participant.
From a hockey standpoint, maintaining him round makes all the sense on the earth.
The issue is the contract itself.
A part of what made Bennett such an ideal match for the Panthers over the previous 4 years was the actual fact he solely had the ninth-highest salary-cap quantity on the workforce. He was paid just like the function participant that he’s.
That’s now not going to be the case on this subsequent deal. Even with the wage cap rising over the following few years, an $8 million-per-year funding over eight years for a 29-year-old ahead who doesn’t rating like a star is a dangerous funding. In a salary-cap league, groups need to rigorously watch each greenback they spend, and little overpayments right here and there can add up into huge points in the case of filling out a roster.
The Panthers largely prevented that in recent times.
May this be a case of a contract that appears wise within the second coming again to harm them in later years?
Bennett has given the Panthers lots and has been a key a part of a modern-day dynasty, serving to the workforce to 3 consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and back-to-back championships. However groups aren’t at all times paying a participant for what they’ve carried out already. They’re paying gamers for what they are going to do subsequent. The Panthers are taking a giant gamble right here that he can maintain producing within the playoffs like he has, and that his efficiency won’t tail off as he will get into his 30s.
No one goes responsible the Panthers within the second for doing this. That doesn’t imply it isn’t with out its dangers.
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