The Panthers initially acquired Bennett on the 2020-21 NHL commerce deadline, and it has been a seismic transfer for each him and the crew.
Bennett noticed his profession take off whereas getting the chance to play for a greater crew than he had round him in Calgary, whereas he additionally gave the Panthers the kind of relentless, bodily ahead that has outlined their crew over the previous 4 years.
There’s nothing about his regular-season numbers that leap off the web page as overly spectacular. He’ll rating 20 objectives. He may get 50 factors. In the case of his offense he’s a pleasant second-line participant.
However his worth goes properly past that. His worth additionally consists of 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 may 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 another participant.
From a hockey standpoint, protecting him round makes the entire 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 crew. He was paid just like the function participant that he’s.
That’s not going to be the case on this subsequent deal. Even with the wage cap rising over the subsequent 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 must rigorously watch each greenback they spend, and little overpayments right here and there can add up into massive points with regards to filling out a roster.
The Panthers principally prevented that lately.
Might 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 quite a bit and has been a key a part of a modern-day dynasty, serving to the crew to 3 consecutive Stanley Cup Finals and back-to-back championships. However groups are usually not all the time paying a participant for what they’ve achieved already. They’re paying gamers for what they may do subsequent. The Panthers are taking an enormous gamble right here that he can preserve producing within the playoffs like he has, and that his efficiency won’t tail off as he will get into his 30s.
No person goes responsible the Panthers within the second for doing this. That doesn’t imply it isn’t with out its dangers.
