Friedman: Bennett and Panthers open contract talks

[Fatass]

IMO a player should do whatever tf they want. Bennett and Zito are in open negotiations atm. If he stays great, if he doesn’t, I wish him the best. Again, what’re you arguing?

Of course it’s up to every player to accept or decline a contract offer. But expecting a guy will give up 20+ million is not realistic.

 

[blackjackmulligan]

He’s gonna sign for like 6m or some shit

Flyers will gladly offer 8 x 8. If he makes it to free agency he is the type they will 100% over pay for to play center.

 

[thomast]

What are you actually arguing here? I don’t give a shit if Zito gives him 10, he won’t, but that’s up to Bennett and Zito. Bennett knows he can get more in FA, he also knows what he has here by staying. He played a big part in Tkachuk wanting to come here as well.

I don’t think Lindell has a chance of playing 2C ahead of Benny, but Lundell does. If Bennett moves to 3C he moves to 3C, it’s important to have center depth, especially the depth we have.


Not all players that play the way he does fall off, and he’s more intense in the playoffs than throughout the regular season. Further, last year he missed time due to Monty hitting him in the hand with a puck. He’s had injuries, but not to the level Ekblad has with his leg injuries.

Well isn’t Bennett capable of being winger and below average on faceoffs?

Top 9 could be:

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart
Bennett-Lundell-Tkachuk
ERod/Luostarinen-ERod/Luostarinen-Samoskevich

Luostarinen and Lundell have created pretty good chemistry, so i’m not sure about that. It’s worth of trying though. Current 3rd line can handcuff clear majority of 1st lines in the NHL. That Bennett-Lundell-Tkachuk line would be nasty, if they could form any kind of chemistry. I believe players like ERod and Luostarinen wouldn’t be offensively as effective, because 3rd line would lose a driver. Lundell would be wasted on 3rd line, when he is capable of being top line C for good stretches of time. We all know he is more like 2B C right now. Luostarinen looks like more commanding player this year. I would try to develope him into 3rd line driver.

 

[Laus723]

Of course it’s up to every player to accept or decline a contract offer. But expecting a guy will give up 20+ million is not realistic.

But, the two sides are talking. Zito will do what he think is best either way. I’m not sure what exactly you’re carrying on about and you seem stuck on something you can’t explain. What’s realistic is that they’re talking and the two sides will either figure it out or they’ll decide to move on.

 

[Fatass]

But, the two sides are talking. Zito will do what he think is best either way. I’m not sure what exactly you’re carrying on about and you seem stuck on something you can’t explain. What’s realistic is that they’re talking and the two sides will either figure it out or they’ll decide to move on.

Far more likely the two sides decide to move on. Bennett is worth 50 million. Zero chance Zito offers anywhere close to that for a 3C.

 

[Laus723]

Far more likely the two sides decide to move on. Bennett is worth 50 million. Zero chance Zito offers anywhere close to that for a 3C.

Cause you want them to? Everyone said Reino priced himself out, no one expected Forsling to sign for what he did. This is t speculation center, they’re currently talking. It may work out, it may not.

 

[BKarchitect]

People act like slotting Bennett into 3C minutes or kind of sharing middle 6C minutes with Lundell is a bad thing.

Against, this guy makes his wingers better. You cannot look at his counting stats and potential 3C role as he ages and say “well he’s only a third line center he should get X dollars and years”.

He’s a critical player and should and will get paid like one. Lundell on the roster does not make Bennett equal to a “3C”. You can rotate cheap value wingers around a Barkov-Bennett-Lundell core for the entirety of the Panthers Cup window.

People waaaaay too hung up on trying to define numerical depth numbers here.

 

[Dicky113]

Someone would pay him 8x11, so good luck with that

 

[pb1300]

I cant see how signing Bennett shuts the Panthers window.

This isnt the Leafs locking in their core 3 to huge deals at the time, and signing Tavares later, eating up a significant amount of their cap.

The Panthers have their captain, and one of the best players in the world, locked in to a ridiculous deal, and everyone else has followed suit behind him. And if they dont, Zito will replace them, as he has done so far more successfully than not.

Why make the comment about the Leafs you say? Because the Leafs deals happened when the cap was lower, and saw minimum rise because of the reasons we know about already, and have hampered the teams ability to build a better team around their core. While with the Panthers captain taking less, everyone else lining up behind him, and the significant cap increase over the next few seasons, will allow them to sign Bennett, and still build around this core.

 

[Bruce Granville]

I cant see how signing Bennett shuts the Panthers window.

This isnt the Leafs locking in their core 3 to huge deals at the time, and signing Tavares later, eating up a significant amount of their cap.

The Panthers have their captain, and one of the best players in the world, locked in to a ridiculous deal, and everyone else has followed suit behind him. And if they dont, Zito will replace them, as he has done so far more successfully than not.

Why make the comment about the Leafs you say? Because the Leafs deals happened when the cap was lower, and saw minimum rise because of the reasons we know about already, and have hampered the teams ability to build a better team around their core. While with the Panthers captain taking less, everyone else lining up behind him, and the significant cap increase over the next few seasons, will allow them to sign Bennett, and still build around this core.

Iirc they first signed Tavares and effed up their cap afterwards by handing out bad deals to their RFAs.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

Smart clubs move on from players who helped win but are getting older. Stamkos is the perfect example and he was right next door. Tampa used the money Stamkos wanted (and deserved) to bring in a player more suited to help the club win now and down the road. Stamkos left and got his money in Nashville. Tampa rolls on and so would the Panthers without Bennet.

The better comparison would have been Huberdeau and Tkachuk. And we all know who the architect was behind that. The smartest club.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

Always wished the Bruins traded for him when he got out of Calgary.
Gonna be way too expensive to even think about that now hah

 

[elmaco]

Both Bennett and ekblad will take discounts just like the rest to keep the team together.

Is this good for the Panthers tho? Ekblad is cooked, Bennet is ok though.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Bennett’s next contract will start at age 29. You actually believe he’s going to be playing 2C minutes, ahead of Lindell, as he ages into his 30’s?
IMO Zito will not allocate more than 5 per to Bennet with term of 5-6 years. There will be clubs though, on July 1, 2025 that will offer him 7x7.

I think Zito will offer him around 6. There's no difference between 8x6, and 7x7, especially with no state tax. As Laus said, the cap is gonna continue to go up, with Bob's 10M coming off the books in 2 years. He's either gonna re-sign for way less or leave. Nonetheless that's a ton more money to spend. In 2-3 years, the contracts for Barky, Tkachuk, Reinhart, Verhaeghe, Lundell are all gonna be absolute steals. Forsling is already an absurd steal. Zito can afford to muddy the water a bit with Bennett and Ekblad

 

[Dread Clawz]

Of course it’s up to every player to accept or decline a contract offer. But expecting a guy will give up 20+ million is not realistic.

Reinhart just gave up likely several million to stay in Florida

 

[Dread Clawz]

Is this good for the Panthers tho? Ekblad is cooked, Bennet is ok though.

Ekblad is not cooked, he and Forsling make a great pair and complement each other well. Ek was +4 last playoffs while going up against some of the best talent in the league(Edmonton's stars, Panarin, Pasta, Kucherov). And he averaged over 22 minutes. He's also come into camp in the best shape he's been in several years.

 

[Mogo]

Well isn’t Bennett capable of being winger and below average on faceoffs?

Top 9 could be:

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart
Bennett-Lundell-Tkachuk
ERod/Luostarinen-ERod/Luostarinen-Samoskevich

Luostarinen and Lundell have created pretty good chemistry, so i’m not sure about that. It’s worth of trying though. Current 3rd line can handcuff clear majority of 1st lines in the NHL. That Bennett-Lundell-Tkachuk line would be nasty, if they could form any kind of chemistry. I believe players like ERod and Luostarinen wouldn’t be offensively as effective, because 3rd line would lose a driver. Lundell would be wasted on 3rd line, when he is capable of being top line C for good stretches of time. We all know he is more like 2B C right now. Luostarinen looks like more commanding player this year. I would try to develope him into 3rd line driver.

Flames forced him to play wing. Panthers move him to center his natural position. Nuff said

 

[Breakers]

I’d prioritize him over Ekblad

Even if Ekblad said just give me the same AAV as I currently have, he is still overpaid.

Think he is gonna take a paycut?

 

[TS Quint]

Far more likely the two sides decide to move on. Bennett is worth 50 million. Zero chance Zito offers anywhere close to that for a 3C.

This is just wild to me. We are talking about a player who has never put up more than 49 points and historically you can expect a minimum of 12 games missed a year, probably more in this contract that is going to take him deep into his 30s.

Sounds like someone is going to make a huge mistake signing this guy.

 

[Laus723]

This is just wild to me. We are talking about a player who has never put up more than 49 points and historically you can expect a minimum of 12 games missed a year, probably more in this contract that is going to take him deep into his 30s.

Sounds like someone is going to make a huge mistake signing this guy.

Cause it’s all in the STATS. He doesn’t show up MASSIVELY in multiple ways.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

If it's 6x8 you sign 100% for 6 million Bennet can be a 3C in a couple years who's ready for top 6 whenever injuries happen.

A team would offer 8 million on the market

 

[TS Quint]

Cause it’s all in the STATS. He doesn’t show up MASSIVELY in multiple ways.

I never said he wouldn't get the money. maybe we can talk about what I actually said.

Can you give other examples of non stats players who get contracts like you are expecting.

 

[Dread Clawz]

I’d prioritize him over Ekblad

Even if Ekblad said just give me the same AAV as I currently have, he is still overpaid.

Think he is gonna take a paycut?

The general sense out of S. Florida is that he will take a paycut. Forsling makes 5.75 for the next 8 years.

 

[Laus723]

I never said he wouldn't get the money. maybe we can talk about what I actually said.

Can you give other examples of non stats players who get contracts like you are expecting.

Sure, have a ball. Bring em all up. No one knows what Zito will offer, so I’m not sure what you’re on about.

Guy adds a ton to the team, you’re either missing it, or plain don’t know.

 

[elmaco]

Ekblad is not cooked, he and Forsling make a great pair and complement each other well. Ek was +4 last playoffs while going up against some of the best talent in the league(Edmonton's stars, Panarin, Pasta, Kucherov). And he averaged over 22 minutes. He's also come into camp in the best shape he's been in several years.

Ok, thought he was cooked after the playoffs. Some Panthers fans say he sucks and some say he did ok. I think he's sound but nothing that special.