Rumor: Bennett contract AAV could eclipse $10M?

[3074326]

Is Bennett actually going to get 70 million on July 1? That’s nuts, no?

Yup

He's going to sign for like $10M with some team that thinks its close, and when their "star" has 45 points in the middle of March and the team is on the verge of missing the playoffs, folks will wonder why they spent so much on a playoff performer for a team that can't make the playoffs.

I really like the player, I acknowledge what he brings. This topic reads like a Sam Bennett fan fiction. It's f***ing insanity. It could work out if he finds a legit contender willing to throw buckets of cash at him, but I fear this is a future mistake in the making for a lot of other teams.

 

[WingsToPick4th]

I know this contract will age poorly, which is why i FULLY expect Steve Yzerman to ink him to a 7x9M and it instantly being awful lol. He put up 50 points playing with tkachuk and verhaege two elite wingers...his production likely instantly drops off with his new team after 1-2 years

 

[BKarchitect]

Well I guess one way a team can look at it is that some players get paid a HUGE amount cause they are awesome in regular season but suck in playoffs and never win… So why not pay a guy that’s very good in regular season and a absolute stud in playoffs and knows how to win.

It’s all about winning Cups

It’s a risky game tho cause if a team pays Bennett a huge amount and they win a Cup, the GM looks like the smartest man alive…. But if they never win a cup, then that GM will have a lot of questions to answer

100%. I don’t get why fans are ok with their teams paying one-way wingers in that $8 million + AAV range but when it comes to an actual two-way center who possesses a physical game which is exceedingly rare these days and an ability to elevate his game over and over again in high leverage situations…they are like “nah he only scores 50 points bro”. It’s like folks have a built-in contract grading system based purely on how the stats are sorted on NHL.com. “Yeah player X provides zero physical resistance and very little all-around game but in the regular season he scored 30 goals and 70 points, so he’s clearly worth X amount more”.

It very much seems people are more ok with paying Boeser or Ehlers in that $8-9 million AAV range than Bennettt…to which I would say, what exactly are you watching, aside from counting stats box scores? I like both those guys, a lot…but if I’m a team trying to win, and all three are going to make essentially the same wage packet…it’s Bennett for me without hesitation.

 

[Fatass]

100%. I don’t get why fans are ok with their teams paying one-way wingers in that $8 million + AAV range but when it comes to an actual two-way center who possesses a physical game which is exceedingly rare these days and an ability to elevate his game over and over again in high leverage situations…they are like “nah he only scores 50 points bro”. It’s like folks have a built-in contract grading system based purely on how the stats are sorted on NHL.com. “Yeah player X provides zero physical resistance and very little all-around game but in the regular season he scored 30 goals and 70 points, so he’s clearly worth X amount more”.

It very much seems people are more ok with paying Boeser or Ehlers in that $8-9 million AAV range than Bennettt…to which I would say, what exactly are you watching, aside from counting stats box scores? I like both those guys, a lot…but if I’m a team trying to win, and all three are going to make essentially the same wage packet…it’s Bennett for me without hesitation.

Yup. Players are paid for the 82 game regular season. Playoffs are pretty much unpaid overtime.

 

[BKarchitect]

Yup. Players are paid for the 82 game regular season. Playoffs are pretty much unpaid overtime.

I think a guy like Bennett, if he chooses, would buck that trend though this off-season. It’s just that people have a hard time wrapping their head around it.

I also think Bennett is far from a playoffs only guy. He’s a culture setter and a fantastic all-around center. He’s got traits which are valued and rare at a position that almost every team is dying to add somebody of his type to.

Yeah…he’s almost assuredly going to get overpaid if he wants to really grab his market value this summer. So is every UFA this summer. And the next summer. And so on. And the thing is - he’s going to get paid so much because his quality and style of play is valued and not easily obtained.

 

[jetsforever]

That would be hilarious and one of the biggest heists in history.

 

[Cancuks]

The Canes will probably pay it.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Like the player and what he brings to the table but that number = an albatross contract.

 

[Bounces R Way]

I see zero reason for Sam Bennett to sign anywhere else but the Florida Panthers.

No state taxes.
He's about to be in the Stanley Cup final for the 3rd straight year. This Florida team Bill Zito put together is special.
He can head to pro hockey practice in flip flops on a golf cart and not have an a whole army of reporters asking him why he thinks they lost last night.

Even for an extra 10 million or something on a long term deal I would not give that up.

 

[hockey20000]

if you give a guy who had career high 51 points 10 plus million you deserve the pain that comes with it .. its amazing how overated bennett has become lol.

 

[molon labe]

Hearing there's at least 1 team willing to make him the highest paid player in the league.

....Perfect time to tell you about X VPN.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Toronto and Carolina need more Toughness/Grit. They will outbid each other until he signs with one of them.
I predict in a few years that Bennett gets demoted to 4th line on his new team when his scoring drops.

Career high 51 points in a contract year and coming off his likely 2nd cup in a row, he will have gotten his cups and wants his retirement contract where he can just mail it in the rest of the way while collecting his paycheck. You could say the same happened to Killorn, he got his cups and then his retirement contract.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Maybe like 7.5?

 

[Mr Positive]

I dont see him as Clarkson or Holik 2.0

He was drafted 4th overall because he has great skills. We are seeing him ascend because he has to take the role Tkachuk had, because Tkachuk is playing injured. He's proving he has the ability

Sure it would be smart for the team adding him to already have star forwards. Dont count on him to lead your offense. But if you want to go deep in the playoffs he is the best player available to help you do that

Maybe more like a Marchand 2.0

 

[Anaheim4ever]

I dont see him as Clarkson or Holik 2.0

He was drafted 4th overall because he has great skills. We are seeing him ascend because he has to take the role Tkachuk had, because Tkachuk is playing injured. He's proving he has the ability

Sure it would be smart for the team adding him to already have star forwards. Dont count on him to lead your offense. But if you want to go deep in the playoffs he is the best player available to help you do that

Maybe more like a Marchand 2.0

With the star power in Edmonton, he'd be a good fit there if he'd sign for a fair amount.
Can just dump Henrique on another team or waive him (we waived him once before a few years ago).
I just wonder how much Toronto/Carolina will offer compared to other teams.

 

[Mr Positive]

With the star power in Edmonton, he'd be a good fit there if he'd sign for a fair amount.
Can just dump Henrique on another team or waive him (we waived him once before a few years ago).

Sadly it's not in the cards. We have Draisaitl's extension kicking in, and we have to re-sign Bouchard. But if Bowman does clear out a bunch of space to add him, I'd be happy

Everyone has already said the teams who'd overpay for him. Toronto and Carolina. Out west, I think the Oilers have exposed the Kings and Stars as low-key soft teams as well. I'm not sure about their cap situations but the Stars have a bunch of expensive players coming off the books

 

[GCK]

No one is going 10M AAV for him. 8.5M is still an overpay but I think he might get there.

 

[TKB]

No one is going 10M AAV for him. 8.5M is still an overpay but I think he might get there.

$8.5 million may be a problem on the back 9 of a long-term contract, but for the next 2-3 years that's as good a way to spend 8+ as any.

Worry about playing the back nine after the turn.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Dem elbows gonna get some cheddar on em.

 

[TotalHomer]

No one is going 10M AAV for him. 8.5M is still an overpay but I think he might get there.

Hradek said he knows at least one team willing to give him 10M. Who knows if that would actually happen but I can definitely see someone giving him 9M x 7.

 

[Leafs87]

Bennett’s value is on his current deal. A 10 mill Bennett will be awful and get in the way of building your deep playoff team. He’s not the guy, but a great support piece for 4.5. Ideally you can stomach 6-8ish but not 10.

 

[mr4tno]

The only way this happens is if the Leafs step up to overpay Bennett. Because no other team or GM is that stupid. Except maybe the Avs....

Cue the Flyers. Keith Jones (Briere is a puppet) is an idiot and believes the Flyers are one Sam Bennett away from a dynasty.

 

[frontsfan67]

That's overreaction. You still need to make the playoffs and you never know if Bennett can perform without being in one of the deepest team in the league. I bet Marner would look like a playoff performer if he was winger on Panthers team.

Bennett was even a pretty good playoff performer before he went to Florida.

Previous 2 post seasons with Calgary before getting traded to Florida and taking off: 5pts in 5 games in 2018/19, 5G and 8Pts in 10 games in 2019/20

Bennett is a better playoff performer not even to throw in the factor he gets in the other teams heads

Playoff stats head to head:

Bennett 34G, 36A, 70 pts in 99 playoff games
Avg 16:54/Game

Marner 13G, 50A, 63pts in 70 playoff games
Avg 21:51/Game

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Depends where he signs. In Canada or with the Rangers? 12 AAV. Re signs in Florida, 7.1 AAV

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I would gladly welcome him onto my team… But I would be shocked if he gets 10M. I could see 7+ even 8+. But getting north of 9M that gets eyebrow raising unless it’s on very short term.