George Richards Sam Bennett: Contract Negotiations

[Chaos2k7]

I think Bennett is getting $7.5M or he walks and gets that on the open market. I get Verhaeghe signed for $7M and has better counting stats, but Bennett is widely considered to have other impacts that are highly valued.

Bennett waa picked for Team Canada instead of Verhaeghe which I think should tell us something about how he's valued across the league right now. There will be a LOT of interest for him. Add the rising cap and he's in a really strong negotiating position.

He isnt worth 7.5, Lundell will be ahead of him on the depth chart soon.

 

[Gentle Man]

Bennett is an insane forechecker.

3rd is wild

 

[pantherbot]

I mean....Canada already has loads of goal scoring. Scheifele for example has significantly better stats than Bennett or Verhaeghe, or Marchand etc etc. and he wasnt picked.

Bennett was picked because because of physicality...I don't think it inflates his value at all. It's just a different element.


I think the fact Benny plays with Chucky probably gave him the edge. He is being dressed specifically for tomorrow.

But that's kind of my point... Bennett isn't picked because of his counting stats, its for his physicality which has value. I'm not saying it inflates his value, that is part of his value proposition and, rightly or wrongly, there will be a dollar value assigned to it that pushes up his contract AAV vs. what his counting stats will show.

Bennett's closest comparable will be Wilson, who was given $6.5M x 7 years starting during his age 30 season when the cap was flat. For Bennett, the cap will be 10% higher in year one, it's already projected to rise 10% for the next two seasons, and the contract starts during age 29.

He isnt worth 7.5, Lundell will be ahead of him on the depth chart soon.

Agree that Lundell is trending up and Bennett likely down in the next couple years, but they're in different times of their respective careers. Bennett is looking for a payday and Lundell still has many high-earnings years ahead of him. Bennett also more "proven" while Lundell was still just a <0.5 PPG 3rd liner with potential when he signed.

I'm not saying yet if I think we should sign him for $7.5M, still on the fence about it even as I think he's integral to our team, but I think that's what it'll take to get him signed.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

I find it interesting everyone is willing to re-sign Bennett but a good portion of fans aren't even willing to take Ekblad at a low price.

Look, Bennett is f***ing awesome, and his type of game is hard to find. He was also far more valuable than Ekblad last season, and arguably in 2022. But he's almost as injury prone, plays a far more physically taxing game, and doesn't exactly have the high level hockey sense to make me think his game will age particularly well..

Regardless, I trust Zito with whatever he does.

Don’t you think you’re speaking it out here accidentally? Bennett plays a physically taxing hockey game. Ekblad doesn’t. Who spends more time injured? I’d bet it’s Ekblad. I think most people want him back cheap. Bennett is more valuable though.

 

[Felidae]

Don’t you think you’re speaking it out here accidentally? Bennett plays a physically taxing hockey game. Ekblad doesn’t. Who spends more time injured? I’d bet it’s Ekblad. I think most people want him back cheap. Bennett is more valuable though.

Sure but my point was moreso both likely won't age all that well. Not counting the last few games of 2020, Bennett since joining the club has played 258 games. In that same timespan Ekblad has played 228.


Also, honestly not sure if Bennett is more "valuable". I do think he's been better than Ekblad most years since joining, but it will be harder to find a 1st pairing level dman to replace ekblad than it will be to find a 2C to replace Bennett. Hell, Lundell is on his way there.