Value of: Sam Bennett

[ManofSteel55]

1st and a decent prospect, or equivalent in a player who isn't a UFA this summer - especially as the teams inquiring are likely to be teams that the Panthers are not wanting to strengthen for a playoff run, but despite the OP stating what he "doesn't want to hear", I can't imagine the defending champions trading a key player at the deadline, even if he is a UFA this summer.

 

[kerrabria]

If Lundell and Luostarinen were lighting it up, I could see us trading Bennett as a chess move to upgrade the RD.

Verhaeghe - Barkov - Reinhart
Rodrigues - Lundell - Tkachuk
Boqvist - Luostarinen - Samoskevich
Greer - Nosek - Puljujarvi

But neither are playing so well that ditching Bennett early would be worth it.

 

[HabsCode]

If Benny was available for trade for some reason, and he isn't, they would not trade him within the conference.

Feels like an overstatement—Bennett’s a solid player, but not exactly a franchise-altering talent. Do you really think Florida would be that scared of facing him a few times a year?

 

[Connor McConnor]

Florida still has the be the massive favorites to come out of the East. I don't think getting a few futures is worth trading him for, even if it is "efficient asset management".

 

[Chaos2k7]

Feels like an overstatement—Bennett’s a solid player, but not exactly a franchise-altering talent. Do you really think Florida would be that scared of facing him a few times a year?

We are the reigning champs, and are looking to make another deep run this season. He wouldn't be available, but if he was, just ask the fans of the teams that have played against him in the playoffs the last few years. Fear, or respect however you want to phrase it is owed to Benny. He is 100% a game changer in the playoffs.

There isn't a cup contender that wouldn't find a spot for him if they could.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Bennett has his cup. He spends summers in Toronto, so he's not taking a discount to stay in the city of Miami. The market for Bennett will be huge, and many teams will have the cap space to bid, with the cap going up. Every team that gets knocked out of the playoffs will want that physical playoff performer with intangibles.

Bennett is injury prone, and he knows it. He'll be looking for his retirement contract, and it's going to be well north of $7 million.

Players like Bennett always cash in big in free agency, and the contracts always end up looking horrible almost immediately. Bennett seems like the prototypical type of player for that kind of contract. He's bound to slow down physically as he gets older, and his hockey IQ isn't exceptional.

Or, he could take a discount to stay like Reinhart.

 

[blankall]

We are the reigning champs, and are looking to make another deep run this season. He wouldn't be available, but if he was, just ask the fans of the teams that have played against him in the playoffs the last few years. Fear, or respect however you want to phrase it is owed to Benny. He is 100% a game changer in the playoffs.

There isn't a cup contender that wouldn't find a spot for him if they could.

Florida would be nuts to trade him. Their window is now. Bennett has been a key part of their playoff drives.

Or, he could take a discount to stay like Reinhart.

It's going to be a bigger discount. Bidding wars are going to be nuts this off season. Plus Bennett already has the cup and spends the off season in his hometown Ontario.

Edit: did Reinhart take a big discount? He had one monster season in his contract year, but had been very up and down the rest of his career. His playoffs were so so. I didn't see anyone offering him $10 mil/year x 7, which is what it would have taken to get above the $69 Florida gave him, and that's not taking into account tax benefits in Florida.

 

[jaa]

If carolina think they cant sign rantanen, would it be totally crazy to think a trade: retained rantanen + walker for bennet + schmidt?

Lundell is also good in playoffs, luostarinen can play center.

 

[algernon]

Florida would be nuts to trade him. Their window is now. Bennett has been a key part of their playoff drives.

It's going to be a bigger discount. Bidding wars are going to be nuts this off season. Plus Bennett already has the cup and spends the off season in his hometown Ontario.

What if he meets a nice girl from Tallahassee

Then he has an excuse to not go back

 

[Laus723]

Florida would be nuts to trade him. Their window is now. Bennett has been a key part of their playoff drives.

It's going to be a bigger discount. Bidding wars are going to be nuts this off season. Plus Bennett already has the cup and spends the off season in his hometown Ontario.

Agreed, we’d be nuts to trade him.

Him having a house up there doesn’t mean very much. Several guys have homes here and don’t play here.

If carolina think they cant sign rantanen, would it be totally crazy to think a trade: retained rantanen + walker for bennet + schmidt?

Lundell is also good in playoffs, luostarinen can play center.

No thanks. Rather re/sign Benny and figure out whether to keep Schmidt or to use his space and whatever’s opening to shore up the D.

Lundell and Luostairnen have great chemistry, and Eetu hasn’t played just the C position in awhile. Our center depth is a strength, Bennett plays a big part in that.

What if he meets a nice girl from Tallahassee

Then he has an excuse to not go back

Tallahassee? That’s 7 hours away, and 4 hours from Tampa…and not exactly a place people target to vacation. But, it’s a college town…so maybe? Lol