Speculation: Sir Sam of House Bennett - contract speculation

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

If he even come closes to UFA, he should have half the teams pounding his door July 1 to accept contract offers. He'll probably stay put, the guy has been incredible ever since his trade to Florida. Playoff gawd

It'll be 6.5 x 8

Him and Verhaeghe making less than 15M is f***ing absurd, Matt Tkachuk trade might be the biggest trade in terms of a franchise's health since maybe Gretzky to LA

 

[featherhawk]

If he even come closes to UFA, he should have half the teams pounding his door July 1 to accept contract offers. He'll probably stay put, the guy has been incredible ever since his trade to Florida. Playoff gawd



Him and Verhaeghe making less than 15M is f***ing absurd, Matt Tkachuk trade might be the biggest trade in terms of a franchise's health since maybe Gretzky to LA

ya FLA fleeced the flames for sure

 

[Dread Clawz]

If he even come closes to UFA, he should have half the teams pounding his door July 1 to accept contract offers. He'll probably stay put, the guy has been incredible ever since his trade to Florida. Playoff gawd



Him and Verhaeghe making less than 15M is f***ing absurd, Matt Tkachuk trade might be the biggest trade in terms of a franchise's health since maybe Gretzky to LA

It definitely has been. Zito was literally born to be a hockey GM.

We can keep both as long as Mackie's cap hit stays negligible, Bennet comes in under $6m AAV, and Ekblad comes in under $7m AAV. If that happens, great. But it'd be poor cap management to give $6m+ and an NMC to our future 3C when we already have already have internal options.

Building a powerhouse team does not equal poor cap management.

 

[branch]

I want him so bad

 

[seanlinden]

With another big jump in the cap coming and the general lack of availability of top 6 centres in the UFA market, Chandler Stephenson's contract should probably be the floor... especially considering that we're 1 year further along from a cap standpoint.

Now, is there a world where he signs a matching contract to Carter Verhaege, giving up a little on the AAV to get the 8th year? I think that makes a bit of sense especially as his contract is unlikely to age gracefully given the way he plays.

However, if he's lookng to UFA, I can think of at least 1 team, that could have a John Tavares-sized hole in the middle of the lineup this summer, where Sam Bennett fits the style of play that their new head coach wants, just about perfectly.

 

[TotalHomer]

I'd argue Bennett is as valuable as Verhaege, different ways but still. I can see Florida going up to 6M x 8 but that's it since they have Lundell ready for 2C duties if needed.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

I'd argue Bennett is as valuable as Verhaege, different ways but still. I can see Florida going up to 6M x 8 but that's it since they have Lundell ready for 2C duties if needed.

As a Panther fan, I agree. At times he's more valuable, particularly the long grind of the regular season. Carter is clutch in the playoffs though.

 

[Leafshater67]

I absolutely love his game and what he brings but he’s not a great skater and hurt often now. He deserves a Stephenson contract or even a little more. A long term, big dollar deal will look bad in just a few of years though. This team has a paper thin blueline and needs to use some cap space on that. Bennett is awesome but someone like Lindell can likely fill that 2C role in the future.

The leafs could really use a Sam Bennett. I’ll even go as far to say I think they’d be a better team if they had Bennett instead of Marner or Nylander. Florida needs to think of that blueline though.

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

I'm sure I'll regret engaging with this nonsense but here we go..

No, you're right as you so obviously pointed out I am not a millionaire NHL player. However being a man in my mid 20's it's not hard to imagine the mindset. I wouldn't wanna leave a winning team in South Florida where I have beautiful weather, a government that leaves me alone, and relative anonymity. I certainly wouldn't want to move north where it's cold, the media are like cockroaches constantly crawling up my ass, and the government.. well I'll leave that part alone. And then there's the next factor.. the makeup of the team.

Bennett is exactly the type of player who plays a winning brand of hockey. He's physical, doesn't take shifts/nights off, he plays hockey the hard way. So again I may not be an NHL player, but I've had teammates who care more about padding their stats than winning games. It's incredibly frustrating to work your ass off just to see a teammate duck a hit, cheat defensively, and just in general put in very inconsistent efforts.

So it's a percentages game then. Your banking on similar players to Bennett in similar positions and what their criteria for choosing a new team has been to form your opinion ?

 

[McGarnagle]

About a 105% chance that Don Sweeney overpays him as a UFA based off of how much he's bullied the Bruins over the past three years and then he winds up being all washed up like Matt Belesky

 

[Unbiased Fan]

years back but a comparable might be Jordan Staal when he was traded from Pittsburgh to Carolina. In terms of the change in the cap since then I'd probably expect something around 8-8.5 using that as a basis.

I’d say Jordan Staal and Phillip Danault are more comparable. I’d say Nazim Kadri in Toronto and Bennet are a good comp

 

[Romang67]

I'd worry a lot about Bennett's health long term. Players of his size and play style tends to age extremely poorly.

That said, I'd love to have a healthy Bennett as the #2C on the Jets. Might be willing to spend $8M per, count on the cap rising dramatically over his contract, and just accept that I'm fired if he drops off a cliff early on.

 

[Thechozen1]

I could see him replacing Jamie Benn in Dallas

 

[Kaners PPGs]

If Florida is smart, they’ll let him walk. A guy likely wanting 8 million for max term, constantly injured and already slow as molasses, that’ll screw the Panthers.

See Brent Seabrook.

I just love the Seabrook sideswipe!

 

[GCK]

first off I’m very happy to break in the new screen name and avatar.

Does the Verhage contract put a cap on what FLA will pay Bennett?

Surely he can’t ask for more than 7m.

Who are the comparable though?
What’s your prediction and can FLA afford it?

Very interesting player. Doesn’t score a lot of points but is certainly a catalyst roster piece.

He’s a 7M dollar player on the open market, 6M in FLA.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I bet he walks.

They have to re-up Ekblad and I can’t imagine he’s taking a team friendly deal at 28.

8x6 on the open market.

Given Exblad's massive injury history, I think Florida would prefer Bennett if they're forced to choose.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

I absolutely love his game and what he brings but he’s not a great skater and hurt often now. He deserves a Stephenson contract or even a little more. A long term, big dollar deal will look bad in just a few of years though. This team has a paper thin blueline and needs to use some cap space on that. Bennett is awesome but someone like Lindell can likely fill that 2C role in the future.

The leafs could really use a Sam Bennett. I’ll even go as far to say I think they’d be a better team if they had Bennett instead of Marner or Nylander. Florida needs to think of that blueline though.

Two things. How is Bennett's skating an issue? And the Lundell hype is going to come crashing into a wall at some point.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Would take him on the Leafs all day. 7-8 a year no problem.

 

[TotalHomer]

I absolutely love his game and what he brings but he’s not a great skater and hurt often now.

Bennett is a very good skater. What are you on about.

 

[Laus723]

Two things. How is Bennett's skating an issue? And the Lundell hype is going to come crashing into a wall at some point.

As someone who’s getting Benny’s jersey should we re-sign him, I don’t get this statement at all. He’s still young and is elite defensively already. He’s been on the 3rd line mostly with a rotation of mediocre RWs before Tarasenko and that line was great all playoffs, as was he. People bitched, foolishly, about Barkov as well. Lundy is fine, which is why he was re-signed.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I absolutely love his game and what he brings but he’s not a great skater

What in the hell kind of nonsensical take is this?

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

As someone who’s getting Benny’s jersey should we re-sign him, I don’t get this statement at all. He’s still young and is elite defensively already. He’s been on the 3rd line mostly with a rotation of mediocre RWs before Tarasenko and that line was great all playoffs, as was he. People bitched, foolishly, about Barkov as well. Lundy is fine, which is why he was re-signed.

Yes he's good defensively. But he's a third line center, no more than that. He doesn't have the offense (skill, stats, IQ, etc.). He's played better in the playoffs than he does in the regular season, but that doesn't make him more than what he is. He shouldn't be compared to Barkov. Barkov clearly had elite skill from the beginning, whether he applied it well or not. And Lundell's linemates thing. His linemates are not the ones that have been killing the offense on his line.
It hurts because people think other players become expendable because of overestimating Lundell. And then too much is put on his shoulders, and the whole franchise suffers for it.

 

[PB37]

With Bennett, there's some buyer beware for GM's when forecasting what their teams will be getting with the 7ish per year cap hit for multiple years, which is what I'm sure he'll command on the open market. Guys of his playstyle tend to hit a wall in their post 30 years as the physicality catches up with their body and for Bennett, it's not like he's been healthy during his prime so it's hard to see that changing much in his thirties. He's a warrior and I admire the intensity and his willingness to battle hard in front of the net and forechecks with the best of them but he's never finished a season with over 50 points and is poor at the faceoff dot for a center which is something to consider too.

 

[TotalHomer]

Yes he's good defensively. But he's a third line center, no more than that. He doesn't have the offense (skill, stats, IQ, etc.).

The skill part is a fair argument but the IQ is not. If Lundell is anything it's a high IQ player.

 

[Laus723]

Yes he's good defensively. But he's a third line center, no more than that. He doesn't have the offense (skill, stats, IQ, etc.). He's played better in the playoffs than he does in the regular season, but that doesn't make him more than what he is. He shouldn't be compared to Barkov. Barkov clearly had elite skill from the beginning, whether he applied it well or not. And Lundell's linemates thing. His linemates are not the ones that have been killing the offense on his line.
It hurts because people think other players become expendable because of overestimating Lundell. And then too much is put on his shoulders, and the whole franchise suffers for it.

Well I think this is absurd and disagree, but to each their own. As I said, people didn’t like Barkov for awhile. Some still don’t.