Bennett logged a power-play assist, three shots on goal and a minus-2 rating in Monday's 5-3 loss to the Rangers.
Bennett was able to return from a four-game absence due to an upper-body injury that was previously expected to keep him out until the playoffs. The 28-year-old was back in a second-line role and saw 17:51 of ice time, so it's safe to assume he's fairly healthy heading into the playoffs. He's put together a career year with 51 points (11 on the power play), 240 shots on net, 145 hits, 88 PIM and a minus-15 rating over 75 appearances in a contract year.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Good to go
Rotowire
Bennett (upper body) will play against the Rangers on Monday, according to George Richards of Florida Hockey Now.
Following a four-game absence, Bennett will return to a top-six role and see time on the top power-play unit. He has accounted for 25 goals, 50 points, 237 shots on net and 144 hits across 74 appearances this season.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Not expected back in regular season
Rotowire
Bennett is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season due to an upper-body injury, Colby Guy of The Palm Beach Post reports Tuesday.
While Bennett's regular season is seemingly over, Guy relayed that the 28-year-old forward will be ready for Game 1 of the postseason. Due to Bennett's upper-body injury, Anton Lundell will slide into a top-six role. If he doesn't return before the start of the playoffs, Bennett will conclude the 2024-25 campaign having earned 25 goals and 50 points over 74 appearances.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Sitting out Sunday
Rotowire
Bennett (rest) won't play against Detroit on Sunday, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
Bennett and Sam Reinhart (rest) will sit out Sunday's game for some "healing time," according to head coach Paul Maurice. Rasmus Asplund and Jesse Puljujarvi are up from the minors to play versus the Red Wings. Bennett has amassed 25 goals, 50 points, 237 shots on net, 144 hits and 88 PIM in 74 appearances this season. He will probably return to the lineup versus Toronto on Tuesday.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: First season with 50 points
Rotowire
Bennett provided an assist and two shots on goal in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs.
Bennett has earned 13 points with 45 shots on net and 22 hits over 15 contests since the start of March. The 28-year-old forward helped out on a Gustav Forsling tally early in the second period to open the scoring. With the helper, Bennett achieved the 50-point mark for the first time in his 10-year career, doing so with 25 goals and 25 assists in a contract season. He's added 233 shots on net, 143 hits, 86 PIM and a minus-12 rating over 73 appearances. He still has time to challenge his career-best 28 goals from the 2021-22 campaign.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Scores two goals
Rotowire
Bennett scored two goals, including one on the power play, in Friday's 2-1 overtime win over Utah.
Bennett opened the scoring with a power-play goal at the 2:28 mark of the second period before closing things out with a backhander in the final minute of overtime. This two-goal performance lifts Bennett to 25 tallies on the season, with six coming in March. Bennett has been a consistent producer for the Panthers of late, recording 12 points across his last 12 games.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Posts multi-point outing
Rotowire
Bennett scored a goal, dished an assist, had four shots on goal and added three hits in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Capitals.
Bennett lit the lamp for Florida's opening goal before assisting Seth Jones' goal later in the first period. The 28-year-old Bennett is up to 23 goals, 24 assists, 220 shots on net and 141 hits in 68 appearances this season. Saturday's multi-point effort helped the center snap a two-game scoreless skid, and it gave Bennett 10 points in his last 10 appearances. He is just two points away from tying his career high of 49 from the 2021-22 campaign. With his large usage on the power play and recent momentum offensively, Bennett is a great play in all formats in the fantasy playoffs.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Four-game, five-point streak
Rotowire
Bennett scored two power-play goals Thursday in a 3-2 win over Toronto.
Bennett's first goal was a jam play on a rebound from the top of the crease. He got his second late in the third from the low slot on a feed from Sam Bennett from behind the net. Bennett is riding a four-game, five-point scoring streak (three goals, two assists). He's just five points from matching his career mark of 49 set in 2021-22 and on pace to deliver 55 this season.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Reaches 20-goal mark
Rotowire
Bennett scored an empty-net goal on two shots and added two hits in Saturday's 4-0 win over the Sabres.
Bennett has two goals and four assists over his last seven contests. The 28-year-old had a poor stretch around the midpoint of the season, but he's largely been successful on offense in a contract year, amassing 20 goals and 21 helpers over 62 appearances. He's also racked up 202 shots, 129 hits and 71 PIM while centering the second line.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Collects two assists in win
Rotowire
Bennett notched two assists, five shots on goal, three hits and a plus-2 rating in Saturday's 3-0 win over the Flames.
Bennett was a menace against his former team, helping out on goals by linemates Evan Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich. This was Bennett's third multi-point effort in his last seven outings, a span in which he has three goals and five assists. He started the year hot, then struggled for much of December and January, but a stint with Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off seems to have reignited his performance. He's at 39 points, 193 shots on net, 124 hits, 69 PIM and a minus-9 rating through 59 appearances. Bennett is a solid source of depth scoring and carries extra appeal in fantasy formats where his heavy playing style is rewarded.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Center of attention in win
Rotowire
Bennett scored a power-play goal on three shots, added an assist, logged seven PIM and doled out two hits in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Predators.
Bennett was in the middle of it all game. He opened the scoring just 1:23 into the contest. Later on, he boarded Roman Josi, who ultimately left the game with an upper-body injury. Bennett answered for the hit with a third-period fight against Cole Smith, and after the major penalty was served, Bennett set up Mackie Samoskevich on the Panthers' last goal. With three goals, three helpers, 14 PIM, 18 shots and eight hits over his last five contests, Bennett is finding a variety of ways to contribute. He's up to 19 goals, 18 assists, 183 shots, 121 hits, 69 PIM and a minus-11 rating over 57 appearances this season.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Gets goal in 4 Nations Face-Off win
Rotowire
Bennett scored a goal in Canada's 3-2 overtime win over the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off Final on Thursday.
Bennett didn't dress in Canada's first game of the tournament, but he slotted in for Game 2 against Team USA and never sat out again. On the goal, he took a slick feed from Mitch Marner and roofed the puck over Connor Hellebuyck's shoulder from below the left face-off circle. Bennett is a gritty center with 50-point upside. However, he profiles more as a big-game playoff type, rather than as a consistent fantasy performer.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Three-game, four-point streak
Rotowire
Bennett scored a goal in Saturday's 5-1 win over Ottawa.
He gave the Panthers a 4-1 lead near the end of the second period with a one-timer from the right dot off a feed from Matthew Tkachuk. Bennett is on a modest three-game, four-point streak (two goals, two assists) with 13 shots. Bennett is shooting at a career rate this season, and he's on pace to match his career-best 173 hits, which he set last season. He'll help in multi-category formats.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Notches two points
Rotowire
Bennett tallied a goal, an assist, a minus-1 rating and six shots during Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Capitals.
Bennett got the Panthers on the board with 30 seconds left in the first period. The 28-year-old has been running cold since the calendar rolled into 2025, with just four goals and six points in his last 17 games, though Bennett maintains decent category coverage with 172 shots and 116 hits in 53 games this season. He already has one more shot on goal than he totaled in 69 regular-season appearances last season.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Opens scoring Wednesday
Rotowire
Bennett scored a goal on eight shots, added six hits and went plus-2 in Wednesday's 3-0 win over the Kings.
Bennett has three goals over his last five appearances. The 28-year-old Bennett also has 25 shots in that span, a massive uptick compared to his average of just over three shots per game this season. Overall, the center is at 16 tallies, 15 helpers, 157 shots on net, 109 hits, 55 PIM and a minus-12 rating through 50 outings.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Ends lengthy goal drought
Rotowire
Bennett scored a goal on three shots and added two PIM in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Ducks.
Bennett had gone 20 games without a goal, and he logged just four assists with 55 shots, 43 hits and 25 PIM in that span. The 28-year-old got off to a torrid start to 2024-25, and even a heavy dose of regression hasn't taken the shine fully off his campaign. He's now at 14 goals, 29 points, 135 shots on net, 96 hits, 55 PIM and a minus-13 rating through 46 appearances. Bennett remains firmly in a second-line role.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Snaps slump with helper
Rotowire
Bennett logged an assist, two shots on goal, two hits and two PIM in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins.
Bennett set up Sam Reinhart for the game-tying goal, a buzzer-beater in the third period. The helper was Bennett's first point since Dec. 16 -- he went nine games without getting on the scoresheet after missing one contest due to an illness. Even with the slump, Bennett has 28 points, 115 shots on net, 90 hits, 53 PIM and a minus-15 rating over 41 appearances. He was on a career-best pace and should still be able to achieve his first 50-point campaign if he can get his offense back on track.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Set to play Friday
Rotowire
Bennett (illness) is expected to play in Friday's game versus the Blues, Jameson Olive of the Panthers' official site reports.
Bennett missed one game due to the illness. He warmed up on the third line, so it's possible his minutes are managed during the contest, but he should still see power-play time. Bennett is tracking toward a career year with 13 goals and 27 points over 31 appearances this season.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Considered game-time decision
Rotowire
Bennett (illness) is considered a game-time decision for Friday's game against the Blues, Colby Guy of The Palm Beach Post reports.
Bennett missed Wednesday's game against the Wild due to an illness, and it's not yet clear whether he'll be able to suit up Friday. If he's unavailable, Adam Boqvist will likely move up from the blue line since Jesper Boqvist (upper body) will be sidelined.
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Panthers' Sam Bennett: Out Wednesday
Rotowire
Bennett will miss Wednesday's tilt against Minnesota because of an illness, Jessi Pierce of NHL.com reports.
Bennett has 13 goals, 27 points, 39 PIM and 71 hits in 31 appearances in 2024-25. Aleksander Barkov (illness) is also questionable, so the Panthers might need to call up reinforcements from AHL Charlotte.
