Sam Bennett could have gone to free agency and picked his landing spot, plus probably could have signed for much more money than the Florida Panthers were able to offer.

SUNRISE, Fla. – Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Sam Bennett on an eight-year contract extension.

The Florida Panthers locked up one of their most important players, but was it a steal of a deal? Last Friday, the Panthers locked up forward Sam Bennett for the next eight years, signing a contract that will carry an AAV through the 2032-33 season.