Florida Panthers · Center · Shoots L

Sam Bennett

Age 30 · 6'1" · 193 lb · Born in Holland Landing, CAN

Cap hit

$8M

7.7% of $104M cap

Term

7 yrs

Through 2032-33, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

—

arrives with the trade tools

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

0.0% shooting

Assists

1 primary

Points

0.50 per game

TOI/GP

19:59

PP 4:37 · PK 0:00

xGF%

69.3

5v5, +18.7 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.05

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

9 W · 9 L

Plus/minus

Blocks 0 · Hits 10

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Oct 1 @ SJS · OTL 4-3	1	1	3	0	20:49	3:39	0:00	5-5	67	2	0	0	+0.09
Sep 29 @ CAR · W 1-0	0	1	7	0	19:08	5:34	0:00	4-4	50	1	0	0	-0.20
Apr 9 @ OTT · L 5-1	0	3	1	1	17:44	2:00	0:00	2-1	50	0	0	-2	-0.42
Apr 7 @ MTL · OTL 4-3	0	4	1	0	20:48	3:45	0:55	10-12	57	1	1	0	-0.18
Apr 5 @ PIT · L 5-2	0	3	1	0	21:28	9:14	1:08	7-8	—	0	0	0	-0.62

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,005 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%50.5%

61st percentile

Relative xGF%+0.7

57th percentile

HDCF%48.8%

49th percentile

CF%53.1%

83rd percentile

Relative CF%+2.0

76th percentile

FF%51.4%

69th percentile

GF%52.4%

65th percentile

CF/6063.7

85th percentile

CA/6056.2

63rd percentile

ixG/601.64

91st percentile

Goals above expected-1.4

37th percentile

IPP67.3%

60th percentile

PDO100.7

63rd percentile

OZS%57.8%

68th percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleScoring center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Bennett is a high-volume shooter with solid passing ability who generates looks from dangerous areas in the slot. His defensive impact lags well behind his offensive contributions, and he doesn't impose physicality or protect the puck effectively.

High-volume shooterSlot-focusedOffensive-minded

Shooting volume: 94
Playmaking: 76
Zone entries(est.): 46
Forechecking: 60
Physicality: 47
Defensive impact: 6
Puck management: 37
Speed: 49

Where he shoots from

Slot 49% · Mid-range 37% · Perimeter 14%(311 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Elite shot volume at the 94th percentile, consistently creating danger
Strong playmaking at 76th percentile with nearly a point per game
49% of shots from the slot, showing dangerous positioning

Watch-outs

Defensive impact at just 6th percentile, offering little protection
Puck management in 37th percentile, losing possession frequently
Below-average rush chances and physicality limit all-around play

Similar style: Morgan Geekie (BOS), Carter Verhaeghe (FLA)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 76 GP · goals above average

Season total -2.1 goals, or -0.03 per game.

Even strength offense: +1.0
Even strength defense: -0.9
Power play: +0.7
Penalty kill: +0.6
Finishing: -1.3
Playmaking: +1.3
Penalties: -3.0
Faceoffs: -0.5

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	SOG	TOI/GP	FO%	GS/GP
2026-27	FLA	2	0	1	1	0	2	19:59	—	-0.05
2025-26	FLA	76	26	32	58	-10	201	18:30	47.6%	-0.03
2024-25	FLA	76	25	26	51	-15	241	17:27	46.2%	-0.07
2023-24	FLA	69	20	21	41	+17	171	16:37	45.5%	-0.04
2022-23	FLA	63	16	24	40	+5	193	17:24	47.0%	-0.05

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

How players at his position age, and where his contract falls on that curve, arrives with the trade tools.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 20.7 mph; 50th pct
20+ mph bursts: 4
Hardest shot: 71.3 mph; 55th pct
Distance: 3.6 mi
OZ time: 41.0%; 48th pct
DZ time: 40.0%