Best early Sam Bennett landing spots before 2025 NHL trade deadline

Panthers star Sam Bennett has been subject to trade rumors.

The Florida Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions. And the Panthers are having a decent enough time defending their championship in 2024-25. However, things aren’t all sunshine and rainbows in Sunrise, Florida. The team has worked to sign pending free agent Sam Bennett, but nothing has come about. As a result, the Panthers forward is involved in trade rumors.

Bennett is a nuisance on the ice for the Panthers. The former fourth-overall pick has carved out a role as a reliable middle-six forward who mainly provides defensive cover. But he can chip in with secondary offense on the ice. In fact, he has three consecutive 40+ point seasons under his belt. Moreover, he scored 20 goals in 2023-24.

Bennett is a player the Panthers would like to keep around. However, Florida has to get creative with its roster. They lost many key pieces in NHL Free Agency over the summer. If an extension for Bennett is not on the cards, trading him makes sense. Especially if the trade allows them to fill holes elsewhere on the roster.

Bennett is a player the Panthers would certainly like to keep, however. Trading for him won’t be easy, and it may come at a steep cost. In any event, here are two early landing spots for the Panthers forward with a little over two months before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.

The Dallas Stars are dealing with some trouble off the ice coming out of the holiday break. On the ice, the Stars are dealing with the loss of Tyler Seguin due to injury. Seguin’s absence has created a hole in the team’s lineup that needs to be filled. That’s where the Panthers and Sam Bennett come in.

Bennett could slot in as the Stars’ third-line center. He could provide his usual physical element when the team needs a spark. And his offensive skill could be of benefit to Dallas down the line, as well. Especially given that the third line has not provided much in the way of offense this season. In fact, the leading point scorer on the Stars’ third line is Logan Stankoven, who has 17 points.

The Stars could certainly do more damage with an additional scoring threat on the third line. Bennett’s playoff experience and secondary offense could also help the team deal with the loss of Seguin. It’s an interesting fit for the veteran forward, to say the least.

The Avalanche could use forward depth

The Colorado Avalanche have seemingly solved their biggest need. The Avalanche traded for goalies Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood in separate trades. Five games is all the Avalanche needed to sign Blackwood to a five-year contract extension, as well.

Following those deals, it’s hard to pinpoint where the Avalanche may look to add next. But it wouldn’t be a massive surprise to see them look for added forward depth. Sam Bennett is certainly more than a depth option, but he could improve their depth either way.

The Avalanche have a rather top-heavy offense that could use some balance. Nathan MacKinnon leads the way with 60 points in 37 games. Behind him are forward Mikko Rantanen (53) and defenseman Cale Makar (45). Bennett’s 27 points would see him be the Avalanche’s fourth-highest point scorer this season.

Making a trade with the Panthers for Bennett would bring a massive boost to the third line. He could support Joel Kiviranta, who has come out of nowhere to score 10 goals. Overall, he would add a scoring element to the bottom-six that the team could certainly use moving forward. It would be a smart move for Colorado, especially since Bennett is on an expiring contract.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *