We feel Sam Bennett is going to be an absolute force … just look at what the professionals are saying
https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/sam-bennett-what-scouts-say/c-724235
INTERNATIONAL SCOUTING SERVICE
Possesses explosive speed with the puck and loves to attack the net. Very shifty & elusive skating ability that allows him to transition in no-time and get to open ice.
RED LINE REPORT
An effortless skater with exceptional quickness and speed. Skilled centreman has an absolutely relentless, and unmatched compete level. Strong on the puck. Plays on the edge with grit. Very elusive - in open ice he’s untouchable.
Style compares to: A better skating Doug Gilmour
https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/.amp/latest-news/since-injury-to-sam-bennett-panthers-season-has-nosedived
In the case of the Florida Panthers and their recent transition from a season-best seven-game points streak to a season-worst four-game losing streak, there is one clear difference.
Sam Bennett
“Sam Bennett is a player that we rely on now, and it's not an all-offensive game,” Maurice said Friday, the day between the Maple Leafs and Rangers games. “He's become a smart defensive player, and that's really helped Matthew (Tkachuk) in his game.”
Maurice expanded on this thought a couple days later in Ottawa.
“Bennett does some unusual things,” he said. “He drives that line. He adds speed to Verhaeghe, which Tkachuk needs, and he’s got the grit and bite in the game, which Verhaeghe needs.”
Bennett’s improvements in his all-around play have allowed a couple of offensive-minded guys in Tkachuk and Verhaeghe more freedom to operate offensively and a heavier game to limit opportunities for the opposition.
https://floridahockeynow.com/sam-bennett-the-swiss-army-knife-of-the-florida-panthers/
“Just playing bigger minutes against other teams’ top lines has just made me more aware of how defensively responsible you have to be and I think the coaching staff has done a good job of helping me transition into more of a defensive role.”
“There’s the perfect hybrid because he is very fast and he grinds. You don’t see that a lot,” Maurice said.
”Usually, the speed guys are a little more slight — they’re jet fighters — and they are real good one way, not so good coming back the other way.
”It is unusual to see a man that fast who doesn’t slow down to get into a heavy area. He has kind of been that one consistent player that played his ass off right from the first shifts because that is who he is”
“He is a complete player. He has a lot of elements to his game so if he wants to play a certain way, he can do it and he can adjust to different players, so it says a lot about him,” Verhaeghe said.
Bennett has shouldered the brunt of the defensive responsibilities on that line for some time while Tkachuk and Verhaeghe soared to torrid offensive paces.
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Sam Bennett with game breaking skating and the defense that can anchor a top line is an absolute force…
83PC 67SC … Josi 96PC is just going to be springing him on countless SH breakaways
I waited till Bennett contract expired and I got him a new one before challenging him… A reason we traded for him was how criminally underrated his skating in the NEFHL was… those quotes on him becoming a defensive beast is just the cherry on top
he’s arguably going to become the best player on my team in a couple days