NHL Free Agency News: 'I Always Love Playing Here': Sam Bennett Gushes About Toronto

Friday, March 14, 2025 ,


In Thursday night's big Atlantic Division tilt between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, Mitch Marner wasn't the big-name pending unrestricted free agent who dominated the game. 

Rather, it was the Panthers' Sam Bennett, who is likely No. 2 on the totem pole of UFAs this summer, as the physical, relentless two-way center scored two goals to lead Florida to a 3-2 victory. 

And while everyone talks about the $13 or $14 million AAV that Marner is lined up for on July 1, what number will Bennett command, and would the Leafs be interested? 

First, to help answer the latter question, it doesn't sound like the Toronto-area-born Bennett would be opposed to playing more often at Scotiabank Arena: 

“I always love playing here," said the disruptive, physical center. "Every time I play here, I get lots of support, always. It’s special. Anytime you can play in front of people who grew up with you and have been supporting me my entire career, it’s always special to play in front of them.

"Yeah, it’s always nice to play in my hometown. Obviously, it was a big game. It’s two teams that definitely could meet in the playoffs. So, yeah, that was a playoff-type game.” 

Is Leafs GM Brad Treliving taking notes? If Marner (also a Toronto kid) decides that he's had enough of the glare and spotlight of playing in his hometown, and always being one of the whipping boys when the Buds bow out prematurely in the playoffs, Treliving would have about $14 million extra to spend annually on upgrading the Leafs roster. 

How perfect would Bennett be for what ails the Maple Leafs?

To answer the other question we posed—how much can Bennett command in free agency, insider Darren Dreger helps us parse through that, from an appearance on TSN's First Up on Friday:

I think Sam Bennett has to be in that $8 - $8.5M range, and maybe higher... I'd be shocked if Brad Treliving isn't a primary buyer on Sam Bennett. 

But, as Dreger notes, there could be a bidding war, as "you could put pretty much every contending team in the mix if you're talking about the opportunity to lock in a Sam Bennett."

Bennett has 22 goals this season, his third time passing the 20+ mark, but it's what he brings in other areas, including his playoff reputation in particular, that will earn him the big bucks this summer. 

Whether it's in his hometown or not, remains to be seen.

Photo: © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

 

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