The Florida Panthers have become known for their aggressive and physical style of play, drawing criticism from opposing fan bases. Forward Sam Bennett discussed this approach during an appearance on “First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo” on Tuesday.
Bennett acknowledged, “There’s definitely a lot of people that don’t like the way I play,” and noted that this sentiment extends to many of his teammates. He explained, “I think it goes for a lot of guys on our team, actually. It’s kind of part of what makes us successful, I think. We have so many guys that are willing to do whatever it takes to win.”
He added, “It can be hard, it can be nasty at times, but sometimes it’s necessary. … We have a lot of guys that have bought into that. It’s showed (in) how much success we’ve had over the last two years.”
During the recent playoffs, the Panthers led the league with 1,035 hits, surpassing the Edmonton Oilers, who were second with 749 hits. The Panthers also ranked fifth in hits per 60 minutes at 42.42. This aggressive play contributed to Florida’s average of 11:42 penalty minutes per game, the second-highest among teams that advanced past the first round.
The Panthers continued their physical play, getting under their opponents’ skin. New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider faced potential ejection for throwing Matthew Tkachuk’s mouthguard during a tense moment in the Eastern Conference Final.
Bennett was a focal point of controversy after a collision with Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand in the second round, leading to Marchand missing two games. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery suggested Bennett’s actions were intentional, while forward Trent Frederic commented, “the whole team ticks everyone off.”
Before the Stanley Cup Final, Tkachuk stated that the Panthers had cleaned up their play, noting, “There’s nothing after the whistle. There’s no nonsense or chirping or really anything that’s not just playing hard. So that’s probably a big difference from last year. This year, we’re super disciplined.”
Florida did reduce its penalty minutes during its second consecutive run to the final. In the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Panthers averaged approximately 18 penalty minutes per game.
Bennett was involved in a controversial incident last year when he hit Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Matthew Knies, who sustained a concussion. Bennett acknowledged that this incident affected his reputation in Toronto, where he spends his offseason. He said, “Since I’m here all summer, I walk by fans, (they) see me all the time. They actually always have something to say. They hate me, but they always end with, ‘I want you to be a Leaf one day.'”
Bennett will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
