The Florida Panthers are coming off their first Stanley Cup win in franchise history and will be looking to run it back this season with a roster that hasn’t changed too much. After a tough seven-game series against the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers were able to win a well-deserved championship after losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Final in the 2022-23 season. One player who played a big part in the Panthers winning it all was forward Sam Bennett, whose two-way game combined with his physical play helped drive the Panthers every game. Even when it looked like the Oilers had all the momentum and were going to pull off the biggest reverse sweep upset in NHL history, Bennett’s play helped keep that from becoming a reality.
One team that wasn’t able to make a deep run into the playoffs after a strong regular season was the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were eliminated in the first round in seven games by the Boston Bruins. After another first-round exit, they made plenty of changes and additions to their team. They opted to make a coaching change by relieving Sheldon Keefe of his duties as head coach, and they chose to replace him with Craig Berube. They also brought in Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to bolster their defensive depth, while also retaining Connor Dewar to solidify their forward depth.
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Recently, Bennett commented about the Maple Leafs and their fans. During a podcast, he mentioned that he spends most of his summer in Toronto, where he encounters plenty of Maple Leafs fans. One comment that stood out though, is that while fans often say they don’t like his style of play, they wish Bennett was a Maple Leaf.
Bennett is committed long-term to the Panthers and he will be a key piece to their future, but it’s always fun to consider an alternate reality where he is a Maple Leaf. As a team that is often criticized for their lack of toughness and physicality during important games, Bennett would be someone who could change that narrative. While the Maple Leafs were able to bring in Ryan Reaves who added a physical depth presence, as well as Dewar who plays a tough game every night, they weren’t able to change fans’ opinion around the league of their toughness as a whole.
Maple Leafs Could Benefit From Another Physical Addition
While Dewar was a strong addition to the Maple Leafs, Reaves has been a different story. While he is a fan favourite and is fun to watch, his age is catching up to him. His defensive game has dived, and his offensive game is close to non-existent. If the Maple Leafs want to make a deep run into the playoffs this season, adding someone who can play a strong two-way game while hitting everything that moves could benefit them positively, but there aren’t many options available.
Bennett’s comments prove that his physical play is loved by a certain group of fans in the NHL. He is often criticized due to his inability to keep his play clean at certain times, but when he can do so, Bennett’s drive on the forecheck, his hits, his two-way game, everything that makes him a star in the NHL, is still approved and loved by fans all around the league. At the end of the day, Bennett and the Panthers will be looking to defend their championship while the Maple Leafs are hoping their moves this offseason can help bring them their first Stanley Cup since 1967.
