Sam Bennett is one of the best stories of the season in the NHL. The No. 4 overall pick in 2014, Bennett flamed out in Calgary. The Flames dealt him to Florida ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, and he’s been a different player ever since.
Bennett is a tough-as-nails, hard-edged No. 2 center who has seen the change of scenery from rodeo Calgary to the beaches of south Florida result in a monumental improvement. He averaged 28.56 points-per-82 games in Calgary. In Florida, he’s averaging 55.61 points-per-82 games in the regular season while simultaneously turning into an elite playoff contributor who regularly tops the leaderboard in goals and hits.
Bennett had a respectable 14 postseason goals in 54 games coming into these playoffs for the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The contract-year center has been on a tear this spring, scoring 14 goals in just 20 playoff games as the Panthers lead the Oilers 2-1 in the Stanley Cup Final.
With Bennett taking the league by storm, it seems like a good time to explore some potential candidates for a change-of-scenery breakout.
