Countdown to Free Agent Frenzy: Bennett declares he's not leaving, but agent says no deal is done
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With the Stanley Cup Final now complete, the NHL's off-season has arrived for all 32 teams who are preparing for the NHL Draft starting on June 27 and Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.
Did Bennett speak too soon?
While celebrating a second straight title with the Florida Panthers at nightclub 11 Miami Thursday night, Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett channeled Jordan Belfort as he told the crowd he's not leaving.
A graphic flashed up on the screen behind Bennett reading "8 more years."
No official announcement followed and TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun has thrown some cold water on Bennett's declaration.
"I believe Bennett for sure that’s what he wants to happen," LeBrun wrote on X Friday morning in response to the video. "But there remains a negotiation to be had. Still not sure where it’s going to go for sure."
Bennett's agent Darren Ferris confirmed to Postmedia on Friday that no deal has been signed.
“It was an incredible and emotional night for the Panthers and well-deserved,” Ferris said via text. “The celebrations have been amazing to see, and Sam’s just taking it all in with his teammates right now.
“At this time, no contract has been signed - when there’s something official, we’ll share it accordingly.”
The Panthers did put up a post about Bennett on Friday morning, but it was to wish him a happy a happy 29th birthday.
Bennett the top centre on TSN Top 50 free agents list. He had 25 goals and 51 points in 76 games with the Panthers this season. He took over in the playoffs with 15 goals and 22 points in 23 games en route to being voted MVP.
Bennett is coming off a four-year, $17.7 million contract that carried a cap hit of $4.425 million. Speculation has suggested he could as much as $10 million on his next deal on the open market, though a new contract in Florida is expected to be well under that.
The Panthers have $19 million in cap space, per Puckpedia, with Bennett, trade-deadline pickup Brad Marchand and long-time Panther Aaron Ekblad headlining their list of pending unrestricted free agents ahead of July 1.
Drafted fourth overall by the Calgary Flames in 2014, Bennett has 162 goals and 336 points in 691 career games split between the Flames and Panthers.
The Holland Landing, Ont., native represented Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February in a first-place finish.
Canucks offered pick No. 15 for Rossi
The Vancouver Canucks interest in Minnesota Wild centre Marco Rossi has seemingly turned into action.
Patrick Johnston of Postmedia confirms a report from The Athletic's Michael Russo that the Vancouver Canucks offered the 15th overall pick in next week's draft and a unnamed player to the Wild for Rossi. That proposal was rejected by Minnesota.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote in the The Athletic earlier this month that the Canucks, Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens were all looking for a young No. 2 centre. Of those teams, the Canucks were the most interested in Rossi, with the Flames owning mild interest but preferring to add more size and the Canadiens seemingly not pursuing Rossi at all.
Russo reported earlier this month that the Wild were at a standstill in talks with Rossi, but general manager Bill Guerin said he was "not dying" to trade the 23-year-old forward. Russo wrote that the Wild made Rossi a five-year, $25 million contract offer during the season, which was rejected and countered with a bridge counter that the Wild turned down. Minnesota has since offered a shorter-term deal, which Rossi's camp is yet to counter.
“There clearly is a difference of opinion with respect to Marco’s value,” Rossi’s agent, Ian Pulver, told Russo. “We will continue in good faith to engage the Wild to attempt to reach resolution. We understand that Billy likes Marco, but for how much? And in what role going forward? (That) is the subject of great debate.
“Like the Wild, we believe we have advanced very fair and reasonable contract proposals. What the future holds for Marco and the Wild, only time will tell.”
As a restricted free agent, Rossi is eligible to sign an offer sheet on July 1, which could put a deadline in place for a resolution.
Rossi posted 24 goals and 60 points in 82 games with the Minnesota Wild this season, adding two goals and one assist in six playoff games. His time on ice dropped from an average of 18:15 per game in the regular season to 11:08 in the postseason.
Tavares watch continues
The centre market is starting to dry up ahead of July 1, with Brock Nelson and Matt Duchene already signing deals and Bennett appearing likely to stay in Florida.
Should Bennett also re-sign, John Tavares would be the top remaining pending UFA centre and it remains unclear whether the Toronto Maple Leafs will be able to keep him off the market.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun rejected the notion that Duchene's four-year deal in Dallas carrying a $4.5 million average annual value charts a path for the Maple Leafs and Tavares. He believes the Tavares camp is looking for more than $5 million, but adding term could bring down the cap hit.
Tavares, 34, led all pending UFAs with 38 goals this season and posted 74 points in 75 games with the Maple Leafs. He added five goals and seven points in 13 playoff games before Toronto was eliminated by the Panthers in the second round.
The 6-foot-1 centre is coming off a seven-year, $77 million contract that had an annual cap hit of $11 million.
Watch LeBrun's full update from OverDrive below: