Panthers star Sam Bennett wins Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP
Bennett also was a factor throughout the playoffs making big hits, crowding the crease and knocking opponents off their game. He drew anger from the Maple Leafs after he
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'Everyone looks at the goals and rightfully so, but it's everything he does, even away from the puck,' teammate Seth Jones said. 'His physical presence out there, his 200-foot game, the way he plays away from the puck defensively, how he is on face-offs, I think it's the complete package we're lucky to have. It's been a big part of our success. He puts a lot of teams, a lot of defensemen on their heels out there.'
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Bennett's game traveled, too. In Game 2 against Edmonton, he scored his 12th road goal of 2025 to set an NHL record.
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Bennett could parlay his massive postseason success into a lucrative contract as a free agent whether he re-signs with Florida or goes elsewhere. The 28-year-old said it has 'actually been pretty easy' to set aside his pending free agency and uncertain future.
'Competing for a Stanley Cup has always been my goal and my passion, and what I've wanted to do,' Bennett said before Game 6. 'That's just my focus. That's all I want, and it's been quite easy to just not even think about what's to come. I mean, yeah, it's really just a singular focus and that's how I've tried to handle it.'
Bennett contributed to back-to-back goals in Game 1 by standing in front of and falling onto Skinner, and he made a big hit on Vasily Podkolzin and scored seconds later in Florida's Game 3 victory. All series, he was in the middle of the action.
MAKE A HIT ✅
POT A BEAUTY ✅
Sam Bennett is an absolute force to be reckoned with.
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— NHL (@NHL)
'Physical player, incredible speed and then the hands to finish,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.
In a lot of ways, Bennett embodies Panthers hockey: hard-nosed, tough, willing to mix it up and also skilled enough to take advantage of mistakes.
'He does it all — it's fun to watch,' fourth liner Jonah Gadjovich said. 'He's throwing huge hits, he's playing hard defensively, working pucks in the corners, getting to the net, and obviously scoring a ton of goals. . . . He's one of the leaders on the team, someone that we can all get behind.'
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New York Times
24 minutes ago
- New York Times
Will the Maple Leafs keep Mitch Marner, John Tavares? Trade William Nylander?
And we're back. With so many questions coming in for our latest Maple Leafs mailbag, we've broken answers out into multiple columns. Here's Part 1 and Part 2. Below, we dig into Part 3, where we get into questions about keeping Mitch Marner, saving cap space for Connor McDavid in 2026, Easton Cowan's role next season, who Auston Matthews should play with and John Tavares' plausible contract structure. Advertisement If there are more questions you'd like to see in future installments, feel free to leave them in the comments here. Editor's note: Questions have been edited for clarity. Do you think there is any chance they will sign Marner and trade Nylander? I think Marner is slightly more to blame for playoff performance, but this way, at least the team has more to work with other than just signing UFAs and making small trades. — Iain B. I don't, no. Because I don't think Marner wants to do this anymore. I don't think he's enjoying playing here, and I don't think he believes he can win here and have success. And you can understand why, given how things have gone on the ice. The time to sign Marner and deal Nylander (or do the opposite) was a couple of years ago, and management missed that window, a massive mistake we'll be talking about for years. It never should have been allowed to play out like this. But it did, and they're going to have to pick up the pieces and make the best of the situation using the cap space they have. With the cap going up and the Leafs having a decent amount of cap space starting this year, should management not overpay on pieces this year with an eye to next offseason when McDavid is available? Also, what are the odds this is a possibility or are the Leafs better off using the cap space now to stay in contention? — Marco E. I don't think you can view this year as a punt season. Not with the age of the remaining core (especially the blue line). Not with the record they had and how they pushed Florida in the playoffs. You obviously don't want to sign any contracts this summer that are going to look silly and immovable a year from now. But if you add players that have value at the number they're signed at, you'll have players you can move in 2026 if one of the best players in the world is available and wants to come to Toronto. Advertisement But there are always ways to open up cap space. The Golden Knights have proven that, year after year. The cap will jump $8.5 million in the summer of 2026, for one, plus the Leafs will have Anthony Stolarz, Calle Järnkrok, Scott Laughton and Bobby McMann coming off the books. That's $16 million right there. Plus, they'll likely sign at least a few one-year deals this summer. And some of the players they have under contract have only partial no-trades and can be dealt, if necessary. A McDavid (or Jack Eichel, etc.) bid, in other words, should always be doable. If it isn't, something has gone horribly wrong. The odds this is a possibility are almost impossible to call at this point, so I won't speculate what they might be. But I don't think fans (and management) should give up on the possibility of adding another star over the next 13 months, even if they're aggressive in adding pieces this offseason. Do both. Get creative and push to improve using the lanes they do have. How much trade value can the Leafs extract from Mitch Marner's signing rights? — George K. It's not going to be a ton. Given what the Lightning paid for Jake Guentzel's rights last year, maybe a second-round pick? Honestly, I wouldn't get your hopes up of even receiving that, as it would need to involve the Leafs and Marner's camp coming together to make it happen and that feels unlikely at this point. It really does feel like he'll wait to get to July 1 and start fielding offers from around the league, rather than picking one or two destinations he wants to sign with the way that Mikko Rantanen did. I feel like the relationship with Toronto is basically over, in all respects. Who's more tired of answering the same questions every year, you or the Maple Leafs? — Shane P. Them, for sure. They have a lot more invested in the outcomes here than I do. But I will say that the most fun we at The Athletic had covering this team was in 2016-17, when that young team full of rookies went on a wild ride to making the playoffs. Those are the fun stories to dig into when the unexpected happens and there's something a bit magical around a team, player, game or event. That's what we love about sports. Advertisement I believe next year will be my 18th (!) covering the team, and unfortunately for the Leafs fan base, there just haven't been enough of those kinds of stories over those years. The questions, though, are a bit different this offseason, as Toronto's optimal path forward is pretty murky, and any mistakes management makes in the next few weeks will only compound their issues. That makes them an interesting team to analyze right now, as their future is up in the air and the avenues to improve aren't obvious. Do you think the Leafs are inevitably on the way down now? Is Marner leaving the biggest disappointment in Leafs history? — Peter S. No, I don't think a decline is inevitable right now. It's certainly one possible outcome if, as I mentioned above, they mess this offseason up. The degree of difficulty here is really high, and I'm curious to see if they're able to get creative and address some of the roster's shortcomings in this situation. If they whiff on a bunch of overpriced, hard-nosed free agents and become a mediocre wild-card team that makes an early exit next season, then we can start legitimately asking questions like that. I do think, however, that their most realistic contention window is likely within the next two years. Beyond that, it's going to get even trickier, with so many older players on contracts that may not age well and not a ton of young talent coming. But there are ways to address that in the interim, too, by moving off of players before they decline to the point they don't have value. As for the biggest disappointment question … that's a tough one. But I think the biggest disappointment has to be how long the team's championship drought has become, mostly thanks to long periods of mismanagement and strategic mistakes. They can't afford more of that. Losing Marner without getting anything in return hurts, but it shouldn't be a fatal blow, not with the other quality pieces the roster still has. This was a team that finished fourth in the NHL standings this past season. They can still be that, even down one star. Advertisement If it ends up being that way, with the Leafs taking a big step back, however, this entire era very well may end up charting up near the top of the Leafs disappointment scale, given how much promise there was when Matthews was drafted first overall and how little they've had to show for all their regular season success the past nine years. With the Leafs struggling to score in the postseason five-on-five and the PP, a lot has been made about the forwards, but how much of that comes down to the defence being unable to support or being a threat to shoot or cycle when the Leafs are in the offensive zone? — Marco E. Yes, those are fair points. The Leafs had the worst possession metrics in the league in the postseason and had only 44 percent of the high-danger chances at even strength. That's a hard way to win against top teams such as the Panthers. Part of these shortcomings can be addressed by balancing out the lineup up front, as Toronto was caved in with the bottom six on the ice too frequently. But some of this has to be on Craig Berube, too, and on management to figure out how they can augment their personnel to make this a stronger team territorially. The Leafs have gone all-in on length and physicality on the blue line as part of their 'Tree-fence,' which paid off in terms of shot blocking and clearing the front of the crease. But there's more to having a high-level NHL defence than just those elements. They need to find ways to not get hemmed in their own zone so often or it'll be impossible to generate a forecheck, strong cycle and grind game that Berube wants. Add that to the list of challenging shifts the organization needs to make for next season. Is there a real chance Easton Cowan makes and stays on the team this coming year? Or do you think a season in the AHL is better for his development? — Brandon S. I lean toward the AHL being the right place for him, given what he still needs to learn away from the puck. The jump from being a 20-year-old star on a loaded junior roster to contributing in real minutes in the NHL, on a playoff team, is immense. Now, that said, every player is different. Few expected Matthew Knies to come in and play the way he did right away. (Obviously, his size helps with that, but we've seen smaller, skilled players excel at young ages in the NHL, too.) Advertisement The good news with Cowan is that you don't have to commit to having a guaranteed NHL roster spot open for him from Day 1. There are going to be injuries, and he's waiver exempt on his ELC, so you can yo-yo him back and forth. If he has an amazing training camp and looks like he can play in the top nine in preseason, give him some regular-season games as opportunities come up and go from there. I look at the path of someone like Logan Stankoven as a good blueprint. His first pro season in 2023-24, he progressively lit up the AHL (57 points in 47 games) until it was clear he should be an NHL regular, and he ended up contributing for the Stars in a run to Round 3 in the playoffs. Then by Year 2 this past season, he's a full-time NHLer who puts up a 38-point season, looks ready for another step, and draws rave reviews from coaches and management in Carolina. That's a realistic ceiling for Cowan in my opinion, even if his two-way game isn't on Stankoven's level right now. But how fast he progresses in his development in the next 18 months is going to decide everything. And if a lot of injuries hit, the Leafs might need to accelerate things. Tavares: Keep at what price? He's shown renewed vigor this season. … What's the math to keep him and his Leafs PJs in town? — Chris O. I've been crunching some numbers on this one. It's clear his camp doesn't want to leave an unreasonable amount of money on the table. And it's also clear that the Leafs feel like they need to get a hometown discount, given all their other needs and the fact that they haven't had playoff success with Tavares as a 2C making big money. So, how do you watch an inferior player in Brock Nelson sign for three years at $7.5 million a season and square that with where this has to go? Tavares is 35 this fall, so realistically, this is his last big-money contract with a contender. If he's playing beyond another three seasons, he'll probably be in the cheap old guy mode like Corey Perry, who hasn't made more than this year's $1.15 million the past five years. Advertisement So I'd give Tavares the $22.5 million Nelson signed for, plus some bargain years at the end in the Perry range to bring the AAV down. Make it something like $27-ish million over six years, heavily front-loaded (i.e., around $6 million in the early years), and Tavares still gets a decent last payday and the Leafs get their cap relief. Mix in a little deferred money and the cap hit is a shade under $4.5 million, which is going to be a nice win for at least the next couple of years. To me, that's a fair compromise contract. But this negotiation hasn't exactly been easy, so we'll see if they can get there or not in the next two weeks. Is Matthews not good enough to drive a line with Knies and a journeyman on his own? Like Sidney Crosby in the past or Draisaitl? — Roland C. No, I think he can do it. When healthy, of course. The only caveat I'll add to that is the Leafs are typically needing to have Matthews play the big shutdown minutes and eat D zone draws in addition to wanting him to score. Leon Draisaitl benefits from having some of the checking attention focused on McDavid, which hasn't always been the case in Toronto with the way they've gone top-heavy with their lineup construction. If the Leafs can build three lines that are threats, that helps Matthews. It's even better if one of the other lines can handle some tougher matchups, which hasn't regularly been the case for most of the Core Four era. I think as long as you're giving Matthews and Knies someone who is a strong two-way player with some hockey sense, that should be able to be a strong first line. Can't help but wonder if Marchand, even at 37, might fit the bill. I don't see many internal options that make sense, given they need some defensive responsibility mixed with offensive ability, so going outside to fill that top-line RW spot makes the most sense. Patrick Kane, Reilly Smith and Connor Brown are a few other UFA names who might make sense there, if that's the route they decide to go. But there aren't many to choose from. It's a downgrade from Marner, certainly, but that's why the Leafs are going to need more from down the lineup than they've had in the past. It's imperative they get those additions right. (Top photo of Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Brad Marchand is a Stanley Cup champion once again, this time with Florida Panthers
For the second time in his career, Brad Marchand got to lift the Stanley Cup high into the air. But this time he was not wearing a Boston Bruins sweater. Marchand capped off a wild 2024-25 season by helping the Florida Panthers win their second straight Stanley Cup title. The former Bruins captain received one of the biggest ovations in Sunrise, Florida on Tuesday night as he celebrated on the ice after the Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers, 5-1, to clinch the Cup. He lifted Lord Stanley's chalice high above his head and gave it a smooch, just as Marchand did 14 years ago when he helped the Boston Bruins win a title at the end of the 2011 season. Marchand's first moment of glory happened when he was just a sparky -- but extremely impactful -- rookie. In between his first and latest championship, he had to feel the sting of the other side with two Cup Final losses with Boston. Now 37, Marchand said he embraced every second of this latest title run. "I definitely appreciate it way more," he told ESPN on the ice Tuesday night. "I mean, when you enter your first year you don't understand how difficult it is and the trials and tribulations you have to go through to be part of something like this. I've embraced every second of this. It's been incredible." .@emilymkaplan with Brad Marchand after winning the Stanley Cup for the second time 👏 — ESPN (@espn) June 18, 2025 Watching Marchand hoist the Cup makes for a bittersweet moment for Bruins fans. Just a few months ago, Marchand was hoping to get a contract from the Bruins that would let him finish his career in Boston. But with the two sides at a stalemate and the Bruins' season spiraling down the drain, GM Don Sweeney traded Marchand to the Panthers at the March 7 deadline for what is now a first-round pick in either 2027 or 2028. While no Boston fan wants to see the Panthers celebrate another championship, it's a little easier to digest when Marchand got to be a part of the festivities. Brad Marchand's impact with the Panthers Marchand was no passenger during his latest Cup run. He was downright dominant at times, finishing his postseason with 10 goals and 10 assists over 23 games. He scored six of his goals in the Cup Final against the Oilers, highlighted by a two-goal outburst in Game 2. Marchand tallied Florida's overtime-winner in that game, which was his second game-winner of the postseason. Marchand also potted the game-winning goal in Game 3 of Florida's second-round series against the Maple Leafs. Marchand had 11 goals and eight assists for the Bruins in Boston's Cup run 14 years ago. This summer, he joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in NHL history to score at least five goals in multiple Stanley Cup Finals since the end of the Original Six era. He's the only player to score at least five goals for two different teams in the Cup Finals. Marchand was an essential piece of the puzzle for Florida's title run, which will only strengthen his Hall of Fame resume and likely lead to a nice payday when he hits free agency this summer. One thing is clear: No matter the sweater, Brad Marchand always shines bright in the biggest moments on the ice.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Former agent of Penguins great Mario Lemieux, Steve Reich, dies at 64
The Penguins expressed their condolences after the passing of the man who represented several Penguins' greats, including Mario Lemieux. Steve Reich, who represented Lemieux, Ron Francis, Tom Barrasso, and Kevin Stevens. "The Penguins join so many in the hockey world mourning the loss of NHL agent, Steve Reich," the Penguins said in a statement. "Steve was a staple in Pittsburgh sports, representing some of the biggest names in Penguins' history, including Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, and Tom Barrasso. Our thoughts are with is family, friends, and clients that were fortunate to call Steve a friend." According to Reich's obituary on Ever Loved, he died on Sunday from a heart attack while golfing with friends at South Hills Country Club. Reich was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Pittsburgh, graduating from Chartiers Valley High School in 1979 and going on to Bucknell University, where he majored in English Literature. He then returned to Pittsburgh, where he went to the University of Pittsburgh's law school. His career as a sports agent began in 1987, and he ultimately became the president of RBRT Sports Group in 1993. In that time, he represented several high-profile athletes. Reich is survived by his father Sam, sister Hillary, brother Joe, wife Tanya, and his children Arlene, Jack, and Estelle. He was 64 years old. A memorial will be held at Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh this week, and his family said in lieu of flowers, "Steve would have wanted you to spend time with your friends or family over some tasty treats."
