Latest news with #Bennett
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Sam Bennett's rising value: Becoming the Florida Panthers' top UFA target
Image Via Getty The closer we get to the NHL offseason, the more the attention seems to be falling on Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett. 28 years, and his aggressive playstyle and postseason heroics have him pegged as one of the hottest names slated to hit free agency. Bennett will suddenly be a free agent on July 1. What perfect timing for the player to boost his profile in the eyes of the market with yet another excellent season and playoff performance! Whether he decides to stay put or test free agency, his future is a hot topic among NHL circles. Why Sam Bennett could be the most wanted center this offseason Coming to the tail end of his four-year, $17.7 million pact with the Panthers, Sam Bennett has been making a valiant case for a hefty raise. The 2024 campaign turned heads, not just his career-high 51 points in the regular season, but his clutch play in the postseason. He currently leads the charge for playoff goals, with nine, tied with another player in the Stanley Cup race. He would be well suited for teams looking for skill and grind down the middle with his punishing two-way play and physical presence. Whilst now March, per reports, Florida has restarted extension talks with Bennett, the prospect of doubling the $4.425 million AAV worth might stretch their cap to the very brink. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Should this be the case, Bennett would instantly assume the No. 1 Unrestricted Free Agent Center spot, thus drawing significant league-wide interest. Among the possible suitors is the Toronto Maple Leafs, who may want to place pending UFAs Mitch Marner and John Tavares in the rearview mirror and thus free up more than $22 million in cap space. The analyst's opinion is that Bennett, possessing an edge and high versatility, would combine well with Toronto's need for a balanced center. With St. Louis, the Blues seek a dependable second-line center that fits the bill for Bennett. However, time is tight with cap constraints looming, and hard calls must be made- digging yourself out by opting to scrap Torey Krug on LTIR might be the way. The Flyers might also join the race, given that they're rebuilding, as they project to have more than $26 million in cap space in the 2025-26 season. The Canadiens have also found their way into the conversation, as they are interested in adding a quality second-line center that will support their young core. Also Read: Sam Reinhart injury update: Panthers head coach Paul Maurice provided update on the team's forward ahead of Game 3 Once grit, skill, and clutch factor are in, you have one of the more interesting free agents in the NHL this summer with Sam Bennett. The Florida Panthers will want to try to keep him as long as they can, but there will be a competitive market for him. Whichever way he looks reflects his career level, and consequently, his team also changes. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NHL Rumor Roundup: Sam Bennett's Stock Rises
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett is completing a four-year, $17.7-million contract. Eligible for UFA status on July 1, the 28-year-old couldn't have picked a better time for a career season. Bennett is coming off a career-best 51-point regular season. The versatile, agitating two-way center is also burnishing his reputation as a clutch post-season performer. He's tied with Mikko Rantanen for the lead among playoff goal-scorers with nine, putting himself among the favorites for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Advertisement Panthers management reportedly reopened contract extension talks with Bennett in March. He could be receptive to staying put, but could seek to double his current $4.425 million average annual value on his next contract. That could make him too expensive for the Panthers to retain. Sam Bennett (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) Bennett would be the best center available if he tests the UFA market, where several clubs will bid for his services. The Toronto Maple Leafs might be among his suitors. Michael Traikos recently observed that the Leafs will have over $22 million in cap space if they don't re-sign pending UFA forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares. He recommends they use that cap space to pursue Bennett if he goes to market on July 1, a sentiment shared by Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. Advertisement Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic believes Bennett would be the best UFA option for the St. Louis Blues to address their need for a second-line center. However, the cap-strapped Blues might have to free up some salary, perhaps by placing defenseman Torey Krug on LTIR if his playing days are over. Rutherford's colleague Kevin Kurz suggested Bennett would make a good free-agent target for the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers. Bolstering their depth at center is a priority this summer, which could lead them to free agency if suitable options aren't available in the trade market. With $26.7 million in projected cap room for 2025-26, they can afford Bennett if he's available on July 1. Bennett could also be on the Montreal Canadiens' radar. Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette recently included the Panthers' star among several UFA options to address the Canadiens' need for a second-line center. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Toronto Maple Leafs or Florida Panthers? John Shannon reveals Sam Bennett's free agency shortlist
Sam Bennett's free agency decision down to Maple Leafs or Panthers The NHL free agency rumor mill is spinning but not for Sam Bennett. While many players will test the market this summer, Bennett's next move might already be locked in. According to veteran insider John Shannon, Bennett isn't planning to entertain offers from across the league. Nope. It's a two-team showdown between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. That's it. Let's break down why this is huge news for both franchises. What John Shannon revealed about Sam Bennett's free agency plans John Shannon dropped the bombshell on the Sekeres & Price Show , saying: 'Don't waste your time. He's going to play in one of two places: either Toronto or Sunrise, Florida. That's it. That's his decision. He's not going to market the way other free agents do. He'll either be a Panther or a Maple Leaf.' John Shannon: Who can the Canucks acquire to help them get back to the playoffs? That's a bold insider statement, cutting through the usual chaos of free agency. While most players test the waters for the best fit, money, or opportunity, Bennett seems laser-focused. Why Toronto and Florida make sense for Bennett's next chapter Sam Bennett has thrived in Florida. Since joining the Panthers, he's become a key part of their playoff success, bringing grit, toughness, and clutch scoring. It's no surprise they'd want to keep him. But Toronto? The Maple Leafs have been craving exactly this kind of player, someone with playoff bite who can complement their offensive stars. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Best Life Starts Today Maximus Learn More Undo Adding Bennett to their middle six could give them the depth they've long needed. There's also the tax angle: Florida offers income tax-free contracts, which has helped them keep stars happy. Toronto, on the other hand, brings the allure of playing for a massive hockey market and a team desperate for postseason success. What this means for the rest of the NHL free agency market Shannon's remarks also send a message to other teams, like the Vancouver Canucks, who may have had eyes on Bennett: don't bother. This narrows the market, pushing other teams to look elsewhere for similar players and possibly driving up prices on comparable free agents. It also signals that Toronto and Florida are locked in a direct tug-of-war, setting up an interesting battle as they shape their rosters for next season. Also read - Marco Sturm's comeback? Former Bruins star reportedly set to return as Boston's next head coach Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Miami Herald
18 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
AI is changing shopping. Will consumers buy in?
Carolyn Bennett remembers flipping through a yellow telephone book in the 1980s to find carpet stores and workers who refinished wood to help renovate her home. Today, the 67-year-old uses a chatbot to help her shop. Bennett has turned to ChatGPT, which she refers to as "Chat," to find vendors for a kitchen renovation project, compare heat pumps and weigh in on whether she should buy a convection oven. The San Francisco resident could have browsed websites on Google, but she prefers using ChatGPT to save time. "Any product that has multiple features that you want to compare across different products, I think it's super helpful," she said. The rising popularity of artificial intelligence-powered chatbots that can generate text and images is already changing the way people brainstorm ideas, write and research. Tech companies and payment services are also betting that AI will transform how people shop. They're even experimenting with AI agents that can place orders on a customer's behalf with their permission. Google, Amazon and other major tech platforms envision a future where online shopping becomes even more personalized and proactive. But companies will also have to convince consumers to buy into the idea, ensuring them that they're protecting their privacy and providing accurate results. AI chatbots have spewed out incorrect or nonsensical information before. And shoppers might be reluctant to give control to AI agents, especially when it comes to handing them their credit card, some retail experts said. "There's a lot of concern about the reliability of these kinds of tools," said Rachel Wolff, a retail and ecommerce analyst at eMarketer. "So you might not want to trust these agents fully to make decisions on your behalf." For now, AI shopping experiences are growing. Last month, OpenAI said it's experimenting with new shopping features, including a way to see images and prices of several products along with links for people to buy the items. Perplexity, which introduced a new feature last year that allows subscribers to buy items through its chatbot, also teamed up with Visa to help improve its shopping experience in the future. "Visa knows a lot about its customers, and if customers opt in, there can be that anonymized data sharing, so that the recommendations you get in Perplexity are in line with your kind of purchase and transaction history so you can get better quality answers," said Dmitry Shevelenko, Perplexity's chief business officer. (The Los Angeles Times partners with Perplexity to generate summaries of ideas expressed in opinion pieces.) These efforts are still early, but AI companies are also trying to differentiate themselves from rivals such as Amazon and Google that also have chatbots and AI shopping features. Both Perplexity and OpenAI note the products shown within their chatbots are not ads. The chatbots cite websites that review and rate mattresses, coffee makers and other products. Google also is stepping up its AI shopping features as it competes with OpenAI. Last week, the search giant said in the coming months people will be able to use AI mode, a tool where people can ask questions and get answers like they would to a chatbot, to find and compare products. The tool is powered by Google's AI model Gemini. Vidhya Srinivasan, who leads the Ads and Commerce teams at Google, said Monday in a press briefing before Google's annual I/O developers conference that the company displays search results in AI mode based on what's most relevant to questions people are asking. Some of the results also highlighted reviews from websites, but Google has more than 50 billion product listings and that information gets refreshed. "We're doing even more personalization in this mode, where we get to personalize based on brands and styles," Srinivasan said. Google is exploring and experimenting with ads in their AI shopping experiences. Google unveiled other AI shopping tools, including a way to try out clothes virtually and buy products when the price falls. Visa executives say they envision a future in which AI agents will book plane tickets, hotel rooms and other services and products on behalf of the customer with their approval. Rajat Taneja, president of technology for Visa, said that people will be able to set limits around what an AI agent could purchase like when someone hands over their credit card to a friend, family member or assistant, to help them shop. The San Francisco-based payment company, partnering with such AI companies as OpenAI, Perplexity and Anthropic, unveiled a new initiative in late April to enable AI agents to shop and buy products for people but that work is still being tested. Product recommendations, he said, will only get more personalized in the future. "They're going to be different ways in which this will manifest itself, much like the analogy of the internet has evolved in so many different ways," Taneja said. "The most important thing is we are all unique, in our likes, in our dislikes, in what we gravitate towards and what we buy." Consumers are already using generative AI for shopping, research shows. Adobe Analytics, which surveyed 5,000 U.S. consumers, said that 39% reported using generative AI for online shopping and 53% planned to do so this year. Shoppers used generative AI for research, product recommendations, deals and other shopping tasks, according to the survey. Capgemini Research Institute, which surveyed 12,000 adult consumers across 12 countries, found that 24% of consumers used generative AI in shopping experiences. The use was higher among Gen Z and millennials compared to Gen X and boomers. But the survey also found that consumer satisfaction with generative AI also fell. Elliot Padfield, a 21-year-old growth marketing consultant in San Francisco, uses AI for other tasks but he says the shopping experience has fallen short. As a result, he doesn't always trust a chatbot's recommendations. When he tried out shopping on Perplexity for the first time, his order never arrived but he was able to get a refund. And while chatbots can provide a comparison of four types of wireless headphones, for example, he wants more information about how the recommendations fit his needs and priorities. "I still have to guide the AI through supporting me in the way that I need it to," he said. "I actually find it easier at that point to then just go to the retailer." From going to the mall to shopping on websites or through social media, retail experts see generative AI as just another option for consumers. Retailers will have to learn how to navigate chatbots that might not recommend their products. But AI could also level the playing field for small businesses, experts say, if the results aren't based on optimizing for a search engine or buying a ton of ads. Caroline Reppert, director of AI and Technology Policy at the National Retail Federation, said she thinks generative AI is here to stay. Ultimately retailers will meet consumers where they are, she said. "The trend is kind of still emerging and we'll see if it ends up being an enduring one," Reppert said. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beloved Hallmark Movie Actress, 45, Shares Update on Family Health Crisis
Nikki DeLoach is one of the Hallmark channel's fan-favorite stars, and her movies always bring people so much joy, hope, and all the warm fuzzies. She has a knack for making you fall in love with each and every character she plays through her genuine nature, which clearly echoes her off-screen persona as well. DeLoach is very active on social media, and she hasn't been shy about sharing her personal struggles on Instagram. Some fans might not realize that her son, Bennett, 8, suffers from heart issues, which require regular trips to the hospital each year for check-ups on his condition. Here's a post she shared from 2023: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nikki DeLoach (@nikdeloach) Yesterday, she shared another heartfelt update on his ongoing health crisis on Instagram, after a trip to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. She started the post off with, "Every six months, Bennett and I make our way to @childrensla for his heart check-up. I have a routine. Morning prayers. I cover myself with every item that gives me strength." She also said, "... these healthcare professionals are actual heroes. We literally cannot live without them." See DeLoach's full update on her son here. Luckily, as DeLoach explained, all checked out okay for Bennett on this visit: "Bennett's heart check-up was uneventful which is exactly what you pray for. 'Heart holding strong. No intervention needed yet.' Any mama who has been in a health crisis with their child prays for the 'uneventful.' And we could not be more blessed and grateful." Plenty of well wishes poured in for DeLoach and her son, including from fellow Hallmark stars. Ashley Williams said, "You blow me away. ❤️❤️," and actor Cameron Mathison added heart emojis as well. Fans also sent kind words to DeLoach, with one saying, "Amazing ❤️ As someone who has gone through heart surgeries myself, this hits home. Always grateful after every check up to hear my doctor say all is well. Blessings to you all!"Another added, "Warrior Bennett, Warrior Mama, Warriors of CHLA!!! They are needed, and they press on toward the miracles. Thank you for being strong and for soldiering on. We need the miracles of you all every day." It's so wonderful to hear that Bennett got a good report, and we can only imagined how relieved DeLoach must be. She's an incredible mom of an incredible kid! 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Beloved Hallmark Movie Actress, 45, Shares Update on Family Health Crisis first appeared on Parade on May 27, 2025
