logo
#

Latest news with #SamBennett

Once again, Florida Panthers given unfavorable schedule full of confusing travel, plenty of back-to-back sets
Once again, Florida Panthers given unfavorable schedule full of confusing travel, plenty of back-to-back sets

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Once again, Florida Panthers given unfavorable schedule full of confusing travel, plenty of back-to-back sets

The schedule makers sure seem to love the Florida Panthers. That seemed apparent when the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs were given a 5 p.m. start time for Opening Night. On Wednesday, the NHL released its full 2025-26 season schedule. When looking over Florida's 82-game slate, a few things seemed to jump off the page. First off, in similar fashion to last season, the Panthers will play plenty of back-to-back sets. Last year the number was 14, which included the two games Florida faced the Dallas Stars on consecutive days in Finland. This season, without the trip overseas, the number got knocked down by one. In total, there will be 13 back-to-backs, with four coming on home ice, eight on the road and one that includes a home game and a road game. For that split back-to-backer, the road game is the second night and it's in Tampa. Of Florida's four back-to-back sets on home ice, three of them come during the month of December. It's after the calendar flips to 2026 where Florida's wonky schedule really starts to go sideways. In January, Florida will endure their longest road trip of the season, a six-gamer that stops in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo, Carolina and Washington. Then the Panthers will return Sunrise for a single home game, then head right back on the road for a trip to Winnipeg, Minnesota and Chicago. Oh the fun doesn't stop there. They return home from Chicago and once again, play a single game in Sunrise, then it's off to St. Louis for a one-game road trip. Make it make sense. Please. March could prove to be another rough stretch for the Cats. They play 10 of their 15 games that month on the road, and there will be three back-to-backs mixed in with those road games. Another interesting tidbit from Florida's schedule is that when the NHL takes a pause in February for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, the Panthers will play a back-to-back set going into the break and coming out of the break. One of the positives when compared to last season is that this time, Florida will only play eight of their back-to-back sets after January 1, while last year that number was 10. Either way, it's becoming clear that winning multiple Stanely Cups and becoming the top dog in the league isn't enough to get some non-wtf treatment from the schedule makers. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA New Report Shares Bad News About Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk's Injury Full Florida Panthers 2025-26 schedule released Early predictions on how Florida Panthers defenseman will line up on Opening Night Does The Increased Cap Hit Come With Added Pressure For Panthers' Sam Bennett? Roberto Luongo breaks out Labubu dolls during special time with Stanley Cup Photo caption: Feb 2, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice watches from the bench against the New York Islanders during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Stanley Cup Florida Panthers parade in Fort Lauderdale: Recap from celebration
Stanley Cup Florida Panthers parade in Fort Lauderdale: Recap from celebration

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Climate
  • Yahoo

Stanley Cup Florida Panthers parade in Fort Lauderdale: Recap from celebration

The Florida Panthers and their fans celebrated a second straight Stanley Cup championship with a parade along the beachfront in Fort Lauderdale. It ran down State Road A1A and ended with a rally on stage at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park. There was cheers, hugs and a lot of alcohol consumption as the team celebrated back-to-back titles with their fans. Let's look at some of the action. More: Stanley Cup parade: Florida Panthers players, staff, fans gather to celebrate championship Full recap of the parade from WSVN 7's live stream Sam Bennett sounds off on critics of the Florida Panthers Having fun in the sun along the parade route Fantasy Football loss results in embarrassing parade outfit General manager Bill Zito talks three-peat potential Fans salute Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov Will it rain at Florida Panthers parade? Latest forecast AccuWeather predicts a high of 87 degrees with partly sunny skies Sunday. With humidity, it is forecast to feel like 96 degrees, cooler than the forecasts earlier this week. There is about an 80% chance of rain with a 72% chance of thunderstorms, a few in the early morning and then again about noon and 2 p.m. Winds are expected to blow out of the east at 10 mph with gusts up to 17 mph. What roads will be closed for Florida Panthers parade? State Road A1A will be closed north of the parade route from Vistamar Street to Riomar Street. Southbound traffic down A1A will be detoured to Sunrise Boulevard with limited vehicle access to Birch Road, Seabreeze Boulevard and Las Olas Boulevard. See the Fort Lauderdale parade page for details. How to watch Florida Panthers parade on TV, streaming Local TV will air the Stanley Cup victory parade, with WPTV and WPLG Local 10 beginning its live coverage on TV and streaming at 11 a.m. WPBF and CBS Channel 4 in Miami also will cover the parade. The Panthers will stream the parade live on their YouTube page. Where can I buy Florida Panthers Stanley Cup gear? Back-to-back champion merchandise is available at the official Fanatics team store. Items include a Stanley Cup replica filled with ice from the rink. Shop for Florida Panthers championship apparel Championship merch is also available in person at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale. The store is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida Panthers Stanley Cup parade: Recap from Fort Lauderdale

Sam Bennett lands huge contract extension. Will Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad be next?
Sam Bennett lands huge contract extension. Will Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad be next?

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Sam Bennett lands huge contract extension. Will Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad be next?

Florida Panthers fans asked for it. Sam Bennett himself promised it. And general manager Bill Zito delivered. Bennett signed his anticipated eight-year contract extension June 27 worth $64 million. The 29-year-old was due to become a free agent July 1. He would have been among the most coveted players on the market after winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, scoring a team-record 15 goals during the Panthers' run to a second straight Stanley Cup. Zito has done remarkable work in building and maintaining his team through three consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final. He's locked up major components through at least the 2029-30 season, with Bennett joining Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, Gustav Forsling, Anton Lundell and trade deadline acquisition Seth Jones. But he lost a host of key players from the Panthers' first championship team, and there are two more big ones whose fates are undetermined: longtime Florida stalwart Aaron Ekblad and hated enemy-turned-fan favorite Brad Marchand. In celebrations after beating the Edmonton Oilers for the second year in a row, fans chanted, "Eight more years!" when Bennett appeared at the legendary Elbo Room bar in Fort Lauderdale. At various events around South Florida, he told cheering crowds that he was staying. It will be harder to bring back the other two. Let's break down the Bennett contract and what the Panthers might do with impending free agents Marchand and Ekblad: Sam Bennett contract Bennett has been a star since coming to Florida via trade from Calgary in 2021. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft has scored 95 goals and put up 101 assists over five seasons in Sunrise, plus 27 and 24 over the past three postseasons. The center had a career-high 51 points this season. He signed a four-year, $17.7 million deal with Florida before the 2021-22 season, so his new deal is a major boost to his wallet. Bennett counted just short of $4.5 million each year against the salary cap, a number that will rise to $8 million annually after the new deal kicks in. Brad Marchand's future with Florida Panthers When the Panthers traded for the longtime Boston Bruins star, opposing teams knew the pestering wing would slot perfectly into Florida's physical system. He had a slow start as he worked his way back from injury, but he was a goal-scoring machine in the playoffs, nearly taking Conn Smythe honors away from Bennett. He had 10 goals and 10 assists over the postseason for 20 points, the second-most in his long career, and scored one of the most important goals during the run to the Cup, a game-winner in double overtime of Game 2 in Edmonton to even the series. But Marchand is 37 years old. He scored just 51 points this season, his lowest total since 2014-15. His style of play will make it tempting to bring him back, but there's a good chance the Panthers won't be able to afford him. His pedigree and playoff run will make other teams — Toronto, perhaps — want to bring him in for one more big deal for a championship run. Florida's benefit of no state tax likely won't help them that much. Aaron Ekblad's future with Florida Panthers Before the Flames took Bennett with the No. 4 pick in the 2014 draft, the Panthers grabbed premier defenseman Aaron Ekblad first overall. He won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year and was an All-Star twice as a teenager, putting up 118 goals and 262 assists over his 11-year career with Florida. The 29-year-old is more expendable now, though. He finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting in 2022, but that was the only time he's received votes as the league's best defenseman since his second All-Star season. The addition of Seth Jones means there are more options for Gustav Forsling's partner on the first defensive pairing with Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola still on the roster. Florida had about $19 million to spend in free agency before the Bennett extension. There's a chance they bring back one of Marchand or Ekblad, but bringing back both while still refortifying for a three-peat seems like a stretch. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Sam Bennett contract details: Florida Panthers next free agency moves

Florida Panthers regular season schedule release: Stanley Cup defense key home dates
Florida Panthers regular season schedule release: Stanley Cup defense key home dates

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Florida Panthers regular season schedule release: Stanley Cup defense key home dates

Who's ready for a third straight Stanley Cup? Fans in South Florida can begin their preparations after the Florida Panthers schedule for the 2025-26 season came out. The NHL schedule dropped July 16, and the two-time defending champion Panthers open the season Oct. 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks. The banner ceremony will kick off a three-game homestand, which continues against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 9 and the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 11. The biggest event of the season will be the 2026 Winter Classic on Jan. 2 against the New York Rangers at LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins. It's the first time the NHL's signature outdoor event will come to the Sunshine State (the Tampa Bay Lightning will host a Stadium Series game in February). Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett and trade-deadline acquisition Brad Marchand led the Panthers to a second consecutive Stanley Cup title in June over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Florida will host the first rematch Nov. 22 before heading back to Edmonton on March 19. The regular season ends with two home games April 13 vs. the Rangers and April 15 against the Detroit Red Wings. There will be a 20-day off period in February as NHL players take part in the Winter Olympics in Italy. Florida Panthers schedule 2026 Here's a look at the home slate for the Florida Panthers in the 2025-26 season. All times Eastern: Oct. 7: Chicago | 5 p.m. | ESPN Oct. 9: Philadelphia | 7 p.m. Oct. 11: Ottawa | 7 p.m. Oct. 23: Pittsburgh | 7 p.m. Oct. 25: Vegas | 6 p.m. Oct. 28: Anaheim | 7 p.m. Nov. 1: Dallas | 6 p.m. Nov. 13: Washington | 7 p.m. Nov. 15: Tampa Bay | 6 p.m. Nov. 17: Vancouver | 7 p.m. Nov. 20: New Jersey | 7 p.m. Nov. 22: Edmonton | 7 p.m. Nov. 26: Philadelphia | 7 p.m. Nov. 28: Calgary | 4 p.m. Dec. 2: Toronto | 7 p.m. Dec. 4: Nashville | 7 p.m. Dec. 6: Columbus | 3:30 p.m. Dec. 7: NY Islanders | 5 p.m. Dec. 17: Los Angeles | 7 p.m. Dec. 19: Carolina | 7 p.m. Dec. 20: St. Louis | 6 p.m. Dec. 27: Tampa Bay | 7 p.m. Dec. 29: Washington | 7 p.m. Dec. 30: Montreal | 7 p.m. Jan. 2: NY Rangers at LoanDepot Park | 8 p.m. | TNT Jan. 4: Colorado | 5 p.m. Jan. 19: San Jose | 7 p.m. Jan. 27: Utah | 7 p.m. Jan. 31: Winnipeg | 4 p.m. Feb. 2: Buffalo | 7 p.m. Feb. 4: Boston | 7 p.m. Feb. 26: Toronto | 7 p.m. Feb. 27: Buffalo | 7 p.m. March 10: Detroit | 7 p.m. March 12: Columbus | 7 p.m. March 24: Seattle | 7 p.m. March 26: Minnesota | 7 p.m. March 31: Ottawa | 7 p.m. April 2: Boston | 7 p.m. April 13: NY Rangers | 7 p.m. April 15: Detroit | 7 p.m. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida Panthers schedule 2025 released for 2026 NHL season

Florida Panthers to lead off NHL opening night triple-header
Florida Panthers to lead off NHL opening night triple-header

Yahoo

time14-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Florida Panthers to lead off NHL opening night triple-header

Forward Sam Reinhart (L) and the Florida Panthers will host the Chicago Blackhawks in the first game of the NHL regular season at 5 p.m. EDT Oct. 7 in Sunrise, Fla. File Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI July 14 (UPI) -- The two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers take on the Chicago Blackhawks in an opening night triple-header to launch the 2025 NHL regular-season, the league announced Monday. Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett and the Panthers will raise their Stanley Cup banner and battle the Blackhawks at 5 p.m. EDT Oct. 7 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. Advertisement A second opening night contest will feature the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Los Angeles Kings then will host the Colorado Avalanche in the nightcap at 10 p.m. at Arena in Los Angeles. All three matchups will air on ESPN. Full 2025-26 NHL schedules for all 30 teams will be announced at 1 p.m. Wednesday on NHL Network.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store