Bennett says he's not leaving Panthers at Cup celebration

Pending unrestricted free agent Sam Bennett said he's not leaving the Florida Panthers during a Stanley Cup celebration in Miami early Friday morning.

Bennett referenced a scene from Leonardo DiCaprio's hit movie "Wolf of Wall Street" to declare his intentions.

No contract is in place, though negotiations between Bennett and the Panthers are ongoing, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Bennett's free-agent stock soared throughout the season. He played a pivotal role for Canada's championship squad at the 4 Nations Face-Off, then won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP after scoring 15 goals to help the Panthers win their second consecutive Stanley Cup.

The 29-year-old is expected to earn a significant raise from the $4.425-million cap hit he's carried the past four seasons. The Panthers have $19 million in cap space this summer, per PuckPedia. Along with Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand are the club's most prominent unrestricted free agents.

The Panthers acquired Bennett from the Calgary Flames in 2022, and he's evolved into an integral piece of their core. He's topped 20 goals in three of four seasons in Florida, and set a career high with 51 points in 2024-25.