Hundreds attend Stanley Cup watch party in uptown Waterloo
Uptown Waterloo hosted an outdoor watch party on Monday for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final. Hundreds of hockey fans showed up to watch the Edmonton Oilers take on the Florida Panthers -- and were left disappointed with a 6-1 loss. Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe, Uptown Waterloo BIA executive director Jeyas Balaskanthan and some hockey fans spoke to CBC K-W's John Dalusong at the event.
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CBS News
37 minutes ago
- CBS News
Sam Bennett says he's staying in Florida with hopes Panthers turn into a dynasty
Sam Bennett could have gone to free agency and picked his landing spot, plus probably could have signed for much more money than the Florida Panthers were able to offer. Instead, he chose winning. Bennett, the reigning Conn Smythe Award winner as playoff MVP of Florida's most recent run to the Stanley Cup, spoke out Saturday about his decision to sign an eight-year, $64 million deal with the Panthers. His reasoning was actually quite simple. "I think we have a lot more success in our future," Bennett said. It's not hard to envision that, given how the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions now have eight core players — Bennett, Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, Anton Lundell and Seth Jones — under contract through at least 2030. Bennett's status, especially after winning the Conn Smythe following a 15-goal performance in the playoffs, might have seemed to be in some question a couple weeks ago. He announced at a Miami nightclub last week that he was staying — there was no deal at the time, and his agent wasn't happy that he did that — but it was clear that Bennett was hoping something would get done in Florida. Teammates were evidently thrilled when the news broke Friday night. "I got like three FaceTimes right away from the boys," Bennett said. "A couple of them were together and they were so fired up. The group chat was going nuts. I've said it a million times, this group is so tight. So many guys that really care about each other. I was definitely feeling the love last night." Bennett is critical to the Panthers at both ends. He was one of three players in the NHL this season — Ottawa's Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk's brother, and Washington's Tom Wilson were the other two — with at least 50 points and 90 penalty minutes. He said his decision came down to not seeing a need to take risks. He loves playing in Florida, loves being part of the Panthers, loves who he goes to work with every day. More money or a new role wasn't going to outweigh all of that. "I think we really have the chance to truly make this team a dynasty," Bennett said. "I'm really just grateful that I get the chance to be a part of it. There are so many pieces in this puzzle that create this team and the success that this team has. And just to be a small piece of that is an honor. Looking forward to growing this legacy for the next eight years, for sure."
CBS News
40 minutes ago
- CBS News
Stanley Cup Playoff MVP Sam Bennett agrees on 8-year, $64 million contract to stay with Florida Panthers
Sam Bennett walked to the front of the stage at the Florida Panthers' latest Stanley Cup championship parade, and before he could even speak the crowd began serenading him with their request. "Eight more years! Eight more years!" they chanted, over and over. They got their wish. Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett lifts the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. Lynne Sladky / AP Bennett — who led the NHL with 15 goals in this year's playoffs and became the first Panthers player ever to score that many in a single postseason — is staying with the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. He and Florida agreed Friday to a new eight-year contract worth $64 million, or $8 million per season. "Sam is a special player who has mastered a unique blend of skill and physicality in his game, becoming one of the most impactful postseason performers of his generation," Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito said. "He played an integral role in our two Stanley Cup championships, earning the franchise's first Conn Smythe trophy and is a dedicated contributor to our South Florida community off the ice. We are thrilled that he will continue his career with the Panthers." Bennett was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs, the first Florida player to ever win that award. The last time a Conn Smythe winner didn't open the following season with the same team he had that playoff run with was 1997, when goaltender Mike Vernon helped Detroit win that year's Cup — and then the Red Wings traded him to San Jose that summer. It is the first of three big decisions that the Panthers have been waiting on heading into free agency, the others being what forward Brad Marchand — a trade deadline pickup who became an enormous part of the run to this Cup — and defenseman Aaron Ekblad will do going forward. The Bennett signing is another huge move by Zito, who now has eight players — all of them key parts of the team — under contract with the Panthers through at least the 2029-30 season. Bennett joins Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Seth Jones and Gustav Forsling on that list. The raise is a massive one for Bennett, who just finished the final year of a four-year contract that paid him just under $18 million. He had a postseason like almost none other; the only other player to have at least 15 goals and 48 penalty minutes in the same playoff run was Pittsburgh's Kevin Stevens in 1991. He had given indications throughout this offseason process — including at a nightclub during the Panthers' days-long initial Cup celebration — that he intended to remain in Florida, but nothing got officially done until Friday. Bennett is coming off perhaps his finest season, with 25 goals and 26 assists in the regular season for a career-best 51 points.
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Florida Panthers ‘Thrilled' To Re-Sign Sam Bennett To Big Eight-Year Deal
The Florida Panthers kept Sam Bennett away from NHL free agency. They re-signed the Conn Smythe Trophy winner to an eight-year extension at an $8 million average annual value. Bennett, 29, was projected to be one of the top centers available in free agency if he was unsigned by July 1. Instead, he's not leaving the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. His new deal includes a no-move clause for the first five years of the contract, followed by a limited no-trade clause for the final three years, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. His contract will expire after the 2032-33 season, when he will be 37 years old. Bennett made his intentions clear that he wanted to remain a Panther during the team's post-Cup celebrations. 'I ain't f-----g leaving,' Bennett said into the microphone, referencing Leonardo DiCaprio's famous line from the movie Wolf of Wall Street. Now, Bennett's statement has become a reality, and the Panthers' GM couldn't be happier about keeping on the two-time Stanley Cup champion. 'Sam is a special player who has mastered a unique blend of skill and physicality in his game, becoming one of the most impactful postseason performers of his generation,' Panthers GM Bill Zito said in a news release. 'He played an integral role in our two Stanley Cup championships, earning the franchise's first Conn Smythe Trophy and is a dedicated contributor to our South Florida community off the ice. We are thrilled that he will continue his career with the Panthers.' Out of his 11 years in the NHL, the 29-year-old arguably played his best this past season. He recorded a career-high 51 points in the regular season with 25 goals and 26 assists. However, his playoff performance likely played a big part in his new cap hit. Bennett led the NHL in post-season goals with 15, ending the Cup run with 22 points in 23 appearances. With Bennett being the latest center to sign an extension with his team, the UFA market for a middleman becomes even thinner. John Tavares, Matt Duchene and Brock Nelson were also all pending UFA centers who re-signed with their respective teams. Some pending UFA pivots who remain unsigned include Mikael Granlund and Pius Suter. The Panthers kept Bennett from being possibly the top UFA center by giving him the priciest and longest contract in his career. But Zito can't relax just yet. Left winger Brad Marchand and defenseman Aaron Ekblad also require new contracts before Tuesday's free agency opener, or else they can sign with another squad. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
