Panthers Shut Down Sam Bennett for Rest Of Regular Season

The Florida Panthers will rest forward Sam Bennett for the remainder of the regular season due to an upper-body injury, but head coach Paul Maurice says there is no concern about his availability for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin April 17.

---

Panthers HC Paul Maurice announces Sam Bennett will be rested for the rest of the regular season.

Reinhart, Barkov, and Forsling are all slated to return tonight against the Leafs. pic.twitter.com/HlFZ9nvVVr

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 8, 2025

---

Bennett, who recently hit a career-high in points, was on the ice earlier today but will not dress tonight (Tuesday) against the Toronto Maple Leafs. While the move is injury-related, it also appears strategic, with the Panthers opting for “load management” to keep one of their key players fresh for the postseason.

Meanwhile, Aleksander Barkov, Gustav Forsling, and Sam Reinhart return to the Panthers’ lineup tonight in Toronto. That essentially squashes any speculation that the Panthers might be keeping Bennett out for a more favorable playoff matchup.

Panthers Saving Bennett For When Games Reach Different Intensity Level

Instead, this is about Bennett’s health and keeping him fresh, given the type of game he plays and how taxing it can be physically. The Panthers have lost ground in the standings, and they’ll face who they’ll face, but they believe they are a team built for the playoffs and have another gear. Having Bennett as fresh as he can be when that volume is turned up isn’t the worst idea.

Next: Journalist: Jeff Skinner’s Scoring Surge Hasn’t Changed Playoff Narrative