Panthers pest Sam Bennett tells a hard truth to fans who criticize him

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Noel Drolet
August 27, 2024 (12:18)

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Bennett talks about why he's so hated by fans around the league.

The Florida Panthers have a very unique, old-school way of playing hockey that not many other teams nowadays have. they ply a very chippy and physical style of play, that can sometimes end up with them angering other teams very easily.

Everyone loves to hate players like Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk until they're playing for your team. Bennett addressed this during an interview where he joked about the attitude of Leafs fans towards him.

Bennett talks about how Leafs fans always say that they hate him, but always end up telling him to come to the Leafs. This is a common phenomenon for players around the league who get a reputation for being hated by other fan bases. Guys like Bennett get hate from Oilers and Leafs fans but any fan would still be happy if he signed with their team.

There's very few players in the league who match the play style of Bennett. Bennett is a player with tons of scoring upside who also isn't afraid to throw the body, being one of the league's best power forwards. It is a role that isn't as popular in the league nowadays as it used to be, but guys like Bennett can be very valuable to their team.

It also helps that power forwards are perfectly built for playoff hockey, being able to overpower and snuff out smaller teams. These players are looked down on by fans of other teams, but adored by their own fans. Bennett would be a great piece to add to any team's cup run and other upcoming power forwards could learn a lot from how he plays.