Sam Bennett confirms his fate with the Florida Panthers with major free agency decision

The Blackhawks have shown immense interest for the Panthers' Sam Bennett, as Chicago is in search for strong key-players to ensure a much better run for the 2025/26 NHL season.

However, a rare development has surfaced within the Florida Panthers organization right in the midst of the Stanley Cup Finals regarding their top UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent), Sam Bennett.

A recent report has indicated that the Florida Panthers are suggested to announce the signing of one of their top forward during the 2025 playoffs.

This comes as a massive surprise, due to the fact that contract negotiations are normally non-existent during the playoffs, let alone during the Stanley Cup Finals.

Yet, the Florida Panthers' general manager, Bill Zito, is seemingly making a huge exception for their forward, Sam Bennett, who was expected to hit free agency following the playoffs.

Take a look:

Progress on a contract extension in the midst of the final is almost unheard of.

This being said, the Chicago Blackhawks who aimed to pursue this highly skilled forward will most likely need to forget about any desire they had to acquire Bennett, as he is suggested to be receiving an extension in Florida.

Do you think the Chicago Blackhawks still have a shot at acquiring the Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett?

Although it seems as though the chances are slim, Blackhawks fans are hopeful.