Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Bennett was awarded the distinction after Florida defeated Edmonton 5-1 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night. It was the Panthers’ second consecutive Cup victory, and Bennett played an integral role in helping Florida achieve the feat.

The veteran led the NHL playoff field in goals scored (15) and was tied for second among Panthers in points (22) through 23 games, which included five goals and six points in the Final. Bennett wasn’t only Florida’s best offensive player though; he also delivered a suffocating defensive performance and furious forechecking effort that made Florida formidable in each round of the postseason.

“I always believed in myself,” said Bennett, who played eight seasons in Calgary before being traded to the Panthers in 2021. “I always knew I could be more than I was when I first got traded. But it’s all a dream I guess until you actually do it. I don’t think I knew how difficult it would be and how much work it would take. My whole life switched when I got traded here, and super grateful to be here. I don’t take that for granted.”

The 28-year-old’s tenacity and consistency combined to make Bennett a standout every game but especially in the Final, where he elevated the Panthers at both ends of the ice to stifle the Oilers’ attack and lift the Panthers to a second straight title.

The career-best showing couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for Bennett. The center is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and is expected to have several suitors if he doesn’t re-sign with the Panthers.

“For Sam Bennett to be here today with this group of guys, to have the success he’s had, there’s a lot of heaviness that he had on the road,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “There’s a lot of work that had to go into it. He just didn’t show up here and say, ‘OK, feed me and I’ll show you how good I am.’ There’s more to it.”