Returning to the Frontenacs for the 2013–14 season, Bennett was among the OHL's scoring leaders by mid-season. He stood fourth with 66 points in 40 games and was on a 24-game scoring streak when he suffered a minor injury that prevented him from participating in the 2014 CHL Top Prospects Game.[2] In its mid-season ranking, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau named Bennett as the top North American prospect for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.[5] One of the Bureau's scouts praised Bennett's offensive ability: "His puckhandling and playmaking are excellent and he has one of the best shots in this year's draft class. He has scored several goals from the high slot and coming in off the wing and has been very effective on the power play."[5] Concerns were raised when at the 2014 NHL Scouting Combine, he was unable to do a single pull-up. He retained the top spot in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking after recording nine points in seven playoff games for Kingston despite playing through a groin injury.[6] He finished the regular season with 36 goals and 91 points in 57 games.[7] He was named to the OHL's Third All-Star Team.[8]
The Calgary Flames selected Bennett with the fourth overall selection at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and he quickly signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the club.[9] He attended the team's training camp prior to the 2014–15 season, where he injured his shoulder. Bennett admitted that the shoulder had ailed him the previous season in Kingston, but he initially failed to disclose the issue, stating he "wanted to play" and would "do anything to make the team and play in the NHL this year".[10] Instead, Bennett's injury required surgery to repair, which the Flames said would prevent him from playing for several months.[10] After missing five months of action, Bennett was medically cleared to play and was reassigned to Kingston on February 21, 2015.[11] He scored 24 points in 11 regular season games for Kingston and added 3 assists as the Frontenacs were quickly eliminated in the OHL playoffs.[12]
The Flames recalled Bennett to Calgary after Kingston's season ended, and he made his NHL debut in the team's final regular season game on April 12, against the Winnipeg Jets. He recorded his first career point on his first shift – 33 seconds into the contest – assisting on a Micheal Ferland goal in a 5–1 loss.[13] Bennett was a regular player for the Flames in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, and recorded his first NHL goal on April 19, a game-winner against Eddie Läck of the Vancouver Canucks in a 4–2 victory.[14] Bennett played all 11 playoff games for the Flames, in which he scored three goals and added an assist.[15] On January 13, 2016, Bennett scored four goals against the Florida Panthers. At 19 years and six months, he became the youngest player in Flames history to score a hat-trick, and the third-youngest player in NHL history to score four goals in a game.[16] Bennett scored his first three goals within the first 17 minutes of the game, and added a fourth goal in the last minute of the third period.
On September 6, 2017, the Flames signed Bennett to a two-year, $3.9million contract extension worth $1.95million annually.[17] On July 24, 2019, Bennett was re-signed to a two-year contract.[18]
Florida Panthers (2021–present)
On April 12, 2021, Bennett, along with a sixth-round pick in 2022, was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for draft rights to Emil Heineman and a second-round pick in 2022.[19]
Bennett would immediately find offensive success with the Panthers, scoring three goals and two assists in his first three games with the team. In the final 10 games of the season with the team, Bennett would register 15 points, surpassing his point total in 38 games earlier in the season with the Flames.
On July 26, 2021, Bennett signed a four-year, $17.6 million contract extension with the Panthers.[20]
Bennett entered the 2021–22 season hoping to continue his offensive success with the Panthers from last season, and he did just that. On October 16, 2021, in just the second game of the season, Bennett scored his second career hat-trick in a 5-1 win over the New York Islanders. Coincidently, it was his first hat-trick since recording his first one against the Panthers.[21] Playing on a line with Jonathan Huberdeau, Bennett continued to produce offensively throughout the season. Two games after his return to the lineup, Bennett scored another hat-trick, and added an assist for a four point game against the Dallas Stars. The season would prove to be successful for both Bennett and the Panthers, as the team won their first Presidents' Trophy in franchise history, and Bennett scored 28 goals and 21 assists for 49 points, crushing his previous career highs. Bennett would score three points in the Panthers first round series against the Washington Capitals, which they won in six games. However, both Bennett and the Panthers hit an offensive wall as they faced the Lightning in the second round. The Panthers only managed three goals in the series, as they were swept by the Lightning in four games. Bennett would be held off the scoresheet for the entire series.
Coming off a successful season that ended in disappointment, Bennett and the Panthers looked for revenge in the 2022–23 season. Although his usual linemate, Jonathan Huberdeau, was traded to the Flames, Bennett was reunited with longtime Flames teammate Matthew Tkachuk in the deal, and immediately found a new linemate. Although this provided both Bennett and Tkachuk with senses of familiarity, the Panthers were struggling to replicate the same firepower they had the previous year. Injuries plagued the Panthers, including Bennett, who suffered an injury on March 20, 2023 against the Detroit Red Wings that held him out the rest of the regular season. However, he traveled with the team to play the Boston Bruins. Despite missing Game 1, Bennett made his return in Game 2, scoring a goal in a 6-3 victory. Bennett and the Panthers were heavy underdogs against the Bruins, who broke multiple regular season team records and were one of the most successful regular season teams in NHL history. However, Bennett and the Panthers battled back from a 3-1 series deficit to force a Game 7. In Game 7, the Panthers came back, and Bennett assisted on Carter Verhaeghe's overtime goal, forcing one of the biggest upsets in NHL history. The Panthers would pull their momentum all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, where they would lose to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. Bennett scored five goals and ten assists in the playoff run.
Bennett started off the 2023–24 season injured, and would miss the first seven games of the Panthers season. He played his first game of the season on October 30, 2023 against the Bruins, lasting all but eight minutes before leaving the game after getting injured once again.[22] Bennett would return to the lineup on November 12, where he once again find himself a consistent offensive contributor to the Panthers, reaching the 20-goal plateau for the second time in his career, as the Panthers won the Atlantic Division. In Game 2 of the Panthers first-round series against the Lightning, Bennett suffered an upper-body injury that would keep him out for the rest of the series. However, the Panthers beat the Lightning in five, and Bennett returned to the team for Game 3 against the Bruins, scoring an assist.[23]
In 2024, Bennett became engaged to his girlfriend Zoe Zeleny,[28] a volunteer for the Humane Society of Broward County.[29] They founded Benny's Buddies, a charity that raises funds to pay for the adoption fees at the Humane Society.[30][31] Bennett also volunteers with Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, a nonprofit that provides free lunches to schoolchildren.[32]
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