Friday Four: Expect Sam Bennett to cash in big after standout 4 Nations

The Friday Four is a collection of thoughts and information on some intriguing player storylines from around the hockey world. On deck this week: 

• Bennett is going to get paid  
• Slavin puts on a defensive clinic 
• Connor’s omission a questionable move 
• Did Karlsson raise his trade value? 

Sam Bennett, Team Canada 

Once Canada put Sam Bennett in the lineup, there was no taking him out.  

Bennett didn’t play in Canada’s opening game against Sweden but was inserted for last Saturday’s clash with the Americans, and he barely took a stride before dropping the gloves with Brady Tkachuk for a spirited tilt. From there, it was full steam ahead. Bennett combined for nine shots in the two games against the U.S. and tallied a critical game-tying goal Thursday night that set the stage for Connor McDavid to win it in overtime.

He played on the fourth line for Canada, but the trio of Bennett, Seth Jarvis and Brad Marchand had a handful of strong shifts in the first period, generating scoring chances and driving offence. That unit brought some much-needed energy to the group to start the game, and eventually, Bennett was rewarded with that pivotal goal. He ultimately finished the championship game against the U.S. with a team-leading six shots and five hits while also drawing a penalty. He had a hand in just about everything for Canada.  

Bennett’s play in this tournament also did nothing to hurt his value as a potential free agent this summer. The Florida Panthers forward is in the final year of a deal where he’s making $4.4 million and he’ll be in line for a major raise. Bennett has more than proven he’s a critical component that excels in big games, both at this 4 Nations Face-Off and the Stanley Cup playoffs. His style of play is built for the post-season and he was a huge difference-maker for the Panthers going to back-to-back finals and winning it all last year.  

There could be a perfect storm for Bennett to cash in big this summer. First, he’s on pace for 27 goals and a career-best 52 points. He’s more than just a physical player and has the ability to chip in offensively as well. Top-six centres don’t grow on trees and there is virtually no team in the league that couldn’t benefit from Bennett’s services.  

The salary cap is also set to rise substantially. It’s a great time to hit the market at the top of your game like Bennett is. Florida would undoubtedly like to keep him, but it’s going to be a tight squeeze. Even with a rising cap, the Panthers are committed to several players for major term and money. Sergei Bobrovsky and Aleksander Barkov both make $10 million, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart sit just behind that, then Carter Verhaeghe’s $7 million AAV kicks in next season, too.  

Then there’s Aaron Ekblad’s contract to consider as well. He’ll also be a free agent in the summer and the Panthers may have to decide which player to keep between Ekblad and Bennett. Florida’s defence is a lot thinner than its forward group and the loss of Ekblad could hurt more. Losing Bennett wouldn’t be easy, but Anton Lundell is a good top-six-centre-in-waiting who could cushion the blow.  

It’s hard to forecast what Bennett might get if he hits the open market, but he’ll be looking for a long-term deal as he turns 29 this summer. This is likely Bennett’s last and best chance to cash in. Considering what top-six centres go for in July and where the cap is headed, I’d be very surprised if Bennett’s next deal didn’t start with a seven. Elias Lindholm got seven years with a $7.75 million AAV from the Boston Bruins last year, so given Bennett recently adding a Stanley Cup and 4 Nations title to his resume, it would seem likely he could get something in that neighborhood.  

For now, Bennett will simply enjoy this victory and let his play do the talking when it comes to his contract. Considering he was scratched in the opening game of this tournament and his place in the lineup, Bennett was probably one of the final debated roster selections for this team. He made it over players such as Mark Scheifele, Tom Wilson and Robert Thomas, which many didn’t hesitate to question. Bennett ultimately proved he belonged and his versatility was vital to Canada’s success.  

Whether he stays with Florida or lands somewhere else long term, Bennett is proving to be invaluable. He’s someone you win with.  

Jaccob Slavin, Team USA 

Everyone should appreciate what Jaccob Slavin brings to the table after this tournament.  

Defensive play isn’t the most exciting part of the game to many, but Slavin is a master at his craft. He led all American skaters first time out against the Canadians with 25:36 of ice time and skated a ridiculous 28:32 in the final, which included 1:42 shorthanded during Canada’s only power play.  

Slavin saved multiple potential goals against Canada, frustrating elite players at every turn. Exhibit A was when the Carolina Hurricanes defender flashed a quick stick and beat Sidney Crosby to a loose puck when he had an open net.  

Late in the second period, Slavin also put his recovery skills on full display, as he was beaten inside on a rush by Connor McDavid but managed to get his stick back in the way to alter McDavid’s shot. He’s not a bad shot-blocker either.  

Slavin’s contributions were of added importance when you consider Quinn Hughes couldn’t play, and then the U.S. lost Charlie McAvoy partway through the tournament to an injury. Everybody picked up the slack but the Americans really leaned on Slavin for huge minutes against the opponent’s best players at critical times.  

If you’re a Hurricanes fan, none of this is surprising. Slavin does this, day-in and day-out in Carolina, and if there was an award for the best defensive defenceman, he’d likely have won it multiple times throughout his career. After this 4 Nations Face-Off, though, it’s safe to say the majority of the hockey world is going to come away with a much larger appreciation for Slavin.  

Kyle Connor, Team USA 

They say hindsight is 20/20, but it was easy to question the U.S. electing to leave Kyle Connor out of the lineup for the 4 Nations championship game.  

The States went with Chris Kreider instead and they probably could’ve used Connor’s services in a number of ways on Thursday night. For one, only five players have more goals than Connor this season, and none of them are American. He has three more goals than the next-closest player from the U.S., and Connor is also tied with Jack Eichel at 69 points, where, again, no American has more. You’d think in a tight game that ended up 3-2 in overtime, Connor could’ve potentially been a valuable contributor.  

There’s also the matter of Matthew Tkachuk, who was clearly injured and played just 6:47 against Canada. He played his final shift with around seven minutes left in the second period. Tkachuk is obviously a heart-and-soul player for the Americans and had no intention of missing this game, but leaving a healthy, elite scorer in the press box in favour of Tkachuk may have been a misstep.  

The U.S. also played Connor in the bottom six when he did get into games during the round robin and had just 8:32 in its last game against Canada, as the Americans never really found an effective fit for him in the lineup. Even though Team USA was brimming with talent, there was probably a better way to utilize one of the league’s best goal scorers.  

Erik Karlsson, Team Sweden 

Erik Karlsson would like to remind you he’s still got game. 

The Swedish defender had an impressive 4 Nations tournament, despite being in the middle of a mediocre 2024-25 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Karlsson ended up posting a point in each of Sweden’s three games and totaled five shots, including this vintage rush where the 34-year-old buried the puck in the top corner.  

Karlsson’s play would be of particular interest to other teams around the National Hockey League. His name has been subject of trade rumours leading up to the deadline, but given his struggles this season and his contract, it was hard to imagine there would be any takers for Karlsson. Now, after an impressive showing in international play, some teams could potentially be more intrigued to make an offer.  

What Karlsson has working against him is mainly his contract. The Penguins blueliner owns a $10-million cap hit for two more years after this one, which is less than ideal for a declining player approaching his mid-30s. There would only be a handful of contending teams able to take on Karlsson’s contract and probably even fewer willing parties. That’s in part because Karlsson’s skills and numbers are declining. He’s a minus-14 and pacing for just 54 points this season, which would be his lowest total over a full 82-game campaign in nearly 15 years.  

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas also isn’t going to give Karlsson away, so it’s going to take a decent return that will likely include young players Pittsburgh can factor into its future plans. Not every contending team has a cupboard stocked full of prospects it is willing to part with.  

That said, if you’re looking at the glass half full where Karlsson is concerned, we’ve just seen what he can do when surrounded by better players. Outside of Sidney Crosby, there isn’t a ton of talent in Pittsburgh right now and the franchise is clearly going in the wrong direction. Now, there’s no team in the league that boasts the talent of a full Swedish squad, but there are definitely situations where Karlsson could flourish much better, depending on his landing spot.  

The other important positive about Karlsson is he’s suddenly becoming a pillar of health. After skating in several injury-filled seasons when he joined the San Jose Sharks, Karlsson has very quietly not missed a game in more than two and a half years.  

If you wanted Karlsson and got the Pens to eat some of the money, he could be a tempting option for a team looking for help on the power play and a puck-moving defenceman. You’d have to pair him with a reliable defensive partner in order to get the most out of him, but there’s no denying the offensive talent is still there. With the cap going up significantly over the next couple of years, Karlsson’s contract may not be as scary to some teams as it once was, and you’d be getting him for three playoff runs.  

It only takes one interested team to make a deal.  

More from Sportsnet

‘Means the world’: Connor McDavid plays Canadian hero

Team Canada delivers win for its country: ‘That’s the Canadian way’