The Florida Panthers managed to sign Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett with the goal of establishing themselves as one of the most important dynasties in NHL history.
The message from the team’s general manager, Bill Zito, is very clear. The Panthers are not going anywhere and will clearly be the team to beat in the upcoming season.
Furthermore, analyzing the roster construction aiming to win the Stanley Cup for the third consecutive year, the problem for any contender is that almost all their stars are locked in until 2030.
Who did the Florida Panthers just sign?
Brad Marchand signed a six-year, $32 million contract extension with the Florida Panthers, adding to the new deal that Sam Bennett also received (eight years and $64 million).
Aaron Ekblad will also stay with the team for a long time after his eight-year, $48.8 million extension. The core group of the team remained intact thanks to the phenomenal work of general manager Bill Zito.
However, the message to the entire NHL goes beyond those three names. The following players have contracts at least until 2030: Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, and Anton Lundell.
If any team aspires to win the Stanley Cup in the coming years, Zito has made things very clear. The defending champions are ready to dominate for a long time. A three-peat is in sight.