Sam Bennett confirms his status for the remainder of the Olympics after missing Team Canada's quarterfinals

The Florida Panthers center was an absolute ghost against Czechia, and panic was starting to set in across the fan base.

People were screaming at the television. Management was completely silent. Now we finally know what happened behind closed doors.

Dan Rosen broke the news today. Bennett wasn't benched for poor play, he was battling a nasty sickness that kept him locked in his room.

He told reporters this morning that he is finally feeling better and ready to go.

Sitting out a sudden-death elimination game is pure mental torture for a professional athlete. Bennett admitted he was a nervous wreck watching from the press box as a helpless spectator.

He even joked that he finally understands the pure anxiety that diehard fans go through every single night.

They barely scraped by the Czechs in a terrifying 3-2 overtime thriller without him in the lineup.

But you can't rely on overtime miracles against elite competition. They need their heavy hitters back on the ice immediately.

Bennett brings a very specific type of violence to this roster. He already has 19 goals and 42 points in 57 games for Florida this season.

He isn't just a secondary scorer who floats on the perimeter. He is a physical nightmare to play against in the dirty areas.

With the roster already bleeding from injuries, Canada is completely desperate for natural centers as Sidney Crosby left Wednesday's game with a lower-body injury, so having a center who can win crucial faceoffs and dictate the physical tone of the game.

The semi-finals are officially set, and the sick day is over. Can he shake off the rust and drag this team to a gold medal?