Sam Bennett finally reacts to being snubbed by Canada's Olympic team

On Monday, Bennett finally addressed not making Canada's Olympic team, and his first line landed hard.

Canada's men's roster for Milan-Cortina dropped Wednesday, and Bennett's name was one of the surprises left off. He had been part of the 4 Nations group last February, so this one stung even through the calm tone.

What makes it hit is he is still producing right now, not fading. Bennett has 14 goals and 31 points in 41 games this season, and Florida leans on his line whenever the game turns nasty.

If you watch the Panthers every night, you can feel the fan reaction, because he plays the kind of hockey that usually travels. There's an edge to his shifts that makes coaches trust him when legs get heavy.

Last spring, he didn't just help Florida win, he basically dragged moments into his orbit. Bennett scored an NHL best 15 playoff goals, added 22 points in 23 games, and buried five of those goals in the Final.

His value isn't a mystery, it's right there in the details. He wins entries by taking a hit to make a play, then hunts pucks on the forecheck, and he lives at the top of the crease when defenders get tired.

Florida rewarded that identity with a monster commitment last summer. Bennett signed an eight-year, $64 million extension with an $8 million cap hit, and at 29 he is in the heart of his prime.

The resume also has the international stamp that usually helps in these debates. At the 4 Nations Face-Off, he played three games for Canada and scored once, and he called wearing that jersey the proudest moment of his career.

Bennett will try to answer it the only way he knows, with the next hard shift and the next greasy goal.