Sam Bennett shocks Panthers fans with unexpected comment about Olympic teammate Connor McDavid
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Mike Armenti
Feb 19, 2026 (4:53 PM)
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
The bitterest rivals always learn the hardest lessons. Sam Bennett spent the last two springs hunting Connor McDavid. Now, he's just standing in awe of the superstar.
Bennett knows exactly what it takes to break a man down over a grueling seven-game series. He makes a living out of pure agitation and sheer force.
He robbed the Edmonton captain of the Stanley Cup in 2024. He crushed the Oilers' dreams again in 2025 with relentless pressure in the dirty areas of the ice.
But the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina tell a completely different story. They wear the exact same sweater now, chasing the exact same gold medal for their country.
Bennett watched from the stands on Wednesday as an untimely illness kept him completely out of the lineup. He looked down at the ice and saw something absolutely terrifying.
With 11 points already in the bank, Connor McDavid is single-handedly carrying the entire Canadian offense on his back. He tied the all-time Olympic record for NHL players in just four games.
McDavid flips the script on his toughest critic
Bennett, ever the pest, gave a blunt, honest assessment to TSN's Mark Masters after watching the clinic firsthand. He sees a totally reinvented monster out there.
"He's giving everything he's got," Bennett said, pointing out how you can visibly see how much McDavid wants it. "He's on another level right now".
Veteran defenseman Drew Doughty echoed the exact same level of utter shock. He admitted to the media that he's never seen anything like it in his entire career.
This isn't the same pure-skill player Bennett relentlessly choked out in the playoffs. This version of the captain hits everything that moves. This version grinds in the corners.
The Canadian superstar sets the absolute tone for the entire locker room. Sidney Crosby might miss the crucial Finland game with a lingering injury.
So the heavy burden of carrying an entire hockey-crazed nation falls squarely on number 97. He wears the target on his back every single shift.
He won't run from it. The overwhelming pressure doesn't crack him. It only fuels the fire burning inside him.
With 19 goals for the Panthers this season, Bennett brings his own heavy game to the table. But he knows exactly who steers this incredibly dominant ship.
Opponents better pray McDavid miraculously slows down before the medal rounds finish. Because right now, the fastest man on skates is out for pure blood.
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Team Finland head coach reveals news on Aleksander Barkov and Connor McDavid may not like it
Team Finland head coach reveals news on Aleksander Barkov and Connor McDavid may not like it