Sam Bennett gets absolutely savage about Panthers' 'dirty' play, channels inner Connor McGregor

Sam Bennett had a strong message for people calling the Panthers dirty. During their Stanley Cup Parade in Fort Lauderdale, Bennett addressed the Panthers fans who donned the red jerseys near the beach.

The clip was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by B/R Open Ice.

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"You know, a lot of people have. They don't like the way we play," Bennett said. "They don't like it. They call us dirty, they call us nasty, they call us bullies. So no, I would like to take this time to apologize to absolutely f****ing no one. We're the double champs. We do what the f**k we want. Let's go."

Bennett’s comment sounded similar to a famous quote by UFC star Conor McGregor. Back in 2016, after defeating Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title, McGregor delivered a powerful quote from the Octagon.

"And I’d just like to say from the bottom of my heart, I’d like to take this chance to apologise… to absolutely nobody," McGregor said, via the 42.ie "The double champ does what the fuck he wants!"

Sam Bennett expressed no regrets about the Panthers' physical style that troubled opponents and led to victories. The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup after beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 - outscoring them 28-17 over six games - and taking the series 4-2 for back-to-back championships.

Bennett had a strong postseason - 15 goals and 22 points in 23 games - and registered five in the Cup finals against Edmonton. His regular-season numbers were also solid, with 25 goals and 26 assists.

Florida led most of the series and looked like the better team. They had the lead for 255 minutes, while Edmonton led for just 33. The team’s tough style may not be to everyone's liking, but it works. Sam Bennett’s message made it clear—they’re not changing.

Sam Bennett won the 2024-25 Conn Smythe Trophy

Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Playoffs. His goals helped the Florida Panthers win their second straight Stanley Cup.

After receiving the trophy, Bennett visited the Humane Society of Broward County. He spent time with kittens named Marchy, Blizzard, and DQ. One kitten even stood on the trophy.

Sam Bennett works with the shelter through a program called “Benny’s Buddies.” He pays adoption fees for each goal he scores. So far, 28 pets have been adopted.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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Edited by William Paul