Bennett has heartfelt reaction to winning Stanley Cup with Marchand originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett was the top villain in Boston during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs when he appeared to hit then-Bruins captain Brad Marchand in the head during Game 3 of their second-round series at TD Garden.

Marchand was knocked out of the game as a result of the hit and also didn’t play in Game 4. The Panthers won both of those games and ultimately eliminated the B’s in Game 6.

Bennett was not suspended for the hit, which angered Bruins fans. There was no penalty called on the play, either.

Fast forward a year and Bennett and Marchand are not only friends, they just won the Stanley Cup together with the Panthers. That sentence would have sounded absurd if you said it at this time last year.

But unfortunately for Bruins fans, it’s reality.

The B’s dealt Marchand to the Panthers at the trade deadline on March 7, and he played a key role in the Panthers securing their second straight Stanley Cup title, culminating with a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Cup Final on Tuesday night.

Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, and when asked about Marchand after the game, he gave a heartfelt answer on the bond the two players have created.

“As soon as he got traded here, he chirped me in the group chat instantly for our history and the (2024) playoffs,” Bennett told reporters at his press conference.

“What he’s meant to this team — I truly don’t think we win a Stanley Cup without him. His leadership, his will to win, it’s inspiring. I was telling him before every game, ‘We’re going to follow you.’ And we did. He was a dog every night. He for sure could have won this trophy.

“He’s a better player and person than I ever knew, and I’m grateful that I got to play with him.”

Marchand tallied 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 games during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including six goals in the Cup Final. Bennett posted 22 points in 23 games, including a playoff-leading 15 goals (five in the Cup Final).

Either one of them would have been a deserving Conn Smythe Trophy winner. Bennett won it after receiving 76 voting points (including 11 first-place votes), eight more than Marchand’s 68 voting points.

The question now is will these guys be back in Florida next season? Both Marchand and Bennett are able to become unrestricted free agents this summer.