Sam Bennett Has Made His Free Agency Decision Official

Sam Bennett is going to be one of the biggest names in free agency, which is set to begin in a month from now on July 1st.

Overall, there are plenty of teams who are interested in the forward, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, who could use someone with just as much brains as they have grit.

Bennett had 51 points in 76 games with the Florida Panthers this season; however, in 16 playoff games, he has 15 points, which tells you he is a postseason riser.

These performances have many analysts and insiders poking around to see where Bennett will end up once the free agency period begins.

So far, there has been a lot of talk about how he wants to either play for the Florida Panthers or the Leafs. Of course, this has Leafs fans excited and hopeful that he will sign on the dotted line in due time.

Unfortunately, a new report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period is putting a wrench in that hope. According to his findings, Bennett would prefer to stay in Florida.

The Panthers are in the Stanley Cup Final for the third-straight year, and Bennett has been a huge part of those teams. With all of this success in mind, it is easy to see why he would want to stay.

Starting Wednesday, the Panthers and Oilers will play in what should be an incredible rematch series. Canada is rooting for the Oilers, but the Southern United States will be Panthers fans for the next two weeks.

Once the series is over, free agency will begin, and it's going to be a fascinating time. The Leafs will be very active with plenty of storylines going against them.

Only time will tell whether or not general manager Brad Treliving can figure it out and get his team going.