Panthers’ Sam Bennett is an Olympian after all. Canada adds him as injury replacement
Sam Bennett will be an Olympian after all.
The Florida Panthers’ center has been added to Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics as an injury replacement, Hockey Canada announced Tuesday afternoon.
Bennett is replacing the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli, who was injured during Tampa Bay’s game against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
Despite playing for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off last February, where he scored a goal in the championship game, and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy last season as the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP, Bennett was snubbed from Canada’s initial 25-man roster.
“Obviously pretty disappointed,” Bennett said at the time.
“I wish I could have proven that I could help that team win a gold medal, and obviously I didn’t do enough,” Bennett added. “But I try to look at what I’m grateful for, and that’s that opportunity I had last year [at the 4 Nations Face-Off]. That was probably the proudest moment of my career, getting to put on that jersey. So, yeah, I am going to be forever grateful for that opportunity. And, yeah, now we just focus on this season.”
Bennett has done that, producing 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) while taking on a heavier workload as Florida navigates through injuries and tries to keep its season afloat and its hopes of making the Stanley Cup playoffs and contending for a third consecutive Stanley Cup alive.
However, Bennett left Florida’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday after the first period with an upper-body injury. Coach Paul Maurice on Tuesday said Bennett might play Wednesday when Florida hosts the Boston Bruins in its penultimate game before the NHL breaks for the Olympics.
The Panthers have 10 players representing their respective countries at the Olympics this winter in the first games with NHL players since 2014. Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Brad Marchand will play for Canada. Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola are playing for Finland. Matthew Tkachuk is representing the United States. Gustav Forsling is on Sweden’s roster. And Uvis Balinskis and Sandis Vilmanis are playing for Latvia.
The men’s hockey tournament at the Olympics begins Feb. 11 and runs through Feb. 22.
This story was originally published February 3, 2026 at 1:15 PM.
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