Would the Calgary Flames be interested in a Sam Bennett return?

The Calgary Flames’ long-standing search for a top-six center is no secret. With approximately $19 million in projected cap space next offseason, the team is well-positioned to make a splash in free agency. The question remains: will they seize the opportunity to make bold moves?

Recently, some chatter has sprung up courtesy of Sportsnet’s Eric Francis. He mentions the idea of Sam Bennett potentially making a return to Calgary via free agency, as the 29-year-old is a pending UFA who is looking for a pay raise. This idea has inspired me to explore whether Sam Bennett would be an option the Flames would heavily consider. Would the Flames be willing to bring back the player who was their highest first-round pick in franchise history?

Bennett’s next contract will likely be major

Bennett’s time in Calgary wasn’t a success, as he was heavily mismanaged and the team frankly didn’t develop him properly. When he arrived in Florida, he instantly made an impact and went on to solidify himself as a top-six center. His strong play was finally justifying his draft position, something that we never saw in Calgary.

With Bennett now being a pending UFA, he’ll likely be in for a huge pay raise from his current salary. The Panthers are also not projected to have much wiggle room with their cap come the offseason, so would they even be able to afford his ask?

A team like the Flames likely would, hence why the rumours are popping up surrounding a potential return. If Bennett does decide to test free agency, there’s likely to be many teams that’ll be lining up for his services, given the position he plays, his overall playing style, and his winning pedigree.

Would the Flames be a real option for Bennett?

Looking back at Bennett’s time with the Flames, the idea of bringing him back is bold, but I can understand why some fans may explore this option.

One big reason is Bennett’s history with Jonathan Huberdeau. The last time those two played together in Florida, Huberdeau put up the best numbers of his career, notching 115 points and the most assists by a left winger in NHL history. The Flames even tried to emulate this when Martin Pospisil was centering Huberdeau and Anthony Mantha since Pospisil has some similar characteristics to Bennett. However, this didn’t exactly work out and Mantha would up with a season-ending injury. Would Conroy be willing to try again by bringing in another familiar face to help with Huberdeau’s production?

There’s also the obvious reason for cap flexibility and how Calgary would likely match Bennett’s ask assuming it wasn’t too crazy, and they would also be fulfilling an organizational need.

Yet I don’t agree with these being valid reasons why a Sam Bennett reunion would make sense. It’s unlikely in my eyes that Bennett would want to return to the organization that “gave up on him”, especially since he found success elsewhere. Calgary also isn’t exactly a contender, and with Bennett being 29, I don’t think he would be willing to ride out the next few years not playing playoff hockey.

Conroy’s criteria for centers

The addition of Bennett would also not line up with what Conroy is currently looking for in the trade market. The Flames have come out and said that they’re looking for a top-six center that would be between the ages of 22-25. Additionally, Conroy is looking for a player who can play with the organization for three to five years. Their preference is also a right shot player.

Well, Bennett doesn’t check any of those boxes, except maybe playing with the team for three to five years if his contract was that long, but it still doesn’t make sense.

Final thoughts

Therefore, a Sam Bennett reunion with Calgary doesn’t really make much sense for this team’s future, and it’s unlikely the player would entertain such an idea. It’s time to move on from the past.

The preferred option is for the Flames to find a center through the draft unless they find that young center in the trade market. We’ve seen with other cases what happens when teams decide to rush their rebuilds, and it’s in the best interest of the Flames to remain patient, and to strategically add when the time comes.

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