[Confirmed with link] Bennett signed - 2 years/1.95 AAV

[Lanny_McDonald]

Great contract. Bennett should be pumped to prove he deserves more on his next deal. I fully expect a breakout year.

[Strange Brew]

Flames get low AAV and Bennett gets 2 years to show he is worth big money. I can't imagine they were ever that far apart on a 2 year deal and maybe just Flames trying to wring a 3rd year out of him.

[sempuki]

This is actually good for Sam in the long term -- a show me contact and playing with a chip on his shoulder hopefully will get him a better long term deal.

[browna]

Good deal for the Flames. Bennett has this year and until Christmas of next to prove he’s in that next tier and paid as such. Very very worst case scenario is that he’s not a fit here and the Flames will have their choice of offers on him, but I suspect he’ll elevate his game and be here for a long time.

My guess is the Flames came ups few hundred $K in the last couple days to get it done, but loads of cap space.

Now the JJ fun begins.

[MissTeeks]

@Kristen_Odland

Bennett: “It’s a big relief. It was a long summer of not knowing what was going to happen. I’m just really excited to finally get it done."

"I can’t wait to get back to Calgary and skate with all the guys."

Bennett: “Everyone from Toronto has left & gone back to their teams so I was starting to worry a little bit. It’s just nice to know I’ll be back there before training camp so I can get settled."

Bennett also dispelled rumours that he would head to Europe to wait out contract negotiations: “That was never an option for me. My whole mindset was to be in Calgary and get there before training camp. That was the whole focus.”

[Allos]

Wonderful wonderful news!!! So happy this is done. Now it is time for Sam to shine and "earn" the next big contract. And great job, Tre.

[Enoch Root]

Sam Bennett: 2 years @ $1.95M

Zach Kassian: 3 years @ $1.95M

lol

[Vinny01]

Glad this didn't linger into camp and the deal is done

It will be an interesting summer in 2 years with Tkachuk, Bennett and Smith up for new deals. The Flames likely move on from the 37 year old Smith but will need to replace him. Tkachuk is on his way to an $8M+ deal if he continues to take steps forward. Bennett could also be in line for a huge money deal.

I see the Flames moving contracts like Frolik and Stone which will be very tradeable deals. The hope is Brouwer rebuilds his image but I doubt a team takes his last year of his deal when he is 33/34 unless the Flames sweeten the pot.

It will be interesting because in 2 years this team is likely dumping money to keep core players vs today where they have had the luxury to add to the roster

[PaperBagger'14]

Great deal for both, cost certainty for the flames and a tugboat full of money for Bennett. Now it's his turn to make that tugboat into an oil tanker in 2 years.

[dammage79]

Hoped for a long term deal but Im just happy we're walking into camp with Bennett signed.

[Spinach]

A wizard's work is never done. Nor does it ever begin.
A wizard's work proceeds precisely as he means it to.

[calgaryblood]

Fair contract for Bennett. Was obvious from the beginning this was the type of contract both sides would be comfortable with.

[Gaudfather]

From the man himself!

2 more years in front of the best fans in hockey!

https://twitter.com/SBennett93/statu...90346976985088

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Gaudfather

From the man himself!

https://twitter.com/SBennett93/statu...90346976985088

Lol, look at what Christian Tiberi of FN replied with.

on a scale of one to ten, how excited are you to have jagr on your wing?

[JohnnyTitan]

Surprised nobody has asked yet. ...what would a third year be worth?

As a fan I'd be fine with 3x3 to not have Tkachuk and Sam lineup. And yes. ..I realize that means the third year would cost the Flames $5M. Would Sam take that deal? Would the Flames offer it?

[JohnnyTitan]

Also - I won't be surprised to see Sam upstage the $8.5M man each and every time we play the Oil. Oh that will be sweet! Haha stupid Oilers!

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTitan

Surprised nobody has asked yet. ...what would a third year be worth?

As a fan I'd be fine with 3x3 to not have Tkachuk and Sam lineup. And yes. ..I realize that means the third year would cost the Flames $5M. Would Sam take that deal? Would the Flames offer it?

Of course he would. Flames wouldn't offer it. He'd be giving up $5 million guaranteed to maybe make a million more.

Third year would likely be worth $3 million more max.

[Gaudfather]

https://twitter.com/FAN960Jason

Newly re-signed #Flames forward Sam Bennett (@SBennett93) joins @BoomerAndRhett tomorrow at 7:45AM.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTitan

Surprised nobody has asked yet. ...what would a third year be worth?

As a fan I'd be fine with 3x3 to not have Tkachuk and Sam lineup. And yes. ..I realize that means the third year would cost the Flames $5M. Would Sam take that deal? Would the Flames offer it?

This was the question that was dogging the Ferland negotiations. I imagine that it also was the holdup here with Sam as well, that neither side would budge on it. So they settled on the parts of the contract they could agree on.

Now there's definitely a bit of a cap squeeze on the horizon in 2 years with Ferland, Tkachuk and Bennett all due for big raises if things go well, but there are still options we could exercise to get some more space if needed:

• Buyout last year of Brouwer (saves 3 mill)
• Trade Stone (saves 3.5mill - ELC of whoever takes his place)
• Replace a departing Smith with Parsons (dirt cheap starting goalie)

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Sam Bennett: 2 years @ $1.95M

Zach Kassian: 3 years @ $1.95M

lol

RFA years to 2/3 UFA years. Not comparable.