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Panthers center Sam Bennett admits he was a bit ‘shocked’ after Team Canada call-up for the 4 Nations Face-Off

Modified Dec 14, 2024 12:59 GMT

Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett has received a call-up for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. This goes to show the kind of form Bennett has been in this season, with Bennett registering 13 goals and 13 assists in 29 games.

The 2024 Stanley Cup winners are going to be well represented at the tournament, which starts on Feb. 12 and will see Canada, USA, Sweden, and Finland compete. Bennett will be joined by Sam Reinhart on Team Canada's roster, while six other Panthers will be representing their countries too.

Sam Bennett shared his thoughts after receiving the news last week, noting that he was "a little bit in shock" after receiving such an honor (via NHL.com):

"It's obviously a huge honor to get to represent your country. You look at the list of players that are on that team, it's pretty remarkable. It's going to be a really cool experience. I can't wait for that tournament.

"My heart started racing once I got that text," Bennett said. "I called him back and he gave me the good news. I was a little bit in shock. I was really just ecstatic. Called my parents right away; my dad was freaking out a bit. So it was a really cool day."

Bennett's all-round performance and consistency not only helped the Florida Panthers win their maiden Stanley Cup last season but also played a big role in his selection for Team Canada.

Sasha Barkov & Sam Bennett among 8 Panthers called up for the 4 Nations Face-Off

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Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart are not the lone Panthers players to be called up for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Alternate captain Mathew Tkachuk has been called up for Team USA, while defenseman Gustav Forsling will be representing Sweden. Meanwhile, Sasha Barkov, Eetu Luostarinen, Anton Lundell and Niko Mikkola have been called up for Team Finland.

While speaking about his call-up, Bennett discussed the prospect of facing his teammates at the tournament:

"We've already been joking around a little bit," he said. "It's definitely going to be a unique experience playing against your teammates midseason. But that'll be cool. Every game we'll be playing against some of our teammates. So definitely a unique experience but looking forward to it."

The 4 Nations Face-Off will be held between February 12 and 20 with Montreal and Boston serving as the host cities for what promises to be an exciting spectacle.