With his continuous volley of goals and assists past the duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, he made easy work of opposing defenses. But while the forward got to lift a second consecutive Cup, the fans weren’t too pleased with his behavior on the ice.
Many called out his rough plays and fouls, especially when he collided with Skinner. Bennett’s latest answer during the Stanley Cup Victory Parade has riled fans more than ever.
Fans Are Grilling Sam Bennett Over the Copying of Conor McGregor
While celebrating their victory over the Oilers, Bennett took to the microphone and said, “You know, a lot of people have…they don’t like the way we play. They don’t like us, they call us dirty. They call us nasty. They call us bullies.” He hinted at how many fans have issues with him.
He further continued, “I would like to apologize…to absolutely fucking no one… we’re the double champs, we do what the fuck we want.” But this comment got much more backlash than Bennett might’ve thought. Some NHL fans even mocked him for copying McGregor.
“I would like to apologize…to absolutely fucking no one…we’re the double champs we do what the fuck we want.”
Sam Bennett’s not apologizing to anyone for playing Panthers style hockey. pic.twitter.com/p0S8AUF24M
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) June 22, 2025
They wrote, “Yikes, copying McGregor so cringe.” But while some called him cringeworthy, others pointed out how Bennett’s version of the quote paled in comparison to the one by the former UFC champ. “@TheNotoriousMMA did it better,” they said.
Meanwhile, some other fans took a more lighthearted approach to the deal. They pointed out that many hockey fans would not know where the quote is from. “The amount of people that won’t know he’s quoting Conor McGregor is funny,” they said.
Others, however, pointed out that Bennett needs to be more original and can’t steal others’ catchphrases. They said, “Bennett is getting cringe. Did the Wolf of Wall Street thing, now the Conor McGregor quote. Should have his own material.”
Bennett is getting cringe. Did the Wolf of Wall Street thing now the Conor McGregor quote. Should have his own material.
— TMac (@tmac604) June 22, 2025
They take it back to when, right after the Panthers’ victory, Bennett quoted Jordan Belfort from the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ by saying, “I ain’t f***ing leaving!” But while Bennett might’ve simply wanted to point out that he would be staying with the Panthers, some fans took it way out of context.
The quote Bennett used mirrors UFC star Conor McGregor’s famous post-fight interview from November 2016 at UFC 205. After defeating Eddie Alvarez to become the UFC’s first-ever simultaneous two-division champion, McGregor delivered the iconic line: “I’d like to take this chance to apologize… to absolutely nobody. The double champ does what the f*** he wants!”
One fan was quick to call out the Panthers on their aggressive style of play. They wrote, “Says the guy who elbowed the Leafs goalie into a concussion. That’s a terrible way to win.” They refer to how Bennett contacted Anthony Stolarz during Game 1 of round two, which resulted in him getting injured.
The incident occurred when Bennett made contact with Stolarz’s head during a scramble in front of the net. Stolarz, who was Bennett’s teammate during Florida’s 2024 Stanley Cup run, left the game after vomiting on the bench and was later taken to a hospital. Bennett maintained there was no intent to injure, and the NHL did not assess any supplemental discipline.
However, while the allegations and anger against Bennett are real, one cannot argue that Bennett’s skill and his offense have been one of the key reasons behind the Panthers’ victory run. Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after leading the NHL with 15 playoff goals, including an NHL-record 13 on the road, and recording 22 points in 23 games.
The Panthers captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, defeating the Oilers 4-2 in the series and becoming the first team to repeat since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. Florida outscored Edmonton 28-17 over the six-game series, with Bennett contributing five goals and 107 hits during the playoffs.
