Okay, so there has been enough discussion swirling around about that Sam Bennett hit now. While Game 1 in the Scotiabank Arena was supposed to give all energy and thrill to fans who came over to watch one of the most anticipated clashes between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, things just got ugly very fast. To say that the Panthers lost 4-5 to the Leafs and Bennett became the talk of the show! Was it about some big hits he played? Well, yes, but not with the puck. Call it the elbow game when the Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz got into a chaotic scramble that allowed him to get hit by the Panthers’ forward and get injured.
But this isn’t what the hockey community just brawled for. It was the aftermath that caused the major chaos, leading to many across the league coming together and demanding strict action for Bennett’s aggressive play. After all, Stolarz couldn’t help but get clearly shaken while vomiting by the bench before being stretchered out and taken to the hospital. However, the actual twist still awaits. What made the fans cry over the internet and raise their concerns?
The NHL’s decision to not take any official action against Sam Bennett. Period.
And just like that, the fire simply reignited. Once again, bringing all together to analyze the call. “George Parros is incompetent and no longer fit to serve as head of Department of Player Safety,” Seixeiro said via an update on X and boom—the debate was on fire with comment sections piling up multiple opinions. After all, why wouldn’t it begin when a goalie got severely injured and had to rush to the hospital? Perhaps it’s because, when it’s playoff hockey, with its stakes touching the sky and chaos just reigning in the crease, the league tends to give a little more leeway.
George Parros is incompetent and no longer fit to serve as head of Department of Player Safety.
— Sid Seixeiro (@Sid_Seixeiro) May 6, 2025
And according to Jimmy Murphy, an NHL executive just spilled the real reason for Sam Bennett not being granted a suspension. “There was more than one incident that could have concussed Stolarz, so they’ll say, ‘How do you prove it was Bennett?’” the executive reportedly told Murphy. Well, now it makes sense too, especially in a fast-paced game where bodies collide every other second. It’s quite difficult to check on the consequences and perhaps how things unfolded, right? In fact, Bennett, in a statement made to the media, pointed out quite the same thing.
“From my point of view, I’m just taking the puck to the net. I didn’t even know we made contact until after. I’m on the power play; I’m trying to score. I’m taking the puck to the net. That’s really all there was to it,” Bennett said while emphasizing that he wasn’t sure when he collided with the goalie. And he didn’t stop there but further continued stating, “I think I can understand why people reacted that way (being angry) because Stollie is injured. Of course, when your starting goaltender gets injured, people are going to be upset. Looking back at the video, the contact that was made, in my opinion, it’s really just a bump. There was no forceful action.” However, despite the player marking it all as unintentional and the league not taking any actions, fans still couldn’t help but express fury.
NHL fans still want action taken against Sam Bennett!
Honestly, the replies just lit up with frustration and led to more debates. Because fans started roasting George Parros! “To many head shots for Parros. He also hates the leafs,” one fan wrote, reflecting on his own history of on-ice fights resulting in hits that may have clouded his judgment! But then comes the long write-up with a bit of an analytical approach. “This League has never disciplined players for targeting vulnerable players’ heads, where there is no violent/forceful act. The NHL has had countless expert reports, yet it has limited discipline to circumstances where there is some level of force, regardless of intent to injure,” another said, clearly stating the faults and pointing out the lagging areas.
Another one chimed in while taking a sharp jab at Parros’s credibility. They wrote, “No longer fit? Implying that at one point he was fit to serve? He’s never been fit to lead DOPS.” Not just challenging his current role but this one simply dismissed the idea that he was not suitable to lead the department anyway. And to back him up, one more user added with a curt, “He never was,” they declared too! Well, it seems clear where the frustration comes from now. Perhaps something that has been happening for a long time now.
And here’s more when another came and said, “George Parros was never fit. Guy doesn’t even know hockey.” Now that’s a scathing insult from someone who’s not just mad about decisions but about the man himself! Well, with all the chatter surrounding Sam Bennett as well as Sam Reinhart too, the league’s silence on the situation is what’s turning the fanbase into full revolt mode now.
This is 7:10 PM ET—23 hours and 10 minutes since the hit. Will the NHL serve justice… or indifference?
The post Over 23 Hours Silence on Sam Bennett Puts NHL Officials in Trouble With Hockey Community: “Incompetent” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
