NHL DoPS Reaches Decision on Sam Bennett's Dirty Elbow to Andersen's Head

The Florida Panthers clinched their third straight berth in the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night, but unsurprisingly, it came with plenty of controversy as Sam Bennett once again decided to go after a goaltender, receiving plenty of backlash online.

This latest move from Bennett comes on the back of the concussion to Anthony Stolarz, which many (including Stolarz himself) believed to be a direct result of the cheap and incredibly unnecessary play from the Panthers veteran forward.

Unsurprisingly, many have now wondered whether or not the NHL's Department of Player Safety will finally get involved, as this is not the first time Bennett has gone after the head of a goaltender this season.

Now, ahead of the Stanley Cup Finals following the Panthers series win, they've made their decision on Bennett's potential availability for Game 1 by addressing the situation once again.

No matter who is available for this Panthers team in this post-season, it appears that all they do is step up and compete hard, and with one of the deepest rosters in the entire NHL, this is a team that's a major threat of going back-to-back, with the future still looking incredibly bright.

Whether it's the Edmonton Oilers or the Dallas Stars awaiting Florida in the Cup Finals, Bennett is likely to get physical once again, as it has clearly helped him not only this year but throughout his Stanley Cup Playoffs career, so whoever his opponent is, they better be ready for the physicality that Bennett and these Panthers bring.