How Aggressive Will the Florida Panthers Be?
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Steve Kouleas and Nate Thompson on Wednesday. He was asked concerning the Florida Panthers’ plans and what they plan so as to add on the deadline.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Steve Kouleas: “With Dave Pagnotta, Sirius XM Insider, the Panthers hit the halfway mark on pace for 94 points. 95 looks prefer it’s the magic number to make the playoffs. What’s Bill Zito strategy? As (Matthew) Tkachuk’s imminent return is on this trip. We see (Aleksander) Barkov is skating. He’s still a ways away from playing, after all. If he does play this 12 months, what’s the Florida plan?”
Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah, well, they’re going to get Tkachuk back by all accounts on this road trip that just began (Tuesday), they lost to Toronto. They got the Habs (Thursday night, they usually lost).
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But all indications are that Matthew Tkachuk goes to be back within the lineup before the Panthers return on home ice, in whatever is little over per week and a half. With him back and where their cap situation is, with all of the LTIR cap space and all the things, they’re going to be sitting with enough room to get them there, to be cap compliant, to have him within the lineup, but that only leaves them somewhat little bit of space.
They’ll do somewhat little bit of juggling and move some guys all the way down to the AHL. Guys who’re waiver-exempt can have the flexibleness so as to add as much as $2 million plus in cap space in that regard. I believe they’re going to begin looking. Word that beginning to form of trickle across the league that he, Bill Zito, I should say, is beginning to lurk somewhat bit.
Just beginning to get his options, him and the staff to see what’s on the market. And in the event that they could make a depth add or two. One, presumably on the back end, before the trade deadline, not necessarily the Olympic Break, but in the event that they could make a depth add or two, it wouldn’t shock lots of people in the event that they do this.
Now, after all, you might have to be cap compliant within the playoffs with whatever roster is placed on the ice, and Barkov’s timeline is Conference Final-sque. If it escalates and improves, possibly it’s the second round. So that they still have lots of runway before worrying about that. However it does sound like they’re starting to go searching to see what depth options is likely to be available to them ahead of the trade deadline.
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It wouldn’t surprise people if Bill Zito swings again for an impact move, depth-wise, more likely this time, but it surely wouldn’t surprise people if he pulled something off.”
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