The Florida Panthers aren’t going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. After three straight appearances within the Stanley Cup Final, and two straight Cups, Florida will head for an early offseason. And it may very well be an offseason rife with changes, each on the ice and off it.
Bill Zito is among the finest general managers in the sport. He is probably going secure despite the poor results on the ice. Nonetheless, the front office he has built could lose key figures. For example, assistant GM Sunny Mehta figures to be a top candidate for GM openings across the league. He has been strongly connected to his former team, the Latest Jersey Devils, for example. Other assistants, akin to Brett Peterson and Roberto Luongo, is also on teams’ radars.
On the ice, there are some key players who will probably be returning. Captain Aleksander Barkov will return next season following a torn ACL. Others, akin to Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov, and Brad Marchand, figure to hit the ice next season fully healthy. Nonetheless, there may be change expected elsewhere on the roster.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is a free agent on July 1. He had a rough performance this season, currently holding the second-worst Goals Saved Above Average tally within the league. His future, not only with Florida, may be very much up within the air because the season draws to an in depth.
Bobrovsky is just not the one potential departure, either. The Panthers can have some flexibility, but as much as the remainder of the league. When factoring within the anticipated rise this summer, Florida projects to have about $13.1 million in available space, in response to PuckPedia.
The Panthers consider they’ll compete in 2026-27. But they could have to be a bit creative on the trade market if that’s the case. With this in mind, listed below are two potential trade candidates that may very well be on the move this offseason.
An Evan Rodrigues trade gives Panthers respiratory room
Trade rumors are nothing recent for Evan Rodrigues. The Panthers forward has handled all of them season long. The veteran pivot was not traded on the NHL Trade Deadline this yr, but that would change this summer.
Florida has one notable player to re-sign, with Mackie Samoskevich set to hit restricted free agency. A brand new deal for the previous first-round pick might not be all that expensive relative to his peers. Nonetheless, with only $13 million available to work with, that contract could eat a bit into their plans for the summer.
Trading Rodrigues likely would not be too difficult for the Panthers. The veteran center has proven to be a big-time postseason performer. In actual fact, he was a legitimate candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2024. A contending team needing depth down the center actually can be fascinated about his services.
This might be a troublesome move for Zito and his front office. Nonetheless, it might be crucial to assist them achieve all of their goals. Whether he’s traded in a cap dump, or included in a bigger deal, Rodrigues is a logical trade candidate for the Panthers.
Anton Lundell could also be centerpiece to blockbuster trade
The Panthers have been the NHL’s model organization for a while now. But they’ve an aging roster that’s banged up. In consequence, it might make sense for Florida to attempt to hold onto a player like Anton Lundell. At the identical time, though, the previous first-round pick could be the ticket for Florida swinging a blockbuster trade.
Lundell received more ice time this season than he has in previous years. He played well, scoring 18 goals and 44 points this season. He has not played since March nineteenth, though, resulting from a rib injury.
At 24 years old, Lundell actually generally is a a part of Florida’s future. However the Panthers own certainly one of the least inspiring prospect pipelines within the league. Forward Jack Devine has value as a projected NHLer. Outside of him, though, there’s not much to write down home about.
With this in mind, if the Panthers wish to swing an enormous deal, Lundell could also be a crucial component. His $5 million cap hit would help offset any salary constraints. And he can be a direct, long-term middle-six presence for a lot of rebuilding or retooling franchises.
The Florida Panthers aren’t going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. After three straight appearances within the Stanley Cup Final, and two straight Cups, Florida will head for an early offseason. And it may very well be an offseason rife with changes, each on the ice and off it. Bill Zito is among the finest general managers in the sport.