How the Florida Panthers Performed Following the Start of Free Agency
After winning the Stanley Cup, the Panthers had a number of free agents looking for deals. The most notable was Sam Reinhart, who, after a season of career highs, would have been in high demand on the open market. Florida was able to retain important players and add fresh talent to help fill in the voids even if they were unable to retain all of its free agents. Before free agency began, general manager Bill Zito stated that they would attempt to retain as many players as possible and that they would spend up to the cap. A portion of the purchases were made to bolster the squads of their affiliated teams. The Panthers’ core roster saw a number of changes, which puts them in a strong position to contend for consecutive Cup victories.
Add-ons:
The entire hockey community was watching Sam Reinhart to see what would happen. He had stated that he wanted to spend the entire postseason in South Florida, and both Zito and the team agreed. When free agency drew nearer and there had been no news of an extension, supporters were uneasy. Finally, on the first day of free agency, the Panthers released a post announcing that Reinhart had extended for an additional eight years at an average annual salary of $8.625 million. This made him the fourth highest paid Panther, behind Bobrovsky, Barkov, and Tkachuk. The news was met with a collective sigh of relief from the fan base, as it also means that Barkov, Tkachuk, Forsling, and Reinhart will all be signed by at least 2030.
The next announced extension was for Dmitry Kulikov, who received a four-year contract worth $1.15 million, strengthening the blue line. Kulikov was excellent in the playoffs for the Panthers, playing a strong role on the penalty kill and on the bottom defensive pairing. When he used his stick to keep a loose puck out of the net and out of the reach of any Oilers players in Game 7 of the Cup Final, he undoubtedly made a game-saving play that set up Reinhart’s game-winning goal. Although he isn’t the most well-known defensive player on the Florida squad, he can produce huge plays when called upon. Kulikov finished the regular season with twenty points and a respectable +15. Having been selected by Florida in the first round, he will be 37 years old when this extension ends, giving him the opportunity to play his last years with the Cats. Having been selected by Florida in the first round, he will be 37 years old when this extension ends, giving him the opportunity to play his last years with the Cats.
The last extension to be announced during free agency was Anton Lundell. I mentioned earlier that there was an underappreciated player to watch heading into the playoffs. I was correct, and he had a tremendous postseason. With his six-year contract deal worth $5 million AAV, Lundell will be around for at least the 2030 season, which will keep a large portion of Florida’s key players intact. When Sam Bennett was sidelined due to injury, Lundell performed admirably for the Cats, and he was required to play up on the second line alongside Tkachuk and Verhaeghe. Including three goals and fourteen assists, he finished the postseason with 17 points. Lundell was tied with Barkov for second place on the team in assists (14) and ranked second on the team in +/- behind Forsling. He was also the second-best center in faceoff win percentage (52.5%). Lundell and Barkov are very similar in their playing styles, and even at the young age of 22, Lundell will only become better with time.
Departures: Brandon Montour was the Panthers’ most significant defensive departure. Montour agreed to a seven-year contract worth $7.14 million AAV with the Seattle Kraken, which included a significant salary boost and a term limit. With his offensive output, he allows the Kraken to run a power play unit with Vince Dunn, who presently leads the team in points, and two defenseman. With eight goals and twenty-five assists during the regular season, Montour finished with 33 points. In the postseason, he finished with 11 points, three goals, and eight assists.Departures: Brandon Montour was the Panthers’ most significant defensive departure. Montour agreed to a seven-year contract worth $7.14 million AAV with the Seattle Kraken, which included a significant salary boost and a term limit. With his offensive output, he allows the Kraken to run a power play unit with Vince Dunn, who presently leads the team in points, and two defenseman. With eight goals and twenty-five assists during the regular season, Montour finished with 33 points. In the postseason, he finished with 11 points, three goals, and eight assists. Although his regular season numbers were lower than his 73 points from the 2022–2023 season—Montour was recovering from an injury and only played 66 games as opposed to 80—his postseason performance was comparable to that of the previous season.
The second defenseman the Cats lost was Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who inked a four-year deal at $3.5 AAV with the Toronto Maple Leafs. OEL also has experience carrying more minutes and taking on a larger defensive role on a club. He played on the third defensive pairing with Kulikov. During the playoffs, OEL saw time on both the first and second power play units. In the regular season, he skated for about eighteen and a half minutes on average, and in the postseason, for fifteen and a half.
Not all Panthers are going to Toronto, though; Anthony Stolarz inked a two-year contract worth $2.5 million AAV. This previous season, Stolarz was an excellent backup for the Cats, and the Leafs had a clear deficiency in goal. In addition to having one of the best save percentages for a shutout in franchise history, he topped the league in goals against and save %. Stolarz came up and performed admirably each time he was needed in the net. Among the NHL’s best goalie tandems was the combination of Bobrovsky and Stolz. He will have an opportunity to play more games than he did with the Panthers, if not take the field as a full-time starter in Toronto.
Lomberg also decided against living in South Florida due to cost. Due to the Panthers’ current cap constraints, Lomberg has decided to return to Calgary on a two-year contract for $2 million AAV. He was a constant for the Cats, offering a great deal of pace and toughness on the fourth line. Despite missing several games during the postseason due to sickness, he contributed to the lineup when HC Paul Maurice asked him to, as the fourth line was playing well together. The Panthers will miss Lomberg, a beloved fourth-line player.
The Panthers also lost Kevin Stenlund, a significant player. He was brought in as a powerful fourth-line center and to steady the penalty kill, and he was a wonderful fit for both roles. Stenlund was a reliable fourth-line player who, in the event of an injury, could play up on the third line. He was also a key member of the penalty kill unit and a great faceoff dot player. After the 2022–2023 season, the PK was the Cats’ most obvious weakness. He performed a tremendous job of helping to strengthen it for the current campaign. During the playoffs, the Florida PK shut down power-playing teams, forcing them to play 5v5, which was never their strongest suit. Stenlund has signed a two-year contract with $4 million advance value to play for the newly formed Utah Hockey Club.
Tarasenko left the Panthers after a considerable amount of time, but not before making a significant contribution to the squad. Tarasenko, who was acquired at the trade deadline, was a versatile player who could play up and down the lineup, seeing time on the third and top lines in addition to the power play units. He also blended in well with the Panthers’ style of play. He’s a knowledgeable player, and teammates and coaches have both mentioned how he and his linemates were constantly discussing the game. When he was playing on the third line with Luostarinen and Lundell, his maturity and experience were invaluable and he had a tremendous mentoring role with them. HC He was given the assignment by Paul Maurice of scoring one goal per series, which he accomplished, including two goals in the Cup Final and the series-winning goal against the Rangers. Despite his infrequent scoring, his goals were significant. With the Panthers, Tarasenko was able to achieve his goal of winning the Cup once more. With the Detroit Red Wings, he inked a two-year deal worth $4.75 million AAV.
Josh Mahura, a depth player, is joining Montour in Seattle for a one-year contract worth $775,000 AAV. Mahura scored nine points in 20 games with nine assists. He had the highest point total among the non-regular players and played an average of about 12.5 minutes on the ice. He participated in all 82 games during the 2022–2023 season, tallying 16 points from four goals and twelve assists. Mikkola scored three goals and fourteen assists for a total of 17 points, which is inside that point range. He will be a reliable depth player for the Kraken, but until he surpasses upcoming players, he probably won’t be in the starting lineup all the time. Ryker Evans, who played for both the Coachella Valley Firebirds, an AHL affiliate, and the Kraken. Before being promoted to the main club, Evans scored 15 points in 28 games during the regular season and 10 points in 18 playoff games for the Firebirds. In his 20 games for the main team, Evans scored nine points.
Acquisitions: Tomas Nosek of the New Jersey Devils was the first major roster acquisition to be announced. Nosek joined the forwards as a left-wing depth player, bringing another $775k AAV contract for a year. “Tomas is a skilled veteran forward who plays a strong two-way game,” Zito remarked. Strong two-way play is essential to the Panthers’ style of play because their defense-first approach allows them to quickly switch from defense to attack. Despite a six-point average throughout his 36 games with the New Jersey Devils, he had the third-highest shorthanded time on ice among their forwards.
A.J. Greer’s two-year contract at $1.7 million AAV was the next to be announced. He played 59 games for Calgary last season and tied his career-high of 12 points, making him another depth player for the Cats. “A.J. is a proficient forward who makes use of his size and strength at both ends of the rink,” Zito stated. He’s a physical guy who had 100 hits in 59 games with the Flames, making him another less expensive depth addition for the Cats. He’ll be ideal for the Panthers’ hard forechecking, which is a mainstay of their current system.
Jesper Boqvist entering from the Boston Bruins, a division opponent. Boqvist agreed to a $775,000 AAV one-year contract with the Cats. Boqvist alternated between the Providence Bruins, his AHL team, and the Boston Bruins. In 47 games as a member of the Boston Bruins, he scored 14 points with a +14 rating; in 31 AHL games, he scored 23 points with a +10 rating. “Jesper is a skilled, dynamic forward with a strong skating ability,” Zito said of Boqvist. Boqvist, a center, is most likely going to take Kevin Stenlund’s spot as the Panthers’ fourth-line center. A powerful and aggressive trio representing the Panthers will be formed if Boqvist, Nosek, and the recently extended Gadjovich wind up in the fourth line. It may cause a lot of issues for opponents because of the rugged hockey that Florida plays.
Chris Driedger returns to Florida following the departure of Stolarz. Driedger was selected by the Seattle Krakens during the expansion draft, and he has spent the previous three seasons with the team. Even though his club didn’t win the Calder Cup Finals, Driedger had an excellent season as the starting pitcher for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the previous year. Driedger finished with the second-highest total of saves of his career—952—a 2.26 GAA, and a.917 SV%. His career high of 24 victories and four shutouts is reached. For the backup goalkeeper position, he’ll be up against Spence Knight, who had a.905 SV%, 2.41 GAA, 25 victories, and 5 shutouts.
MacKenzie Entwistle was signed by the Panthers to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV. Entwistle was a former member of the Chicago Blackhawks. In Chicago, he participated in 67 games last season, scoring five goals, a career high. In addition to ranking third in hits (139), he also had the third-most PIMs (47). He will probably be a player who plays for both the AHL Charlotte Checkers and the Panthers squad. Presumably, he would play most of his time with the Checkers and be brought up if injuries were severely hurting the Panthers.
To strengthen the blue line, the Cats acquired Nate Schmidt for $800,000 AAV on a one-year contract. Schmidt was a member of the Winnipeg Jets for 63 games, scoring 14 points and earning a +10 rating. Schmidt has 28 points in 76 postseason games in his postseason career. He was a member of the Vegas Golden Knights lineups that advanced to both the 2020 Western Conference Final and the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. “Nate is a seasoned puck-moving defenseman who we expect to blend in seamlessly with our style of play,” Zito stated.
With a one-year, two-way contract for $775,000 AAV, Jaycob Megna is the last addition to the blue line. Megna was waived by the Kraken before being claimed by the Blackhawks, where he finished the season with two assists in 31 games. Likely to spend the majority of his time down with the Checkers is another depth addition. Balinskis and Bjornfot, who entered the lineup due to a major injury sustained by the defense late in the season and one player missing due to suspension, will most likely see additional time with the starting Panther squad.
Concluding Remarks: In general, the Florida Panthers have secured long-term contracts for their main players through at least 2030; Bennett and Verhaeghe are the next two on that list; they both received extensions, but their existing deals don’t expire until the following season. They replaced the depth players with others who came with a lower salary cap, and were able to retain as many players from their championship squad as they could. The defensive and bottom six positions will see the most adjustments. Getting two-way players that would mesh well with their system was a top priority for the Cats. Florida signed 1.4 above what they were at and spent a lot less than the clubs surrounding them, according to PuckMark’s 5v5 Defense WAR model. This is encouraging for the Panthers’ next season as they attempt to defend their Stanley Cup championship, as the 5v5 was crucial to their postseason success.
