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The Sunrise Sentinel

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Panthers acquire Duchene from Blackhawks

The Florida Panthers have a GM again, even if it is an interim one, and the new guy - rumoured to be someone in the Colorado Avalanche organization - has already made a trade.

The Panthers traded veteran defenceman Paul Ranger and defensive forward Adam Musil to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, in exchange for star centre Matt Duchene and depth defender Yann Sauve.

Duchene is off to a slow start in Chicago this season after posting 56 points last year with Minnesota. But he's a proven offensive producer and a big addition to the Panthers' top six. Florida now has Duchene, Mikael Granlund, Jansen Harkins, David Backes and David Gustafsson down the middle. Backes is currently serving a four-game suspension.

Ranger, a 36-year-old shutdown defenceman, has an injury that will keep him out another month or more. He's got a goal and two assists in 10 games for Florida this season. Musil, 23, is a budding young defensive forward who can win draws. But he's struggled offensively so far this season, with one assist in 12 games.

Sauve, 30, was more of a throw-in to the deal. He's a physical stay-at-home defender who can handle third-pair minutes if required.

The Panthers already have a fairly strong top six group, including centres Mikael Granlund and Jansen Harkins. Adding Duchene, who can play the middle or left side, opens up some interesting lineup options. Perhaps he plays with superstar Connor Brickley, or lines up beside Harkins on the second line. Someone will have to drop to the third line and it seems likely to be Filip Chytil or Justin Kirkland. The Panthers will have scoring throughout the lineup.
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Panthers get Smith, Beattie from Lightning

The two Florida teams made a rare swap on Saturday night with four players changing addresses.

The Panthers acquired wingers Dalton Smith and Matthew Beattie for right winger Justin Kirkland and centre Logan MacMillan. The teams also swapped second round picks, with Florida trading their second in 2021 for a second in 2023.

Smith, 28, is the biggest piece of the deal for Florida. A hard-hitting defensive forward, Smith brings consistency and grit to the table. With the Panthers sitting fourth in the league in winning percentage, Smith was identified to help them make a long playoff run. He has six goals and 13 points in 47 games this season. He was signed last summer as a free agent by the Colorado Avalanche and then traded to Tampa.

"Smith is the type of fourth-line hitter every good playoff team needs," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "Our fourth line has not done much for us this year. We tried to give Emile Poirier and Henrik Borgstrom some time to develop, but they have not done much. Smith will make sure the other team knows when he's on the ice."

Beattie, also 28, is another former Avalanche forward. He's an offence-first forward with a heavy shot and silky hands who can create offence in a multitude of ways, although he only has 17 points in 39 games this year. Last season he posted 49 points for Colorado, including 22 goals. Beattie is expected to replace Kirkland on the third line.

"Beattie was a bit of an afterthought in the trade, but he'll get a chance to show what he can do. He can produce in the right situation and he's not awful on defence either."

Kirkland, 24, is the youngest and arguably the best player in the trade. He's among the league's best passers and has a defensive conscience, with a tendency to throw big hits. He's in the midst of a career year, with 13 goals and 35 points through 47 games. That's despite being demoted to the third line after the acquisition of Matt Duchene.

"Justin is a well-rounded player with great playmaking skill, and Tampa will surely be happy with him," said Lewis. "However, he was on the outside of the top 6 looking in and we wanted to add a little more jam to the bottom 6. We're very happy with our offensive core. On top of some great centres, we've still got Brickley, MacLeod, Harkins, Chytil and Clarke on the wing."

MacMillan, 31, has spent most of the year in the press box. He's dressed for 12 games, with one goal and one assist.

"He would've been hitting the waiver wire if we kept him, so may as well give our friends in Tampa an extra body."
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Panthers acquire Ryan from Bruins

The Florida Panthers continue to be busy in the trade market in their quest to beef up for a playoff run.

The Panthers traded 22-year-old winger Matthew Strome to the Boston Bruins on Sunday for 33-year-old winger Bobby Ryan.

Ryan has only played 16 games for the Bruins this year, with four points, but the Panthers see him as a big upgrade for their bottom six.

"He's a really solid defensive forward, a great skater and he's strong," said Panthers interim GM Josh Lewis. "He's got modest offensive ability as well. He'll likely slot in on our fourth line but is capable of third line duty. He'll probably kill penalties for us too."

Ryan is owed $900,000 this season and will be a free agent in the summer.

Strome, meanwhile, was a 33rd overall pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 EHEC draft. He's projected to become a similar player to Ryan and is just about NHL-ready. In his first AHL season, he's scored 13 goals and 22 points in 49 games.

"We like his game and he's having a strong year. That being said, the team is having a great season and the time is now. We wanted to show some faith in the boys by adding some talent for the playoffs."

Florida is now believed to be targeting a third-pairing defenceman.
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Panthers continue to load up, add Cowen from Detroit

For a team with an interim GM, the Florida Panthers have been busy bolstering their roster this week.

In their third trade in as many days, the Panthers acquired shutdown defenceman Jared Cowen and a fourth-round pick in 2022 from the Detroit Red Wings for defenceman Troy Donnay and a second in 2022.

Cowen, 30, is under contract for another two years at the low rate of $1.55 million. He has two assists in 51 games this year, but offence is not his job. Cowen has thrown 105 hits, blocked 38 shots and has 77 takeaways.

"He's a big addition to our blueline and we're happy to have him in the fold," said Panthers interim GM Josh Lewis. "He's defence first, a tremendous skater for such a big guy and he's consistent. He's pencilled in as our #5 D, but he's certainly capable of jumping into the top 4 if necessary."

Florida signed Donnay, 27, as a free agent last summer after he spent the previous season with the Nashville Predators. He's also a defensive rearguard with more of a focus on hitting. He's split the season between the Panthers and their AHL affiliate, playing 25 games for each. He has three points for Florida, as well as 52 hits and 51 takeaways.

"Troy is a very competent stay-at-home guy, no doubt," Lewis said. "However, Jared has been doing it in the league for a long time and that kind of experience doesn't come for free. Troy isn't as consistent and his skating needs some work."

The Panthers have now traded their second-round picks in the next two drafts. Their 2021 selection went to Tampa Bay in the Dalton Smith deal, in which Florida got back a second in 2023.

Here's a look at the Panthers' wheeling and dealing the last few days:

In:
Jared Cowen
Bobby Ryan
Dalton Smith
Matthew Beattie
2022 4th
2023 2nd

Out:
Justin Kirkland
Logan MacMillan
Matthew Strome
Troy Donnay
2021 2nd
2022 2nd
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Panthers swap minor leaguers with Senators

Along with some major additions to their roster, the Florida Panthers also made a minor league deal with the Ottawa Senators last week.

Florida traded forward Alexandre Texier to the Sens for forward Emil Bemstrom. Both players are 21 years old and playing in the AHL.

"Ottawa's GM is a Frenchman and he wanted Texier for his farm team, so we were happy to oblige," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "Bemstrom brings more to the table right now in terms of offence. Great hands, good skater and he's disciplined."

Bemstrom has nine goals and 20 points in 56 games this season, his second in the AHL. Texier has not seen much ice time in his rookie pro season, with two goals in 15 games.
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Panthers acquire Miller from Ottawa

The Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators made their second trade of the month on Tuesday night, which sees veteran winger JT Miller sent to the Panthers for a third-round pick in 2022.

Miller, 27, is a stalwart defensive forward with good positioning and man coverage who can also contribute to the offence. He has just three points in 20 games this year, stuck in a depth role on a deep first-place Senators team. His career high is 31 points. He's on the last year of a contract paying him the league minimum of $600,000.

"This deal ensures we can run a bottom six where all six players are defensively responsible, to varying degrees," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "We now have a diverse group of grinders, hitters and penalty killers. Miller is a better fit on our fourth line than Matthew Beattie."

The lines are now expected to look something like this:
Brickley-Duchene-MacLeod
Harkins-Granlund-Chytil
Clarke-Backes-Ryan
Miller-Gustafsson-Smith
Ex: Beattie
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Panthers swing six-player trade with state rivals

Just when you thought the Florida Panthers were done adding, they completed a six-player deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.

The Panthers receive defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, forward Philippe Gogulla and defenceman John St. Ivany in exchange for forward Henrik Borgstrom and defencemen Alex Grant and Noah Carroll.

Byfuglien, 35, is expected to bring a two-way role to the Panthers' third defence pairing alongside fellow recent acquisition Jared Cowen. He's produced 27 points in 60 games this year for Tampa and is under contract for two more years on a cheap deal.

"Our defensive group needed a little more offensive depth and Buff is obviously a very physical defenceman as well. There's the added benefit of being able to play him in the bottom six forwards if we run into injuries," said interim GM Josh Lewis.

Gogulla, 33, was signed as a free agent by Tampa a few weeks ago for league minimum. He's a pure hitter and defensive forward, with no puck skills to speak of. He's pointless in nine games for the Lightning. It's not clear whether he'll be a regular for Florida in the playoffs or a 13th forward who can draw in when a shutdown performance is needed.

"He's a hell of an insurance policy to have in case a guy like Smith or Ryan goes down," said the GM. "Defence wins championships. He's never going to score goals but he can help keep them out of our net."

St. Ivany, 21, is a solid AHL stay-at-home defenceman who may have some NHL depth potential. He's got eight points in 60 AHL games this year. The Lightning signed him as a free agent last summer.

Meanwhile, Florida gives up a couple of roster players who have been on the fringes. Borgstrom, 23, was acquired from Tampa last summer for Sami Vatanen. He's a well-rounded player who leans more to the defensive side and can win draws. But he's managed only two goals and three assists in 43 games spent mostly on the Panthers' fourth line.

"He still has some upside to grow. He's coming off a great rookie pro season last year in the Habs system."

Grant, 32, has been with the Panthers since 2016 but has seen his role diminish this year after being re-upped in the off-season. In 28 games, he has a goal and three assists.

"He's a solid third-pair defender. We just happen to have a phenomenal top four and a fair amount of depth on the blueline so he hasn't gotten much of a crack this year."

Carroll, 23, is in his third AHL season with 12 points in 60 games. He was Florida's third-round pick in the 2016 draft. He's considered a strong prospect but his lack of size and physical play could hold him back. He projects to be an elite positional defender if he can overcome his size.

"Carroll's one of those guys, the potential is big if you can just get him developed, but at 23 he's starting to run out of time and needs an NHL opportunity we just couldn't provide," said the GM.

Florida's lineup now looks like this with a few days before the trade deadline:

Brickley-Duchene-MacLeod
Harkins-Granlund-Chytil
Clarke-Backes-Smith
Miller-Gustafsson-Ryan
Ex: Gogulla, Beattie

Bouchard-Fleury
Granberg-Robak
Byfuglien-Cowen
Ex: Sauve

Gibson
Booth
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Panthers bring back Robak at cheaper price

After letting him walk to free agency, the Florida Panthers re-signed defenceman Colby Robak to a one-year deal worth $950,000 on Saturday.

The shutdown defender made $2.5 million last year and had been asking for $2.9 million.

Sources say the Panthers are on the verge of signing multiple forwards as well.
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Florida adds Dauphin, Klingberg to forward group

The Florida Panthers' goal going into free agency was to add some cheap but useful forwards to help cover the loss of David Backes and several rentals to free agency.

They accomplished that, signing Laurent Dauphin and Carl Klingberg to one-year deals.

Dauphin, 26, will earn $850,000 this season. He didn't get much of an opportunity last season with the rebuilding New Jersey Devils, posting six points in 32 games. But previously he played two productive seasons for the Ottawa Senators, with career highs of 26 goals and 55 points in 2018-19.

"Dauphin is a guy who can contribute on both offence and defence," said Panthers caretaker GM Josh Lewis. "He's a good puck-mover, great hands, and plays a responsible defensive game. Downsides include lack of consistency or physical play. He'll be a regular in our bottom six but has the skill to move up in the lineup if needed."

Klingberg, 30, signed for $750,000. He bounced around last year, spending time with four different teams and finishing the year with the Edmonton Oilers. He posted three goals and seven points across 57 games, and pitched in with five points in nine post-season contests.

"His game is all about hitting and energy," said the GM. "We believe his travels last year had more to do with the salary cap than his ability to play. He's a plus player when it comes to hits, takeaways and shot blocks. Look for him to be a staple on our fourth line."

Both Dauphin and Klingberg are left wingers who can also play centre. Both are average on face-offs but considering neither can play the right side and the departure of Backes, it's likely one will end up in the middle.

Meanwhile, expect Jake DeBrusk to spend the season in the NHL. The Panthers are believed to have roughly $500,000 in cap space and aren't likely to sign any more forwards. They will have 13 with DeBrusk.

He got his first crack at the NHL last year with a goal and assist in 10 games. In 41 AHL contests, he amassed 21 goals and 35 points.
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FLORIDA PANTHERS 2021 Draft Review

After loading up at last year's trade deadline, the Panthers had only four picks in this year's draft.

19. Aatu Raty, C/LW
At one time, Raty was thought to be the first overall pick but that was before his less than ideal draft season. He probably tops out as a third liner, with above average defensive acumen and a physical element. On offence, he's likely to be just average with a solid shot. Not a phenomenal pick at 19, but not terrible either.

79. Samu Tuomaala, RW/LW
We have just received word Tuomaala is being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in a deal that will bring back a potential top six forward. His shot is his biggest strength, with decent hands and puck-moving abilities as well. He's solid defensively but don't expect any physicality.

109. Ty Voit, C/LW
Voit has the potential to be a top nine offensive player, as a good passer with above average hands. But he's another soft forward who doesn't hit, despite being decent on defence.

139. Ilya Ivantsov, C/LW
Florida's current interim GM, who was not involved in the draft process, says he was surprised to see Ivantsov drop this far. While consistency is a moderate concern, Ivantsov is an elite playmaker with good hands who projects to be a borderline top 6 forward. However, like the two previous picks there is no physical aspect to his game at all. He's far from a defensive liability though.
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Panthers season preview

The Florida Panthers have brought back most of their core from last season, when they finished sixth in the league but lost to the New York Rangers in five games in the first round. That includes their entire defence corps and both goalies.

OUT:
David Backes
Blake Clarke
Bobby Ryan
JT Miller
Philip Gogulla
Matthew Beattie
Dalton Smith
Jake DeBrusk

IN:
Sebastian Aho
Maxime Fortier
Laurent Dauphin
Carl Klingberg
Jack Roslovic
Shane Pinto
Yakov Trenin
Luca Sbisa
Austen Brassard

Florida went into free agency lacking enough cap space to ice a full complement of 14 forwards, but now they have 15 or 16 contenders with about $500,000 to spare.

The Panthers will be able to run three scoring lines this season after the additions of Aho, Fortier and Dauphin. They also have Klingberg, Gustafsson and Brassard to form a solid checking line, with possible competition from Trenin and Pinto.

The question in the top 9 is who will play with who. With studs like Connor Brickley, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund and Michael McLeod, along with a supporting cast that includes Aho, Fortier, Jansen Harkins and Filip Chytil, the possible combinations are endless. The only line that isn't possible would be a loaded up line of Brickley, Granlund and Duchene because none of them play right wing. All are first-line talents though.

On defence, all seven regulars from the end of last season are back. Colby Robak walked only to re-sign with the Panthers at a bargain rate. Evan Bouchard got a big raise and Haydn Fleury got a smaller one. Petter Granberg has declined a little on the defensive end but is still a top pair guy. Only question is who will play together on the top two pairings. Jared Cowen and Dustin Byfuglien will continue to form a solid two-way third pair, and Yann Sauve can step in if needed to provide a purely stay-at-home presence.

In net, it will be John Gibson (who got a raise) and Callum Booth once again. It's possible Lukas Dostal could challenge for the backup job after an exceptional pre-season, but the Panthers prefer the more consistent Booth.
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With the pre-season over, here is our predicted lineup for the Florida Panthers to start the 2021-22 season:

Brickley-Duchene-MacLeod
Aho-Granlund-Fortier
Harkins-Dauphin-Chytil
Klingberg-Gustafsson-Brassard
Ex: Trenin, Roslovic

Fleury-Bouchard
Granberg-Robak
Cowen-Byfuglien
Ex: Sauve

Gibson
Booth
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Panthers acquire Latendresse from Hawks

The Florida Panthers tinkered with their forward depth in a swap with the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.

The Cats sent centre Jack Roslovic and a fifth-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for physical winger Guillaume Latendresse.

Latendresse, 34, had been demoted to the AHL because of Chicago's cap problems but has played more than 800 games in the EHEC. Last season he posted a goal and an assist in 20 games with the Arizona Coyotes.

His game is all about hitting and gives the Panthers another fourth-line option. He'll be in the mix with Carl Klingberg, Austen Brassard and Yakov Trenin for ice time.

"Last year we paid more of a premium for bottom-six grinders near the trade deadline. This year we're happy to have them in place early in the season at a cheaper acquisition cost," said interim GM Josh Lewis.

Roslovic, 24, was acquired from the Dallas Stars recently for Jake DeBrusk. He split last season between the Stars and Colorado Avalanche, posting seven goals and 18 points in 66 games as a rookie.

"His skill set isn't really tailored for fourth-line duty, so he wasn't likely to get much action here except to fill in for injuries in the top 9."

Latendresse is paid $100,000 more than Roslovic, under contract for this year and next, which leaves Florida less than $500,000 in cap space.
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Panthers add Pilon, Tryamkin in flurry of trades

The Florida Panthers have been very busy in the trade market this week, pulling off three deals in the past four days.

First, on Friday, the Cats swapped Yann Sauve and a fourth-round pick to Tampa for Nikita Tryamkin, the first of two upgrades to the team's third defence pair.

"That's a nice upgrade for our third pair," said interim GM Josh Lewis.

Tryamkin has yet to play this season due to the Lightning's logjam on D, but had four points in 59 games last year for San Jose. Sauve has appeared in three games this year with one assist.

Then they acquired winger Brian Hart and defenceman Troy Donnay from Detroit for left winger Sebastian Aho.

"Aho has been terrible and we have enough offence to replace him on the second line. Hart is a solid hitter for the bottom six, and we re-acquire Donnay to be our #7 d-man," the GM said.

Aho has just three assists in 12 games this season. Hart has four points in 13 games for Detroit, while Donnay has yet to dress for a game.

Finally, the biggest deal of the three saw Florida trade their 2023 first-rounder and defenceman Jared Cowen to the New Jersey Devils for defenceman Ryan Pilon, 50% retained, and a 2023 fourth.

"We needed more offence on the back end and we added it without downgrading the defence in that spot," said the GM. "Pilon will be a great #5 for us and form a very solid third pair with Tryamkin."

Cowen has three assists in 12 games, while Pilon has notched five assists in 15 games for the Devils.

Veteran swingman Dustin Byfuglien, who has been in slight decline, will be buried in the AHL, where he will count $450,000 against the cap. Word is he has been offered to other teams at 50% retained, which would drop his NHL salary to $625,000.

The Panthers have opened up slightly more cap room with these moves, now sitting at $622,000 under the cap.
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Sbisa shipped to Hawks

The Florida Panthers made a minor deal with the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

The Cats traded veteran defenceman Luca Sbisa to retrieve their own fifth-rounder in the 2023 draft.

Sbisa, 31, was acquired from the Devils in the summer but was sent to the AHL, where he has two assists in three games. He didn't play at all last season.

In 2019-20, the Swiss rearguard posted 21 points in 73 games with the Arizona Coyotes.
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Panthers acquire Buchnevich from Jets

The Florida Panthers have added an infusion of offence for a bargain price, adding winger Pavel Buchnevich from the Winnipeg Jets.

In exchange, the Panthers gave up only a fifth-round pick in 2023.

Buchnevich, 26, is one of the best playmakers in the league and a good skater. He has eight points in 16 games this year for the Jets and makes only $850,000.

"He has some warts, especially on defence, but we really needed some offence," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "We've gotten very little production from Fortier, Chytil or Dauphin this year. We're hoping he works out better than Aho did."

Buchnevich recorded 18 goals and 51 points last year for Winnipeg, both career highs. In 371 EHEC games he has 182 points.

He's expected to slot onto the second line beside Mikael Granlund and Fortier or Chytil.
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Panthers swap Granberg for Kostitsyn

The Florida Panthers swung a major four-player deal with the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday that landed them an elite top line right winger.

The Panthers shipped stud defenceman Petter Granberg to the Windy City, along with grinder Austen Brassard, in exchange for veteran sniper Andrei Kostitsyn and shutdown defender Anton Saveliev.

Kostitsyn, 36, is one of the best shooters in the league and is also good at almost everything else. He has nine goals and 21 points in 21 games this year for Chicago, after posting 30 goals and 79 points last year.

He also has a ton of playoff experience with Chicago, Nashville and Montreal, with 34 goals and 75 points in 87 career post-season games. But he's still looking for his first Cup, and this may be his last chance.

"We're thrilled to get a proven scorer of his calibre," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "His age doesn't really fit with the rest of our roster, that's true, but he's just so damn good. We can't wait to see what kind of chaos a top line of Duchene, Brickley and Kostitsyn can create."

Saveliev, 28, is a one-man wrecking crew on defence. He's one of the most destructive hitters in the league. The recent acquisition of Ryan Pilon allows Florida to put Saveliev on the third pair as a stay-at-home physical defenceman alongside the similar Nikita Tryamkin.

"It's always hard to lose a defenceman as great as Petter Granberg," the GM said. "But it is a positive to add a great shutdown guy to the D core, even an upgrade on Granberg in that department."

Granberg, 29, has starred on the Cats' blueline ever since the EHEC began. In 893 games, he's posted 546 points, which is an average of 50 points a season every year for 11 years. He's also been very durable, at one point playing eight years in a row without missing a game.

This season, he has two goals and seven points in 17 games. The emergence of Evan Bouchard and Haydn Fleury has dropped him to the second pair and helps soften the blow. Even without the face of the franchise, Florida still has a pair of two-way studs on their top pair and a very good bottom 4.

"When you consider our D ratings even after losing Granberg are 85, 85, 85, 83, 81, 80, 79 - we think we can withstand the loss," GM Lewis said.

Brassard, 28, was acquired from the St. Louis Blues in the off-season. His ticket is physical play, but the Panthers have several forwards for that role which means he's only dressed for five games so far. That's after spending last year in the AHL.

"He's a solid fourth line contributor, but we've got Latendresse, Klingberg, Hart, Trenin and Pinto as wingers who can play that style, so it's not a big loss."

With the additions of Kostitsyn and Buchnevich, the Panthers have all kinds of options up front now. Here's a guess at what the lineup could look like:

Duchene-Brickley-Kostitsyn
Buchnevich-Granlund-McLeod
Dauphin-Harkins-Fortier
Klingberg-Gustafsson-Chytil
Ex: Hart, Latendresse

Bouchard-Fleury
Pilon-Robak
Saveliev-Tryamkin
Ex: Donnay

Gustafsson is injured for now, so Yakov Trenin could get in there as the 4C, but when everyone's healthy he's likely to be sent down. The Panthers could also ice a bottom six of Dauphin-Harkins-Chytil and Klingberg-Gustafsson-Hart/Latendresse, leaving Fortier out of the picture entirely.
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Panthers upgrade goaltending in deal with TB

The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning have teamed up on yet another interstate trade.

The Panthers acquired goalie Dylan Wells in exchange for goalie Callum Booth, prospect Ty Voit and a fifth-round pick in 2023.

Wells, 23, has played with Tampa's farm team this year but spent the past three seasons with the New York Islanders. In 86 career EHEC games, he owns a 2.99 ERA and .883 SP. This will be his first time playing on a winning team.

"We're happy to get him. He's a big upgrade on Booth, especially in the consistency department, and he's signed for next year on a cheap deal. We needed a better option behind John Gibson, who's seen a ton of rubber this year and last," said interim GM Josh Lewis.

Wells was a second-round pick of the Islanders in 2016.

Booth, 24, has started only four games this season and lost them all. He fared better last year with 7-4-2-2 record, 2.75 GAA and .886 SP. He also suited up in two playoff games last spring.

"Callum's a decent backup and he has a future in the league. We're just trying to upgrade every position we can right now."

Voit was the Panthers' fourth-round pick in 2021, 109th overall. He has the potential to be a top nine offensive player, as a good passer with above average hands, but his lack of any physicality could hold him back.

The Panthers now lead the Southeast Division after a crucial win over the Lightning, and are top five in the league by points percentage.
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Panthers acquire Kartayev from Coyotes

The Florida Panthers have made a change to their bottom six forward group in a three-player deal with the Arizona Coyotes.

The Panthers picked up two-way winger Vladislav Kartayev in exchange for centre Jansen Harkins and winger Maxime Fortier.

Kartayev, 29, is a pending UFA who plays a physical game but has some offensive ability as well. He has six goals and 10 points in 32 games with the Yotes this season.

"He's a great piece for our third line who could jump up to the second unit if necessary," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "We needed another physical defensive forward who can contribute up front as well."

Harkins, 24, has spent his entire career with the Panthers. He's a talented player with a responsible defensive game but no physical presence. Harkins has 15 points in 31 games this season.

"It's tough to lose him, but with Kartayev making $3.6 million some salary had to be shipped out," the GM said. "We still have a good amount of offence in the top nine. Laurent Dauphin, who is looking like a great free-agent signing, will move back over to centre on the third line between Hart and Kartayev. Harkins has a bright future and we wish him well in the desert."

Fortier, 24, was acquired from Detroit earlier this year to add some offensive punch to the lineup, but has struggled greatly to the point of spending time in the press box. He has managed a goal and four points in 22 games after posting 41 points for the Red Wings last season.

"It just didn't work out for him here, and that's a decent chunk of salary for a healthy scratch on a team that's close to the cap like ours," the GM said. "He's got the ability to turn it around though."

As to whether the Cats can afford to bring Kartayev back next year, that remains to be seen. He's due a $700,000 raise.
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Cats swap Trenin for Budish

The Florida Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks agreed on a two-player swap on Tuesday that sees the club trade forwards.

Florida shipped versatile forward Yakov Trenin to the Hawks in exchange for veteran winger Zach Budish.

Budish, 30, was recently waived by the Hawks due to their cap crunch, but is expected to step into the Panthers' bottom six. He has two goals and five points in 27 games this season, along with 54 hits and 50 takeaways. He's played 765 EHEC games with 259 points, though his job is not often reflected on the scoresheet.

"He brings more physicality and strength to our group, with a decently well-rounded game. Something had to give. Our play the last few weeks has been unacceptable. We know this squad is significantly better than its current eighth place standing in the East. This isn't a big move, but hopefully it will shake some players," said interim GM Josh Lewis.

Trenin, 25, has only played 11 games for the Panthers since coming over from New Jersey in the summer. He's a similar player, though not quite as physical as Budish. He can play centre but struggled greatly on draws while David Gustafsson was injured, with a measly 37% win rate.

"Yakov would find a home somewhere on most teams' rosters, but on our veteran-laden team it hasn't worked out for him," the GM said. "Shane Pinto projects as a similar, perhaps slightly better player and has been biding his time in the AHL, so the loss doesn't concern us too much."

Budish is expected to take Brian Hart's place on the third line, though with a plethora of similar players like Gustafsson, Carl Klingberg and Guillaume Latendresse, there are plenty of options for bottom six configurations.
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Panthers acquire Hischier from Isles

The Florida Panthers continue to tinker with their bottom six forward group, swinging a three-player deal with the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

The Panthers acquired centre Luca Hischier in exchange for winger Brian Hart and forward prospect Aatu Raty.

Hischier, 26, is a well-rounded checking player and a faceoff wizard with a 59.5% success rate at the dot this season. He has six goals and 10 points in 41 games on a struggling Islanders team and is signed for another year at $2.1 million.

"He's an elite skater, strong on his skates with a good shot, and most importantly the third-line faceoff man we've been looking for all season," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "We've struggled to replace David Backes and while Luca certainly isn't the same player, we're hoping he'll shore up our third line."

Raty, 19, was arguably the Panthers' top prospect after being selected 19th overall in the 2021 draft. However, he is projected as a third line forward at the NHL level.

"The team was under league custody when he was drafted and to be frank, it wasn't a great value pick at that spot. He projects to be a similar player to Hischier actually, with a little less offensive ability and obviously being a winger," the GM said. "Meanwhile we're happy with how Philip Tomasino, Jamieson Rees and Shane Pinto are developing on the farm this year."

Hart, 28, was acquired from Detroit earlier this season. The veteran bottom-six winger was bumped out of the lineup after the team picked up Zach Budish from Chicago a few weeks ago. He has two goals and eight points in 38 games between the Wings and Panthers.

Hischier is expected to play between Laurent Dauphin and Vladislav Kartayev on Florida's new-look third line. As for the fourth unit, there are now three physical wingers fighting for two spots alongside young centre David Gustafsson. He's been flanked by Carl Klingberg and Guillaume Latendresse most of the year but Budish will also push for time.
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Cats send Dauphin to Rangers as retool beckons

This season has not gone the way the Florida Panthers expected, and now they've begun the process of shipping out depth players on the last year of their contract.

The Panthers traded left winger Laurent Dauphin to the New York Rangers on Wednesday, along with a fourth-round pick in 2023, for a second-rounder this year and a third in 2024.

Dauphin, 26, signed a one-year, $850,000 deal with the Cats in free agency last summer. His game has progressed at both ends of the ice in South Florida and while he's been a staple on their third line, he has the offensive ability to play top six. His production this year, 12 points in 44 games, reflects his usage but not his upside.

''He's worked out better than we expected. He was one of several forwards we signed when we had to let a few guys walk and replace them while staying under the cap. He's filled in at centre when needed as well," interim GM Josh Lewis said. "Although we would have been fine with bringing him back next year, it was a chance to get solid futures after trading away a lot of them over the last year and a half."

The second-rounder belongs to Winnipeg and will be very late in the round, but the Panthers expect to find a future NHL talent with it.

Word around the league is Florida has also made Pavel Buchnevich, Carl Klingberg, Vladislav Kartayev, Zach Budish, Colby Robak, Anton Saveliev and Troy Donnay available for the right price. Starter John Gibson could also be moved depending on the return.
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Klingberg shipped to Ottawa

The Florida Panthers have now traded both forwards acquired in the free-agent market last summer. On Wednesday, they sent left winger Carl Klingberg to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Paul Dejersey and a fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft.

Klingberg, 31, has been a staple on the Panthers' fourth line this year. A hard-hitting grinder with the ability to play centre, he has five goals and 12 points through 43 games in Florida this season. He was signed to a one-year deal in the summer at $750,000.

"He did a good job here, and we'll miss him," said interim GM Josh Lewis. "But we do have several similar players still kicking around here."

Dejersey, 29, is a good skater with soft hands and strong defensive positioning. But he got caught in a numbers game with Ottawa and has spent the season in the AHL, where he has 25 goals in 43 games. He's expected to join the Panthers, though whether he's a regular or hangs out in the press box remains to be seen.
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Re: The Sunrise Sentinel

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Panthers ship out Kartayev, recall Tomasino

Vladislav Kartayev's time in South Florida was much shorter than the team or the player expected.

After being acquired from Arizona in late December, Kartayev was traded away just six weeks later.

The Panthers sent the veteran winger to the Ottawa Senators earlier this week in exchange for second-round picks in 2023 and 2024, and prospect Tyson Kozak.

Kartayev, 30, has eight goals and 17 points in 51 games this year between the Yotes and Cats. A physical two-way player, he was acquired to anchor the Panthers' third line but with it being increasingly clear they will squeak into the playoffs at best, the team started shipping out players on expiring contracts.

Florida gave up Jansen Harkins and Maxime Fortier to acquire him.

"Things haven't worked out the way we planned this season, but ultimately we're happy with the return," said GM Josh Lewis. "It was tough back then to part with Harkins, but two 2nds and a decent prospect is solid. Harkins was ultimately going to price himself out of Sunrise and he was blocked out of the top six."

The picks could easily be moved for players in the future, since Florida plans to be a contender the next couple of seasons.

Kozak, a centre, was a third-round pick of the Senators in the 2021 draft.

"He could be a fourth-line centre option in a few years. Not much offence to speak of, but he looks to be a very responsible defensive player."

Meanwhile, the Panthers have called up top prospect Philip Tomasino, their first-round pick in 2019, 20th overall. He has been tearing it up in his first AHL season, with 28 goals and 76 points in 52 games. He's expected to play on the third line alongside Luca Hischier and Shane Pinto, another prospect who was recently called up.
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Re: The Sunrise Sentinel

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Florida Panthers 2022/23 Season Preview

Arriving a fashionable one month late, the Florida Panthers Season "Preview" is here, complete with commentary from the future!

After an up and down season that ended with a playoff berth despite a brutal losing streak to finish the season, the Panthers were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup Finalist Montreal Canadiens, although the team did give an admirable effort that was perhaps deserving of at least a win or two rather than a sweep.

Given the inconsistent nature of The Panthers' performance in the 2021/22 EHEC season, the team has approached the 2022/23 season as a retooling year, taking on contracts in exchange for assets, and going hunting for potential bargains in free agency. (Your mileage may vary on how successful that hunt was.)

While normally there may have been an argument to possibly tear things down and commit to a full rebuild, Florida not owning their own 2023 first rendered that a moot point, and instead the team is working around building for the future without compromising the cap beyond the current season.


Forwards
While the core of the Panthers forwards remains untouched from last season, the surrounding roster has seen a major overhaul.

Core Forwards: Connor Brickley, Michael McLeod, Mikael Granlund, Matt Duchene
The core four are expected to pick up where they left off last year, although a repeat Rocket Richard win for Matt Duchene is probably a bit hopeful given his career average numbers. (Duchene has apparently decided he scored enough goals last season to earn a break to start this one) Perhaps Connor Brickley might finally snag that elusive Art Ross win.

Secondary Forwards: Rasmus Kupari, Kasperi Kapanen, Luca Hischier, Laurent Dauphin, Corey Perry, Keegan Kolesar
New arrivals Kapanen and Perry are expected to join Kupari in helping spread offense throughout the lineup, while Dauphin and Kolesar should join Hischier in helping to shoulder more of the defensive load while still providing some offense.

Depth Forwards: Thomas Vanek, Andrew Ladd, Anthony Duclair, David Gustafsson, Adam Beckman
The combined $10.24M that are the shells of Andrew Ladd and Thomas Vanek are planned to put their still useful shooting and hitting abilities to work providing at least some offence for Florida's H&G and NZT lines, although they aren't expected to be major contributors. (Apparently Vanek was offended by that expectation, and has collected the third most points on the team at a near PPG pace, despite only playing ~13 minutes a night)

Duclair is cheap depth for the lineup, While Beckman and Gustafsson are young players that are expected to get developmental playing time during the season, but are currently residing in the minors due to waiver and salary reasons.


Defencemen
The Panthers defence corps had significantly less overhaul than the forwards did.
Colby Robak, Ryan Murphy, and Troy Donnay have departed, with Quinn Hughes, Darnell Nurse, and Markus Niemeläinen joining the organization.

Core Defencemen: Evan Bouchard, Quinn Hughes, Ryan Pilon, Darnell Nurse, Nikita Tryamkin
The arrival of Hughes via the big trade of the offseason provides a proper top pairing counterpart for Bouchard, while also pushing Pilon and Tryamkin down the lineup, improving on the departed Murphy and Donnay. Nurse meanwhile, fills a similar shutdown role as the one Colby Robak did last season, while costing significantly less to do so.

Depth Defencemen: Devante Stephens, Markus Niemeläinen, Nils Lundkvist
Stephens and Niemeläinen fill similar roles in the defense without having too much of a skill gap, and are the 6th and 7th d-men. Lundkvist being ineligible for waivers is the first man up from the minors, while also being more offense oriented than the other depth defencemen.


Goaltenders
Big League Tenders: Magnus Hellberg, Ilya Konovalov, Henrik Lundqvist
(Disclaimer: All predictions were made prior to whatever crimes against the fanbase the Panthers' goaltenders have decided to provide so far this season)
After the mess that was the post-trade deadline strategy of "Dylan Wells, #1 Goaltender", The Panthers decided to go out and acquire some fresh faces to fill both goaltending spots. After all, it can't get too much worse than the end of last season, right?
Image

Hellberg is expected to be the number one tender, fresh off his cup run with Dallas. Konovalov on the other hand is being brought in as a backup after a solid season of doing so in Colorado.
Meanwhile, despite Hank going 36/38 in a stellar preseason victory over a fully loaded Chicago squad, he's primarily been brought in as injury insurance and to provide leadership for the AHL squad. (Although the way things are going he's going to end up back in the EHEC)

AHL Tenders: Lukas Dostal, Olaf Lindbom
Both of the Panthers young AHL goaltenders are coming off of a fairly disappointing showing last season, and the hope is at least one of them can take the next step and put things together this year. (Ironically the one bright spot of Panthers goaltending so far is Lindbom and Dostal both being in the top three save percentages to start the AHL season.)


Season Expectations
The Panthers are on a solid track right now, and the biggest goal for this season is to continue to develop the team's young players in anticipation of being more competitive next year. (when cap space is at less of a premium) While qualifying for the playoffs would certainly be welcome, it isn't a make or break aspect of the season. With a proper top pairing on defense and a more well rounded group of forwards, the Panthers look to be improved from last year, even if it's mostly on paper so far. With a return to average play in net, they should have a decent chance at qualifying for the playoffs.
Last edited by PanthersGM on Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:09 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: The Sunrise Sentinel

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Florida Panthers 2022 Draft Review

After a myriad of trades, (including shipping out the 12th overall pick to the Rangers in a crushing fit of sentimentality) the Panthers ended up with seven selections in the 2022 draft, each of them more of an insane gamble than the last.

#1. R/L Danila Yurov (25th Overall)
A high risk/high reward prospect, Yurov was the first of the POT boosters selected by Florida. If he finds that extra level, Yurov has the chance to be a well rounded top/middle 6 forward. If he doesn’t, he’ll make a good body to help fill out San Antonio’s roster.

#2. D Mattias Hävelid (40th Overall)
Not content with having just traded the 12th overall pick and Philip Tomasino for Quinn Hughes, the Panthers used pick 40 to select a right handed Hughes-Lite. Hävelid projects as a solid offensive d-man, but with the right training he has the ceiling to potentially drop the “lite” part of Hughes-lite.

#3. C/L Luca Del Bel Belluz (54th Overall)
While he’ll never be the most consistent player on the ice, Del Bel Belluz is well rounded, with his shooting ability standing out from the pack. If he can figure out his skating, Del Bel Belluz has the the potential to be a solid middle six forward.

#4. D Matthew Morden (93rd Overall)
The second booster (and first double booster) of Florida’s draft, Morden could potentially end up as a solid defensive defenceman, similar to current Panthers Nikita Tryamkin and Darnell Nurse. If luck isn’t on his side, he’ll most likely end up filling out San Antonio’s bottom pairing.

#5. R/L Cameron Lund (102nd Overall)
Lund projects as a decent bottom six winger, most likely as a grinder but with some wiggle room to overdevelop his stickhandling and skating.

#6. C/R Jared Wright (136th Overall)
Booster number three and double booster number two, as an over-ager Wright was able to be signed and boost right away, and lo and behold, he pulled off the double boost! Following the discovery of Wright’s vastly improved ceiling during the preseason, he now projects as a possible middle six forward, although a bottom six role is a safer bet.

#7. C/L Ludwig Persson (143rd Overall)
Booster number four and the last pick of the Panther’s draft, Persson is yet another double booster. If things pan out, he projects as a bottom six forward. If not he could still find an AHL role in the organization.
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