Breaking down the Florida Panthers ahead of NHL Free Agency.
Pending free agents
Unrestricted: 16 | Restricted: 7 | See full list
[teamleaders league=”nhl” team=”fla” season=”2013″]
Panthers overview
General manager Dale Tallon is sick of losing. The 29th-place Panthers, who scooped Buffalo for the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft lottery, could be the most enthusiastic sellers you’ll find in the NHL. Under new owner Vinnie Viola, the team fired its head coach midseason and its interim head coach after whiffing on the playoffs for the second straight year and 12th time in the last 13 seasons. They ranked amongst the bottom of the league in offence, defence and special teams in 2013-14.
Tallon has publicly and repeatedly put his veterans on notice and appears ready to detonate what’s left of his team in order to build toward the future. Viola has told Tallon he can spend to the salary cap ceiling this summer; he wants to dress a competitive team and draw fans into the empty seats. Which is one reason the team brought back No.1 goaltender and local favourite Roberto Luongo to the crease in March. Build from the net out, right?
Florida has a blue chipper in Aleksander Barkov, but would likely listen to offers on any of its other assets. With so many regulars not under contract in 2014-15 — Dmitry Kulikov, Brad Boyes, Tom Gilbert, Scott Gomez — the Panthers are a wise bet to undergo the league’s most drastic overhaul by next autumn.
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Areas to address
Top-pairing defenceman Brian Campbell still has two years left on a deal that pays him more than $7.1 million per. He reportedly wants out of town, so Tallon could try to appease him with a trade or, through other trades and signings, make Florida a more appealing place to play. The team’s other defencemen of value are free agents. Tallon should re-sign youngsters Dmitry Kulikov (age 23) — a constant source of trade rumours — and Erik Gudbranson (22).
To build around Barkov and (likely) 2012 Calder Trophy winner Jonathan Huberdeau, 21, Tallon must assemble a crew of forwards who can fill the net and execute with the man advantage. A free agent like Matt Moulson, a natural goal scorer unlikely to return to Minnesota, would be a nice addition. Unrestricted free agents Tom Gilbert and Scott Gomez are likely to walk.
The Luongo acquisition has signified the Panthers’ desire to win sooner rather than later. That’s why we see Tallon dangling the No. 1 pick in the draft. He’ll be hoping to get at least a first-round pick and an impact player in return. This will be a team that’s more fun to watch off the ice than on.
Possible signing targets
Brandon Pirri (C): Buried under all that talent in Chicago, Pirri was a sweet deadline addition for Florida. The 23-year-old scored 14 points in 21 games with the Panthers and relished the ice time.
Dmitry Kulikov (D): Much scouted by the opposition, the Russian d-man has the potential to be a top-four for a decade.
Matt Moulson (LW): The sniper needs a home, and Florida needs scoring in the worst way. Moulson’s fourth sweater in the span of a year could have a cat on it.
