Reviewing the 2024 offseason for Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers achieved the ultimate goal earlier this year by winning the first Stanley Cup in team history. Like most champions in the salary-cap era, the Panthers have their work cut out for them regarding filling out their depth options for the upcoming campaign. Florida has done well to keep most of its core talent together, but the negative externalities of the team’s run of success have created some holes further down the lineup.

Draft

2-58: C Linus Eriksson, Djurgardens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
3-97: D Matvei Shuravin, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)
4-129: C Simon Zether, Rogle BK (SHL)
6-169: C Stepan Gorbunov, Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)
6-193: F Hunter St. Martin, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
7-201: G Denis Gabdrakhmanov, Tyumenski Legion (MHL)

It was always going to be difficult for Florida to make any noise during the draft due to their lack of draft capital. The organization swung some trades to acquire additional capital, but only came away with one player projected to make an impact.

Eriksson is a legitimate NHL prospect after securing a solid season last year with Djurgardens IF. The young center scored three goals and 11 points in 29 regular-season contests and showed a knack for being a physical presence in all three zones. He was a star on the international stage last season scoring seven goals and 22 points in 22 international contests while playing for Sweden’s U18 squad.

Zether is the only other draft pick from the Panthers this summer that could become a fixture in Florida’s future lineup. Zether managed 42 games in the Swedish Hockey League last year while securing four assists. Rogle also kept him around for the playoffs with the team eventually losing in the Finals.

UFA Signings

D Adam Boqvist (one year, $775K)*
F Jesper Boqvist (one year, $775K)*
G Chris Driedger (one year, $795K)
F MacKenzie Entwistle (one year, $775K)*
F A.J. Greer (two years, $1.7M)
D Jaycob Megna (one year, $775K)*
F Tomas Nosek (one year, $775K)*
D Nate Schmidt (one year, $800K)

*denotes a two-way contract

Most of Florida’s available cap space went to Sam Reinhart and his new eight-year, $69M contract. The team took a similar approach to last summer to find buy-low bargains on the open market.

The organization hopes that (Adam) Boqvist and Schmidt become a buy-low bargain as the Panthers require help on their blue line. The former is not far removed from being a top defensive prospect, but has seen his career hampered by injuries up to this point. He recently scored five goals and 24 points in 46 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022-23 NHL season, but the team cut him loose after only posting one goal and 10 points in 39 games last year.

Schmidt will probably have a longer leash than Boqvist on the back end due to his lengthy experience and he could even sneak into the team’s top four. Schmidt is a trustworthy defenseman as evidenced by his 50.6 career CorsiFor percentage and he should be a seamless fit in Florida’s playstyle.

RFA Re-Signings

F Anton Lundell (six years, $30M)

Lundell has been a terrific middle-six option for the Panthers since his rookie campaign three years ago. He’s already collected 216 games in Florida with 43 goals and 112 points. He gives the Panthers another offensive player who can carry responsibility in all situations. The young Finnish forward was a major tool in the Panthers capturing their first Stanley Cup earlier this year with three goals and 17 points in 24 postseason contests.

Departures

D Lucas Carlsson (San Jose, two years, $1.6M)
F Nick Cousins (Ottawa, one year, $800K)
D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto, four years, $14M)
D Casey Fitzgerald (NY Rangers, two years, $1.55M)*
G Magnus Hellberg (Dallas, one year, $775K)*
F Ryan Lomberg (Calgary, two years, $4M)
D Brandon Montour (Seattle, seven years, $50M)
F Kevin Stenlund (Utah, two years, $4M)
G Anthony Stolarz (Toronto, two years, $5M)
F Vladimir Tarasenko (Detroit, two years, $9.5M)

*denotes a two-way contract

It was going to be next to impossible for Florida to keep around all its depth from last season and the team lost quite a bit this summer. The most concerning losses will be Montour and Ekman-Larsson on the blue line as the two combined for 17 goals and 65 points in 146 regular-season games. The team still has Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad left to carry the load, but the Panthers will need major improvements from other members of their defensive core to replicate that success.

The trio of Cousins, Lomberg, and Stenlund were not game-breakers in their own right, but their presence will be missed. That group of forwards gave Florida a certain level of grit last year making them irritating to play against. The team should be able to replicate its tenacity throughout the season and at the trade deadline, but it seems like an edge it's missing headed into this year.

Salary-Cap Outlook

The Panthers have a similar situation to last year with only $766K in cap space heading into the regular season. The team will continue to accrue cap space throughout the regular season and should be able to upgrade their roster once the trade deadline rolls around. The team’s core is still intact meaning they won’t need to add any high-level talent via trade this year so it is in a good position to be competitive again. Nex summer could be dramatic as Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Carter Verhaeghe are expected to reach unrestricted free agency.

Key Questions

Where Will The Physicality Come From? Florida was one of the most physical teams last year with 12 players recording more than 100 hits on the year. Four of those players left via free agency meaning the Panthers will need to supplant the missing toughness. It has become a part of their team identity and a tool for their success. Megna is the only addition from this offseason who could reach 100 hits throughout an entire regular season, but this already feels like something the team will need to address at the trade deadline.

What Is The Plan For Spencer Knight? It was not long ago when Knight was one of the most exciting goaltending prospects in the league. He achieved an impressive run during the 2021-22 campaign, leading the Panthers to extend him on a three-year, $13.5M contract. Sergei Bobrovsky took back the reigns in a turn of events that eventually led to Knight spending the entirety of last year with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. He played well with the Checkers earning a 25-14-5 record in 45 games with a .905 save percentage and is projected to play backup for Bobrovsky this season. Still, Knight’s $4.5M salary is one of the highest in the league for a backup netminder, and the cap-strapped Panthers may look to move on from him if they get a reasonable offer.