Rocco Grimaldi is no longer wearing a brace on his ankle, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Grimaldi is no longer wearing a brace on his ankle, Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

Analysis:

Grimaldi shedding the ankle brace is a positive sign in terms of his ongoing recovery, but it seems unlikely that the 22-year-old will be healthy enough to suit up for the Panthers' final preseason contest on Saturday. He'll likely begin the 2015-16 season in the AHL, but will be one of the first players the Panthers turn to in case of injury or poor performance.