Offseason Outlook: Florida Panthers
With the offseason underway for a number of teams, with the remainder to join them in a few weeks, we're looking at what's in store for each club in the coming months.
2016-17 Grade: D
The Florida Panthers finished first in the Atlantic Division in 2015-16 with 103 points, but wound up sixth this season with just 81 points. The only reason a decline like this didn't receive an F grade was because arguably their three best players - D Aaron Ekblad, C Aleksander Barkov, and LW Jonathan Huberdeau - missed large chunks of the season due to injury.
Free Agents
Luckily, the Panthers don't have many key players needing contracts come July 1:
| Player (Position) | 2017-18 Status | Age | 2016-17 Cap Hit | '16-17 Points/SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaromir Jagr (RW) | UFA | 45 | $4M | 46 |
| Thomas Vanek (LW) | UFA | 33 | $1.3M | 48 |
| Jakub Kindl (D) | UFA | 30 | $2.04M | 4 |
| Reto Berra (G) | UFA | 30 | $1.45M | .876 |
| Michael Sgarbossa (C) | RFA | 24 | $600K | 7 |
| Mark Pysyk (D) | RFA | 25 | $1.125M | 17 |
| Alex Petrovic (D) | RFA | 25 | $1.05M | 14 |
They could opt to re-sign veteran forwards Jagr and Vanek, but both are disposable. Pysyk and Petrovic are their fifth and sixth D-men, so both are replaceable if they can't be retained.
2017 Draft Picks
The Panthers have five picks in the coming draft.
| Round | Picks |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 (10th overall) |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 (from Coyotes) |
| 4 | 0 |
| 5 | 1 |
| 6 | 1 (from Ducks) |
| 7 | 0 |
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Summer Priorities
The Panthers must do the following this summer:
1. Hire a coach: The Panthers have yet to hire a head coach to replace Tom Rowe. Considering the club already has a good, young core in place, finding a suitable coach needs to be priority No. 1.
There are still plenty of household names available: Darryl Sutter, Michel Therrien, Bob Hartley, Dan Bylsma, Marc Crawford, and Paul MacLean. It would behoove the Panthers to hire someone with experience and pedigree, given that they have a young team that is ready to compete right now.
2. Acquire a top-six forward: Here is how Florida's top-six forward group is projected to look if they don't re-sign Jagr or Vanek:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Huberdeau | Aleksander Barkov | Jonathan Marchessault |
| Jussi Jokinen | Vincent Trocheck | Reilly Smith |
Jokinen is 34 years old and really struggled this past season. He is under contract for one more season at $4 million. He can still be a useful player in the bottom six, capable of jumping back up into the top six when injuries strike. But it would be wise to add another legitimate top-six forward, or even two if possible.
This will be tough to do though, considering Aaron Ekblad's $7.5-million cap hit kicks in next season, so general manager Dale Tallon will have to get creative with his few remaining dollars. Acquiring a veteran that the market could overlook simply due to age - such as Radim Vrbata or Justin Williams - wouldn't be a bad idea. Bringing Jagr or Vanek back shouldn't be ruled out, either.
3. Acquire depth at all positions: The Panthers surprisingly don't have many holes for a team coming off a poor season. If either Roberto Luongo or James Reimer departs in the expansion draft, they will need to look for a backup goaltender.
Otherwise, they should simply look to acquire depth at all positions, so they can stay afloat if injuries strike once again. They are up against the cap, so signing big-name free agents is essentially out of the question.
2017-18 Outlook
The Panthers will succeed in 2017-18 as long as they stay healthy. Barkov, Trocheck, and Nick Bjugstad represent great depth down the middle. They have a stout top-four D, and - if Luongo and Reimer are both back - a solid goaltending tandem. Adding some offensive punch would solidify them as an Atlantic Division contender.
Offseason Outlook Series
COL | VAN | NJD | ARI | BUF
DET | DAL | FLA | LAK | CAR
WPG | PHI | TBL | NYI | WSH
TOR | CGY | BOS | SJS | STL
NYR | EDM | MTL | ANA | MIN
CBJ | CHI | OTT | PIT | NAS
LGK