Brian Campbell, Dmitry Kulikov, Erik Gudbranson, Willie Mitchell, Al Montoya, Quinton Howden, Dylan Olsen, Rocco Grimaldi, Teddy Purcell, and Jiri Hudler are out the door.
Enter Keith Yandle, Jason Demers, Mark Pysyk, Jared McCann, Jonathan Marchessault, Colton Sceviour, James Reimer, Reto Berra, Dryden Hunt, Jayce Hawryluk, and Ian McCoshen, .
The Florida Panthers made several smart moves that addressed immediate needs. Clearly the 23rd ranked power play last season left much to be desired. Adding Yandle and Demers will immediately help this unit move up the rankings.
Losing 4 of 6 starting defensemen had Panther Nation a bit uneasy about the look and identity of the blue line moving forward. Pysyk is statistically far and away a better possession player than Kulikov. However, trading for a relatively unknown Buffalo commodity for a fan favorite in Kulikov created some nervousness.
Business is business, and the $4.5 million Kulikov is making was not worth the return (17 points last season), and Pysyk fits more of the analytical approach Florida is taking towards roster decisions.
GM Tom Rowe expects Pysyk to develop into a top-4 defenseman. Time will tell if this becomes reality, but at $1.25 million per year it is a much easier pill to swallow. Signing the talented McCoshen to his entry level deal will help in offsetting the grit and toughness that was lost with Gudbranson's exit. He will be given every opportunity to earn a starting job in camp.
Such moves allowed the Panthers to comfortably finalize Aaron Ekblad's 8-year, $60 million extension. "I've always expressed my interest to be here for a really long time," said Ekblad. "I want to be here forever."
The contract is the richest contract in franchise history and the most lucrative second contract for a defenseman in NHL history.
Players around the league are taking notice of what the Panthers and players like Ekblad are doing. Setting a franchise record in points last season as well as finishing 2nd in the East goes a long way towards sending the message this team belongs in Cup contender conversations.
In addition to Ekblad, Sasha Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck, Reilly Smith, Nick Bjugstad, Alex Petrovic, and Mike Matheson are just the type of young core veteran players want to join.
Yandle and Demers likely could have received more money elsewhere, but both wanted to be in Florida and said as much after agreeing to terms.
Expect that trend to continue.
Having old man Jagr on the team doesn't hurt recruiting efforts either. Since his arrival Feb 29th of 2014 the organization has been sparked. He has 33 goals and 84 points in 99 regular season games and lead the team in points last season. In May he re-signed for another year in Florida at $4 million. The likelihood of him making an extra $1.5 million on the deal in bonuses is very likely as he earns another $300,000 each time he hits the 10, 20, 30, 40, and 45 games played marks.
Jagr, 44, will enter the 2016-17 season just 19 points behind Mark Messier and second place on the NHL's all-time scoring list (1,887).
Reimer was a hot commodity in the goalie market and had other options, but the chance to be an understudy to Roberto Luongo and join a team trending upward was too good to pass up. At $3.4 million annually it is a good insurance plan for Luongo who is recovering from hip surgery. Reports are he might not be ready to start the season which means Reimer would be the starter indefinitely until Louie is ready to go.
When Erik Gudbranson was traded to Vancouver for Jared McCann, shockwaves were felt throughout the league and especially in Florida. When the team comes off their most successful season ever and was only abominable officiating away from at least a 2nd round appearance in the playoffs, the path of least resistance is to keep things relatively the same.
Not only did Rowe & Co. not sit on their hands but they made intelligent, shrewd, calculated moves to solidify the team with depth and leadership that should result in taking the next step. We won't know how the current team chemistry compares to last year until October/November, but on paper this team is better than it was two months ago, including financially. Simply put, the money is now working smarter regarding personnel, sans Dave Bolland.
With continued success, more free agents will want to join the party. For decades the Panthers were a place to finish out a career or just pick up a paycheck before hitting the beach. Those days are over, and the NHL is aware.
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Media
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