As the trade deadline approaches, and the Panthers are by and large out of the playoff race, it's time to take a look at who may be heading out of town.
Late December it looked like the Panthers might be buyers at the deadline as they were pulling themselves out of the disastrous hole the created for themselves to start the season. But January and February have not been kind, and Florida is already in the familiar position of looking towards the NHL Draft.
With owner Vinny Viola giving the kingdom keys and the checkbook to GM Dale Tallon, it would only make sense for him to make some deals that will free up even more room for this summer's spending spree, or acquire some good players of teams also out of the race. He can then call some of the young guys up from San Antonio. Drew Shore, Quinton Howden, Alex Petrovic, Vince Trochek, and a few others could be considered for full time duty the rest of the way if one or all of the following players are traded by next week.
Here are the most likely Panthers to be dealt:
1)Tomas Fleischmann (5G, 18A, -8)- After leading the Panthers in scoring his first two seasons with the club, he has come crashing down to earth. He only has 5 goals this season and is -8. No doubt he is very talented, but a change of scenery might be the best thing for him. He is the highest paid forward on the team, so it may be hard to move his $4.5 million salary, especially when he has one more season left on his current contract, but surely Tallon will try.
2) Tim Thomas (15-18-3, .910 SV%, 2.80 GAA) - Thomas was given a tryout last summer and won the starting job rather easily. While he has had a few bad games here and there he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down at 39 years of age. He's battled a few groin injuries, but he's only a few years removed from winning the Stanley Cup. Surely there are a few teams in the playoff race that would love to have Thomas' talent and fire for the stretch run. He is on a 1-year contract worth $3.75 million. He said he would be open to returning to South Florida next season, so if he is dealt this could be a true rental situation.
3) Dmitri Kulikov (6G, 6A, -12)- This has to be very tough on Tallon, because trading away a potential star is never an easy thing to do. Kulikov shows all the potential in the world and at times is dominant. He has a great shot and good toughness, but he is prone to bonehead plays and passes often. His inconsistency is worrisome, but another team may be willing to pay handsomely for a player who needs a change of scenery to move forward. Wednesday will be his 290th game in the NHL, and if 300 is the standard benchmark for what a defenseman does or doesn't have in his game, it may be time to say goodbye. A team can never have too many quality defensemen, but Kulikov was involved in a contentious contract negotiation last summer, and is scheduled to be an RFA this summer. He is making $2.5 million this season.
4) Brad Boyes (15G, 11A, +1)- Like Thomas, Boyes was given the opportunity to make the team on a tryout basis and he made the most of it. If it wasn't for a few posts and bad breaks he would far and away be leading the team in points. As it sits he is second behind Scottie Upshall. He has always been able to score, yet was thought to be a defensive liability. His +1 is quite impressive on a bad team, and he is also great in shootouts. He might have the highest trade value of all current Panthers that are "movable." He is on a 1-year deal worth $1 million.
5) Tom Gilbert(3G, 22A, -5)- He has shown flashes of being a good offensive defenseman, and for a brief time in January he was tied for the team lead in points. Of course that is more of an indictment on team production than anything, but that aside Gilbert has been a very solid defenseman in South Florida. For a playoff team needing some veteran help on the blue line with some offensive upside, Gilbert could be the guy. His prorated $900,000 salary won't hurt at all either. Perhaps Tallon tries to keep him around and offer an extension, but if the deal is right, Gilbert is gone. He is scheduled to be a UFA at the end of the year.
6) Sean Bergenheim (13G, 6A, -4)- It took a while for him to put his groin injury issues behind him, but it looks as if he is healthy and playing well. He brings some grit and toughness, and is willing to sacrifice his body in front of the net, especially on bang bang plays. He likes to be a bit of an agitator. But what makes him most appealing is he has consistently been very productive in the playoffs. He made a name for himself in Tampa during the 2011 playoffs, which earned him his contract in Florida. He has one more year left on his 4-year deal worth $2.75 million per.
While this isn't necessarily the "who's who" of NHL players, there is certainly some talent here that can help several teams for the stretch run.
Who do you like and what are you willing to give for them? Is there anyone that I should have added to this list? Please no additions of Huberdeau, Bjugstad, Barkov, or Gudbranson. They aren't going anywhere.
As always, I look forward to your comments and input. Thanks for reading.
Dan Spiegel... Florida Panthers Media Follow me on Twitter Join the Florida Panthers Insiders FB Page Connect with me on Google Plus