Free-agent focus for the Florida Panthers

Let’s continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free-agent situation for the Panthers.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Anton Lundell – This summer marks the first chance for Anton Lundell to negotiate a raise, after paving his way into a strong role on the team’s middle-six after making his NHL debut in 2021-22, at the age of 19. Lundell scored 18 goals and 44 points in 65 games in his rookie years, both tallies that remain career-highs, though he’s since combined for 112 points through his first 216 career games and shown plenty of value off of the puck. To boot, Lundell has found an extra scoring touch this postseason, so far posting 16 points in 22 playoff games as the Panthers look to win the first Stanley Cup in club history. That renewed scoring will surely necessitate a bump in Lundell’s looming pay raise, though his impressive two-way ability and role on both special teams already warrant a hefty contract. At 22, a long-term deal would take Lundell through the bulk of his prime years – likely exactly what the Panthers will hope to guarantee this summer.

D Josh Mahura – Florida claimed Mahura off of waivers from the Anaheim Ducks ahead of the 2022-23 season, and quickly awarded him a routine role on the third pairing. Mahura played in all 82 games of Florida’s last season, posting 16 points in what was the first full year of his career. The performance was enough to earn him a one-year, $925K contract extension last summer, though Mahura didn’t get much of a chance for an encore, with a lower-body injury limiting him to just 30 games and nine points this season. He’s been replaced by a rotation of Dmitry Kulikov, Tobias Bjornfot, and Uvis Balinskis – with Kulikov nabbing the day-to-day role. Luckily, Kulikov is also facing free agency, which could give Mahura a chance to reclaim his role on a cheap contract next season.

Other RFAs: F Rasmus Asplund, F Patrick Giles, D Santtu Kinnunen, G Evan Cormier, G Mack Guzda

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Sam Reinhart – Adding to the headache of extending their hopeful second-line center of the future, Florida will also need to find a price for Sam Reinhart after an explosive season. Reinhart scored 57 goals and 94 points this season – the most goals any Panther has managed any Panther since Pavel Bure in the 2000-01 season. The performance will warrant a significant reward this summer, though it’s hard to price Reinhart after a near-30-point jump in scoring between last year and this year. But while he may not always rival 60 goals a season, Reinhart has found goal-scoring consistency over his three seasons with Florida and should garner the price tag of a top-line scorer as a result.

F Vladimir Tarasenko – The Panthers acquired Tarasenko at the Trade Deadline, with Florida sending one conditional pick, either a third or fourth rounder, and a 2025 third round pick back to the Ottawa Senators. And despite some cold streaks, Tarasenko ultimately vindicated the acquisition with 14 points in 19 regular season games and nine aptly timed points in 22 postseason games. He’s been a strong addition to the team’s middle-six, though looking much more slowed than in his prime years. Tarasenko has offered great depth scoring in his veteran years, though he could be a casuality of Florida’s limited cap space, with two much more notable free agents higher on the team’s priority list. He’ll be hotly coveted should he enter the open market, offering 119 career playoff games and Stanley Cup-winning precedent.

D  – Keeping up the important role-players facing the market, Florida will need to find a way to price out their defensive group, with Brandon Montour due for a new deal this summer and Aaron Ekblad entering free agency next summer. The duo have combined with Gustav Forsling to create a defensive corps that’s served as Florida’s unrelenting consistent as the year has gone on. One of the three defenders is able to step up no matter what situation the team is facing, playing a major role in the team’s drive to a second Stanley Cup Finals. Montour even managed a career-year last season, posting 16 goals, 73 points, and 107 penalty minutes in 80 games. He quieted down quite a bit this year, returning to just 33 points in 66 games. Montour’s impactful role will make him hard to let go, though a precedent of high scoring and plenty of outside interest could be enough to price Montour out of Florida’s budget.

D Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Among the stars needing new deals, Florida also has seven depth skaters set to enter unrestricted free agency. The list includes important pieces of Florida’s postseason run, including Nick Cousins, Ryan Lomberg, and Kyle Okposo. But among the punch, it’s Ekman-Larsson who seems to have made the biggest case for a new deal. The veteran defender saw a small return to form this season, recording 32 points in 80 games, the most he’s managed since the 2018-19 season. He looked more confident in the process, better filling a smaller role than what he had in Vancouver. Florida will have to comb through their depth for viable NHL talent with so many depth pieces entering the market, and the existence of Mahura and Balinskis could be enough to push Ekman-Larsson out of a role. But with a strong performance following his move, and likely just a few years left in his career, it’s hard to think Ekman-Larsson would ask a hefty price to stay with a playoff team.

G Anthony Stolarz – Stolarz filled Florida’s backup role all season long, stepping up while Spencer Knight spent time in the AHL and NHL Player’s Assistance Program. Knight is expected to be back at full force next season, though Stolarz has certainly done enough to show his NHL value – posting 16 wins and a .925 save percentage in 27 appearances this season. The Panthers have $4.5M committed to Knight in each of the next two seasons and will want to reap some kind of return for that price tag soon. But Stolarz’s strong performance behind Sergei Bobrovsky should be enough to warrant attention in a year with plenty of teams looking for goaltending support.

Other UFAs: F Nick Cousins, F Ryan Lomberg, F Steven Lorentz, F Kyle Okposo, F Kevin Stenlund, F Gerald Mayhew, F Alex True, D Dmitry Kulikov, D Lucas Carlsson, D Casey Fitzgerald, D Matt Kiersted, G Magnus Hellberg

Projected Cap Space

The Panthers are set to enter the summer with just $20.02M in projected cap space. That should be plenty to renew Lundell and one other top-line player, whether it be Reinhart or Montour, though the need to fill so many depth positions will likely quickly run up Florida’s budget. They’ll need one of their top names to take a miracle discount if they want to get through the summer without any major losses – though the heft of pending free agents could provide great opportunity for young players like