The Florida Panthers are entering the next season as Stanley Cup champions for the first time in franchise history. They look to continue their dominance of the NHL and attempt to go back-to-back. But first, they must go through free agency, which has drastically altered the roster so far.
The Panthers have lost many key players who helped them during their last two seasons of exceptional play, including Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Stenlund. This has left big holes in their bottom-six forward group. As a result, General Manager Bill Zito worked the phones and made magic happen this summer. He brought in some solid depth pieces, such as Tomas Nosek and Jesper Boqvist, while keeping some current roster players like Anton Lundell.
The Newcomers
The bottom six may look different from last season, but that does not mean it will not pack a punch to the NHL. Former New Jersey Devils’ forward Nosek was brought in on a one-year deal worth $775,000. Throughout his career, he has a 54.4% faceoff win percentage (FO%) during the regular season and a 57.2% win rate in the postseason. That is nearly a full percentage point better than Stenlund in the regular season and almost ten more in the playoffs.
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The Cats also grabbed former Boston Bruins’ forward Jesper Boqvist on a one-year deal. He tallied 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and a plus-14 rating in 47 appearances with Boston. The new pieces make their bottom six just as competitive.
The Ones Who Stuck Around
Even after those moves, some great depth pieces are still on this roster. Zito’s first-ever draft pick in Lundell recently agreed to a six-year contract worth $30 million with an annual average of $5 million. This recent postseason, he was a key piece in getting the team their Cup with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists). Throughout his time in Florida, he’s become a fantastic two-way center, much like his captain in Aleksander Barkov. In his career, he has 43 regular season goals and 69 regular season assists.
Eetu Luostarinen has been impressive since he got his shot with the Panthers in 2021. In his recent Cup run, he scored two goals and assisted on six others. He has five career playoff goals and 10 career playoff assists, all with the Panthers.
Forward Jonah Gadjovich is expected to see more playing time in Lomberg’s absence, and he can be a good replacement. Much like Lomberg, he does not mind getting physical and is willing to drop the gloves.
There Will Be Chances for Prospects to Earn Spots
With some more open spots, there’s a chance for a prospect or two to make a name for themselves. William Lockwood got a shot last year and tallied his first NHL assist.
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Additionally, Mackie Sasomskevich could see another shot in the NHL after getting a short taste of it last season in seven appearances. They also have some new faces that could get a chance, such as Justin Sourdif and Linus Eriksson.
The Bottom Six Is Still Strong
The team will remain competitive, and the minor signings for their bottom six back up this theory. Included with the signings, there will be shots for some of the younger prospects as the season progresses and possibly straight out of camp.
Getting back to the Stanley Cup Final for a third time is extremely difficult, with the last team to do it being the Tampa Bay Lightning. If this core plays at its best next season, it may become a reality, including the chance to repeat as champions.
