The Florida Panthers are currently fighting to retain the Atlantic Division title for the second season in a row and the third time in four seasons. The defending Stanley Cup champions sit in first place in said division with a record of 33-20-3 for 69 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs trail them by one point.
Last week, Panthers general manager Bill Zito decided to place defenseman Adam Boqvist on waivers after being signed to a one-year deal this past offseason. He would end up being claimed by the New York Islanders. With that, it could foreshadow that Zito is about to make a move far ahead of the trade deadline next month.
The East Got Stronger, and the Deadline Is a Month Away
Around the Eastern Conference, other teams got stronger not too long ago with some huge trades. The Carolina Hurricanes traded for a top-line forward in Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Martin Necas. The New York Rangers brought back their 2011 Draft selection in J.T. Miller after a long saga of rumors.
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The Panthers played both of these teams in their last two Eastern Conference Final appearances. However, if the season were to end today, Carolina would be in, and the Blueshirts would be out. But the Rangers have been surging as they’ve collected points in seven of their last ten games.
Regardless, a move should be made to combat what the others have done in the East. Especially considering their potential postseason opponents within their division.
Panthers Are Interested in Acquiring a Right-Handed Defenseman
After placing Boqvist on waivers, it left an open spot on the roster for an extra defenseman. The seventh option right now is Tobias Bjornfot who saw some playing time earlier this season, so Zito could be looking to add. According to Elliotte Friedman, the team could be looking at a right-shot defenseman. One good example of a piece that they could land is New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson who was recently made available for trade.
Considering what deadline deals he’s made over the past couple of seasons, someone being brought in by that time is far from unheard of. Especially looking at the names he’s landed and kept around.
Team Might Have to Make a Drastic Choice With Their Cap Situation
As sweet as it would sound to add a big piece, the Panthers are a bit handicapped with their current cap space situation. They only have a little more than $2 million to work with in current money. They may have to cut ties with a member on the active roster if the front office decides to make a deal.
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A couple of examples could be forward Sam Bennett and defenseman Aaron Ekblad. They are currently entering the final years of their contract and were both rumored to be shipped off over the last couple of seasons. Despite the cap going up next offseason, the team may have to choose between the two if it means bringing in someone to try and run it back for the Stanley Cup.
Will Bill Zito Work His Magic Once Again?
It is more than likely that Zito will be working the phones in the coming month to see what his options are prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
As previously mentioned, the team does have some expiring deals he could ship off to try and land something they are looking for. Zito has a knack for making moves work out for the team in a great way. It would not come as a shocker if he managed to do it again.
