What's next for Panthers, Oilers? Contract decisions await during offseason
What's next for Panthers, Oilers? Contract decisions await during offseason
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Florida Panthers capture second straight Stanley Cup
The Florida Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers to win their second-straight Stanley Cup.
Sports Pulse
General manager of the year finalist Bill Zito hasn't heard yet whether he has won the award, but he has plenty of hard work ahead that could determine whether he's in the running again next year.
The Florida Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup title on June 17, two weeks before NHL free agency opens up on July 1.
That gives Zito little time to work through the team's list of significant pending unrestricted free agents. Last year, he got an eight-year deal done with Sam Reinhart (for less than $9 million a year) before free agency opened. That paid off when the forward scored seven goals in the Stanley Cup Final, including four goals in the clinching game.
This year's list includes some key players. According to puckpedia, the Panthers have $19 million in cap space.
Here is what's awaiting the Panthers and Edmonton Oilers during the offseason:
Run It Back! Celebrate Florida Panthers' back-to-back Stanley Cups with our commemorative hardcover book
What's next for the Florida Panthers?
The biggest free agent is Sam Bennett, 28, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after scoring a league-best 15 goals. He had 51 points in 62 games during the Panthers' three consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final. In addition to his scoring prowess, he plays with an edge and is sometimes accused of going over the line.
Brad Marchand, who came over in a shocking trade from the Boston Bruins, is also a pending UFA. The 37-year-old had six goals during the final, scoring on breakaways and spectacular moves. Panthers teammates and coach Paul Maurice raved about his attitude.
Pending UFA defenseman Aaron Ekblad, 29, has been key to the Panthers through the years since he was taken No. 1 overall in 2014. He's on the top defense pairing with Gustav Forsling but missed 20 games with a PED suspension and another two for a playoff hit.
Other pending UFAs include Nate Schmidt, Tomas Nosek, Nico Sturm and backup goalie Vitek Vanecek. No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is entering the final year of his contract, as is defenseman Niko Mikkola.
Core players Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Seth Jones, Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov are signed long-term, and Eetu Luostarinen and Evan Rodrigues have two years left on their contracts.
What's next for the Edmonton Oilers?
The Oilers fell short for the second year in a row as the Panthers' forechecking scheme frustrated them again.
They have $11 million in cap space as Leon Draisaitl's extension kicks in and makes him the NHL's highest-paid player. Connor McDavid, entering the last year of his contract and a potential free agent at the end of the season, is eligible to sign an extension as early as July 1, which should restore him atop the league's salary structure. Or he can wait. An extension would take effect in 2026-27.
The Oilers have a long list of pending UFAs, including Connor Brown, 40-year-old Corey Perry, Trent Frederic, Kasperi Kapanen and John Klingberg..
Defenseman Evan Bouchard is a restricted free agent. He's known for his offensive abilities but also had a playoff-high 41 giveaways.
Goalies Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have one left on their contracts at a combined $3.6 million cap hit. Defensemen Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, Brett Kulak and Troy Stecher also have a year left on their deals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
The Brad Blizzard: Panthers star's love for desserts reaches a new level
For one day only: The Brad Blizzard, available at Dairy Queen. The snack story of the Stanley Cup playoffs — did Brad Marchand eat a Blizzard between periods of a playoff game or not? — reached its celebratory peak Friday. A Dairy Queen in Sunrise, Florida, where the Panthers play their home games, renamed the treat for the day in honor of the now two-time Stanley Cup winner. The Brad Blizzard was one of his favorites: the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor, though on Friday, the primary ingredient wasn't called chocolate chips but rather chocolate 'chirps' — a nod to the verbal jabs that hockey players give one another on the ice. 'I love seeing the excitement from everyone,' Marchand said while 'working' at the DQ for a little while, actually making the treats and handing them out to customers both inside the store and at the drive-thru window. 'These are moments that you love to appreciate.' Marchand was not having a Blizzard between periods of that game in the Eastern Conference final against Carolina — it was honey, but cameras captured Marchand enjoying something off a spoon and the story just took off from there — but Blizzardmania was born. Marchand and several of his teammates went to DQ on off days for the treats, including on the night before ending the Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton in Game 6. Marchand said they went before Game 6 for good luck. The Panthers won 5-1 a day later to take the Cup. 'It's incredible the moments that you look back on and at the time you don't really appreciate what they could mean at the end of the day,' Marchand told reporters Friday. 'The first time we kind of went as a group to Dairy Queen, we were just going for a walk. We wanted to walk off our dinner and have Dairy Queen for dessert and it became this huge organic moment in the playoffs. ... Those are the things you look back on and you have fun with.' It has been a nonstop party for the Panthers since winning the Cup, with trips to the famed Elbo Room bar to interact with fans, a team dinner at a Miami restaurant on Thursday night — one where tennis great Martina Navratilova, who just happened to be having dinner in the same spot, got to sip from the Cup — and a slew of other appearances. Marchand had 10 goals and 10 assists in the playoff run for the Panthers, who won the Cup for the second straight season. He was acquired at the trade deadline by Florida general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito from rival Boston, and the tale of how Marchand — who was far from a fan favorite in Florida before the trade — became beloved by Panthers fans was one of the compelling stories of the postseason. Marchand and the Panthers will have their championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, and then free agency starts July 1. Marchand is a free agent, though he has indicated a willingness to remain in Florida and had a message for the Panthers during his DQ shift. 'Give me a contract,' he said.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
The Brad Blizzard: Panthers star's love for desserts reaches new level
For one day only: The Brad Blizzard, available at Dairy Queen. The snack story of the Stanley Cup playoffs — did Brad Marchand eat a Blizzard between periods of a playoff game or not? — reached its celebratory peak Friday. A Dairy Queen in Sunrise, Fla., where the Panthers play their home games, renamed the treat for the day in honour of the now two-time Stanley Cup winner. The Brad Blizzard was one of his favourites: the chocolate chip cookie dough flavour, though on Friday, the primary ingredient wasn't called chocolate chips but rather chocolate 'chirps' — a nod to the verbal jabs that hockey players give one another on the ice. 'I love seeing the excitement from everyone,' Marchand said while 'working' at the DQ for a little while, actually making the treats and handing them out to customers both inside the store and at the drive-thru window. 'These are moments that you love to appreciate.' Marchand was not having a Blizzard between periods of that game in the Eastern Conference final against Carolina — it was honey, but cameras captured Marchand enjoying something off a spoon and the story just took off from there — but Blizzardmania was born. Marchand and several of his teammates went to DQ on off days for the treats, including on the night before ending the Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton in Game 6. Marchand said they went before Game 6 for 'good luck.' The Panthers won 5-1 a day later to take the Cup. 'It's incredible the moments that you look back on and at the time you don't really appreciate what they could mean at the end of the day,' Marchand told reporters Friday. 'The first time we kind of went as a group to Dairy Queen, we were just going for a walk. We wanted to walk off our dinner and have Dairy Queen for dessert and it became this huge organic moment in the playoffs. … Those are the things you look back on and you have fun with.' It has been a non-stop party for the Panthers since winning the Cup, with trips to the famed Elbo Room bar to interact with fans, a team dinner at a Miami restaurant on Thursday night — one where tennis great Martina Navratilova, who just happened to be having dinner in the same spot, got to sip from the Cup — and a slew of other appearances. Marchand had 10 goals and 10 assists in the playoff run for the Panthers, who won the Cup for the second straight season. He was acquired at the trade deadline by Florida general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito from rival Boston, and the tale of how Marchand — who was far from a fan favourite in Florida before the trade — became beloved by Panthers fans was one of the compelling stories of the post-season. Marchand and the Panthers will have their championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, and then free agency starts July 1. Marchand is a free agent, though he has indicated a willingness to remain in Florida and had a message for the Panthers during his DQ shift. 'Give me a contract,' he said. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
The Brad Blizzard: Panthers star's love for desserts reaches a new level
For one day only: The Brad Blizzard, available at Dairy Queen. The snack story of the Stanley Cup playoffs — did Brad Marchand eat a Blizzard between periods of a playoff game or not? — reached its celebratory peak Friday. A Dairy Queen in Sunrise, Florida, where the Panthers play their home games, renamed the treat for the day in honor of the now two-time Stanley Cup winner. The Brad Blizzard was one of his favorites: the chocolate chip cookie dough flavor, though on Friday, the primary ingredient wasn't called chocolate chips but rather chocolate 'chirps' — a nod to the verbal jabs that hockey players give one another on the ice. 'I love seeing the excitement from everyone,' Marchand said while 'working' at the DQ for a little while, actually making the treats and handing them out to customers both inside the store and at the drive-thru window. 'These are moments that you love to appreciate.' Marchand was not having a Blizzard between periods of that game in the Eastern Conference final against Carolina — it was honey, but cameras captured Marchand enjoying something off a spoon and the story just took off from there — but Blizzardmania was born. Marchand and several of his teammates went to DQ on off days for the treats, including on the night before ending the Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton in Game 6. Marchand said they went before Game 6 for good luck. The Panthers won 5-1 a day later to take the Cup. 'It's incredible the moments that you look back on and at the time you don't really appreciate what they could mean at the end of the day,' Marchand told reporters Friday. 'The first time we kind of went as a group to Dairy Queen, we were just going for a walk. We wanted to walk off our dinner and have Dairy Queen for dessert and it became this huge organic moment in the playoffs. ... Those are the things you look back on and you have fun with.' It has been a nonstop party for the Panthers since winning the Cup, with trips to the famed Elbo Room bar to interact with fans, a team dinner at a Miami restaurant on Thursday night — one where tennis great Martina Navratilova, who just happened to be having dinner in the same spot, got to sip from the Cup — and a slew of other appearances. Marchand had 10 goals and 10 assists in the playoff run for the Panthers, who won the Cup for the second straight season. He was acquired at the trade deadline by Florida general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito from rival Boston, and the tale of how Marchand — who was far from a fan favorite in Florida before the trade — became beloved by Panthers fans was one of the compelling stories of the postseason. Marchand and the Panthers will have their championship parade on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Sunday, and then free agency starts July 1. Marchand is a free agent, though he has indicated a willingness to remain in Florida and had a message for the Panthers during his DQ shift. 'Give me a contract,' he said. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
