It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. We’re over a week away from the trade deadline on March 7. Teams are trying tinker with their lineups as they make a push towards the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ve already seen some massive deals happen in the past few weeks. However, there could be more trades in the offing. One team that could be interesting in making a move is the Florida Panthers. This edition of NHL rumours deals with a possible trade deadline target for the team.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Florida Panthers Could Target Star Defenceman
Rumour: On the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas talk about what the Panthers could do in the wake of the Matthew Tkachuk. The duo speculates that a long-term injury could give Panthers General Manager Bill Zito some wiggle room at the trade deadline. A potential target that was brought up is Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Seth Jones.
Analysis: Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice said that Tkachuk’s injury doesn’t seem to be season-ending. However, that could change and Tkachuk’s $9.5 million cap hit could be placed on long-term injured reserve. This could give the Panthers some flexibility at the trade deadline.
The Panthers are trying to defend their Stanley Cup champion. Florida is fighting the Toronto Maple Leafs for first in the Atlantic Division. However, the team would love to shore up some areas.
Jones’ name has come up in conversation and has been discussed in previous editions of NHL rumours. The Blackhawks defender wants to go to a contender. However, his contract may be an albatross. He may be someone that could help bolster a blueline, but there would be a number of stumbling blocks.
What It Means
The 30-year-old’s contract has a number of things that could get in the way of a contract. Jones has a $9.5 million contract which also has a full no-trade clause. He would have waive that in order to get the ball rolling on a deal. Jones is also under contract until the end of the 2029-30 season.
Chicago would likely have to eat some of the salary, but it would be a long commitment to pay someone who isn’t on the roster. There could be a third team involved as a broker to help make a deal happen.
Jones could be sought after by Zito, who is familiar with him from their time with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Florida needs another blueliner and Jones could fit the bill. However, this trade could carry some risk. Both Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennett are up for new contracts at the end of the season. These two unrestricted free agents played a big hand in Florida winning the Stanley Cup. However, one or both could get squeezed out should Zito swing this deal.
Both insiders pointed out that the salary cap is going up. However, there wouldn’t be enough money to go around to keep all three players beyond this season. Some hard choices could be ahead for Zito and the Panthers.
Main photo by: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
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