The Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup final rematch with the Edmonton Oilers is underway, but that hasn’t stopped some pundits from pondering what the off-season might hold for the NHL’s defending champions.
Before the final began, Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sunreported that the word out of Florida was that pending UFA center (and potential Conn Smythe Trophy candidate) Sam Bennett wanted to remain with the Panthers. He indicated the feeling was mutual if they could find a way to make the dollars work.
Bennett, who turns 29 on June 20, is completing a four-year contract with a team-friendly average annual value of $4.425 million. His evolution in recent years into a chippy-but-versatile two-way forward who elevates his game in the post-season will make him among the top targets in this summer’s NHL UFA market.
It could cost the Panthers between $7 million and $8 million annually to keep Bennett in the fold. That will take a significant bite out of their projected $19 million of cap space for next season, which could hamper efforts to re-sign or replace their other UFAs.
Aaron Ekblad is among that group. The longtime Panthers defenseman is coming off an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $7.5 million. On Tuesday, he told reporters he hoped to remain a Panther.
According to Simmons, the Panthers don’t have much interest in re-signing Ekblad. However, he also claimed last June they intended to trade the veteran blueliner and use the savings to re-sign Brandon Montour, who subsequently bolted for the Seattle Kraken as a UFA last July.
Ekblad could get his wish if he’s willing to accept a pay cut on a shorter contract. Otherwise, his tenure with the Panthers could end on July 1.
The Montreal Canadiens, meanwhile, hold two first-round picks (16th and 17th overall) in the upcoming 2025 NHL draft. GM Kent Hughes could use them to add to his already deep prospect pool, but The Athletic’s Chris Johnston recently reported Hughes is open to using one of those picks as trade bait to address a more immediate need.
Johnston also suggested that Logan Mailloux could be available. He indicated that the 22-year-old prospect defenseman isn’t a player the Canadiens have to move, but thinks the youngster could be had for the right price.
TVA Sports noted Johnston’s speculation about Montreal’s potential trade bait, claiming they had an opportunity to ship Mailloux to the Anaheim Ducks in a deal for Trevor Zegras last year. However, that fell through when the Canadiens selected winger Ivan Demidov fifth overall in last year’s draft.
The Hockey News’ Karine Hains observed recent conjecture swirling about Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi and Dallas Stars left winger Jason Robertson. She wondered if Mailloux could be used in a package offer for Rossi, or if those first-rounders might pique the Stars’ interest if they’d prefer futures in return for Robertson.
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