Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
How does the roster stand?
New coach will inherit team with just three unrestricted free agents
As a reward for their best regular season in franchise history, last summer the Florida Panthers’ restructured front office handed out several long-term contracts to keep their talented young core together for years to come.
They also signed five free agents, including long-term deals for goalie James Reimer as well as defensemen Keith Yandle and Jason Demers. The total bill for owner Vinnie Viola’s commitment exceeded $200 million.
However, a rash of injuries to key players, a surprising coaching change and the inability to incorporate nine to 10 new players into the lineup turned great expectations into a 35-36-11 disaster of a season.
“We all did stuff that contributed to us not making the playoffs,” said Demers, who was signed to a five-year, $18 million deal. “Everyone’s got to take a look at ourselves in the mirror and we’ve got to come back because were all in agreement that it was a waste of a season for us. To have the talent we have and not live up to it’s disappointing.”
The Panthers quickly addressed the leadership issue the day after their season ended by giving back full control of hockey decisions to Dale Tallon and stripping Tom Rowe of his interim coach and general manager tags.
Tallon’s first order of business is to bring
in a new head coach. He will also huddle with coassistant GMs Steve Werier and Eric Joyce to discuss the few tweaks necessary to get the train back on track to Stanley Cup contention. Of the current 24-player roster, only three players will be unrestrictred free agents on July 1, with forward Jaromir Jagr, 45, at the top of the list.
(* — Non-roster players who may compete for roster spots next season.)
Forwards
Aleksander Barkov; 21 years old; 5 years, $29.5 million left on contract: The best two-way player on team had 52 points and team-best plus-13 ice rating in 61 games of an injuryplagued season. Vincent Trocheck; 23; 5 years, $23.8 million: Arguably the MVP of team past two seasons, he had 23 goals and a team-leading 54 points but seemed to wear down in final month due to 20:49 of ice time per game. Nick Bjugstad; 24; 4
years, $16.4 million: Another confidence-sapping, injury-plagued season of 7 goals and 14 points with a minus-19 in 54 games. Bjugstad could be exposed for selection in the expansion draft, traded or given one more year with the Panthers to prove himself. Jussi Jokinen; 34; 1 year, $4 million: Assistant captain who played with a hurt knee and it showed. He had just 11 goals and 28 points compared to 60 points last season. He could be exposed for selection in the expansion draft. Jaromir Jagr; 45; unrestricted free agent Despite playing with several minor leaguers the majority of the season because of injuries to linemates Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, Jagr still had 16 goals and 46 points There’s no reason not to bring back charismatic legend. Reilly Smith; 26; 5 years, $25 million: Smith suffered a dramatic dropoff from 25 goals and 50 points last season to 15 and 37 this season; he never got on tracked partly due linemate Jokinen’s sub-par season and issues with Rowe. The Panthers expect him to rebound next season. Jonathan Huberdeau; 23; 6 years, $35.4 million: He made a remarkable recovery from Achilles’ tendon surgery just before the start of the regular season to notch 10 goals and 26 points in 31 games. Only injuries can prevent Huberdeau from becoming an All-Star level player. Thomas Vanek; 33; UFA: The trade deadline pickup had 10 points in 20 games and still has amazing hands and playmaking skills. He’s worth a twoyear deal. Derek MacKenzie; 35; 2 years, $2.75 million: The captain had 6 goals and 16 points while anchoring the second-ranked plenty kill with a team-leading 192 hits. He’s a perfect fourthline center. Jonathan Marchessault; 27; 1 year, $750,000: The best free-agent bargain in the NHL this season, Marchessault led the
team with a career-high 30 goals. He needs to shore up his defense, but has earned a contract extension. Denis Malgin; 20; 2
years, $1.38 million: The rookie had 6 goals and 10 points in 47 games. Malgin is a low risk investment with offensive upside; he’ll compete for roster spot next season. Colton Sceviour; 27; 1 year, $950,000: The speedy right wing complemented MacKenzie on the PK with a team-leading 3 shorthanded goals. He finished with 9 goals and 24 points. Michael Sgarbossa; 24; restricted free agent: The fourth-liner had 2 goals and 7 points in 29 games, and has faceoff, fourth-line skills. He could be offered a minimum two-way deal. Shawn Thornton; 39; retiring; A leader and enforcer who surprisingly played 50 games this season. He’ll join the Panthers’ front office on the business side. *Kyle Rau; 24; RFA: Rau, who had 1 goal in 24 games, hasn’t shown enough for a long-term investment. *Jared McCann; 20; 1 year, $894,167: McCann, who notched a hat trick in the minor leagues for Springfield on Friday, needs to produce more than the 1 goal and 7 points he did in 29-game stint with Panthers to get a roster spot next season. *Jayce Hawryluk, 21; 2 years, $1.85: Hawryluk had an injury-plagued season in minors, but he has the fire and firepower to make Panthers’ roster.
Defensemen
Keith Yandle; 30; 6 years, $38 million: The ironman led the team with 36 assists, however he struggled defensively. Jason Demers; 28; 4 years, $18 million: Demers had a career-high 9 goals with 28 points. He’s an excellent penalty killer, but he lacked defensive consistency. Aaron Ekblad; 21; 8 years, $60 million: Ekblad had just 10 goals, 21 points, and had a team-worst minus-23. His concussions affected his confidence and decision-making, but he should return to All-Star form next season. Mark Pysyk; 24; RFA: Pysyk came over in Dmitry Kulikov trade and provided steady defensive play and puck-moving prowess to go with 13 points in 82 games. He’ll likely get a two-year bridge deal from the Panthers. Alex Petrovic; 26; RFA: A broken ankle cost Petrovic 33 games, but he was still the toughest presence on blue line and showed improved offensive skills as his 13 assists in 49 games indicated. He could get a lucrative extension or could be lost to Las Vegas in the expansion draft. Jakub Kindl; 30; UFA: A classy veteran who never complained about his lack of playing time, Kindl had a minus-11 in 29 games. The Panthers’ defensive depth means he won’t make seven man defensemen corps. Mike Matheson; 23; 1 year, $925,000: Matheson improved as season progressed with 7 goals and 17 points. He plays with grit was arguably the best skater on team. He has only scratched tip of his offensive ceiling. *Ian McCoshen; 21; 2 years, $1.85 million: McCoshen had a three-game tryout and showed enough that the hard-nosed blueliner could join Matheson on big club. *MacKenzie Weegar; 23; RFA: Weegar also got three games in with Panthers and is a Tallon favorite for future power-play duty.
Goalies
Roberto Luongo; 38; 5 years, $23 million: Luongo, who has had hip issues the past two seasons, can still play at an elite level when healthy. He played just 40 games in 2016-17 and had a pedestrian 2.68 goals-against-average and .915 save percentage. James Reimer; 29; 4 years, $13.6 million: Reimer proved he has the skills to be a No. 1 goal tender playing a career-high 43 games this season. He had a solid .920 save percentage and will most likely play same or more games than Luongo next season. Reto Berra; 30; UFA: Went 0-5 with 3.45 GAA and is expected to play in Switzerland next season. Sam Brittain; 24; UFA: Hasn’t played an NHL game yet and acquisition of Adam Wilcox may hasten his exodus. *Adam Wilcox; 24; RFA: Came over in a lateseason deal with Tampa Bay; will probably be ahead of Brittain on the depth chart, so minimal RFA offer is probably in the works.