Weathering The Storm

Team: 2022-23 Florida Panthers

Initial Creation Date: Jun. 17, 2022

Published: Jun. 17, 2022

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Look, I know what Nick Kypreos apparently reported, but I don't think that Bill Zito needs to take the insane step of retaining 4x$5M just to move on from Sergei Bobrovksy (not to mention a certain NMC that is going to really limit what you're getting back from him if you *do* swallow that poison pill.) Florida's cap situation isn't ideal but all they really need to do is weather the buyout storm in 2022-23 - they've got more than $6.5M in dead money from the Keith Yandle and Scott Darling buyouts clogging everything up but in 2023-24 the Darling buyout is gone and Yandle's drops to $1.2M - just in time to pay Jonathan Huberdeau & Spencer Knight!

TRADE:
Only one you really *need* to make. Finding a home for Patric Hornqvist's $5.3M is basically mandatory. If you do that, you have the room to operate this summer. Seattle swaps sends out a 6th and gets back a mildly productive veteran (11-17-28 in 65 GP this year). If you think Florida adds another pick or something, I'm sure they can - but Seattle has been on record as wanting to add veterans this summer and Hornqvist fits the bill.

SIGNINGS
This is the part that hurts - Florida doesn't have a ton of room to keep key guys from this year's team. TDL additions Claude Giroux, Ben Chiarot, and Robert Hagg are out the door. Mason Marchment has played himself into a new tax bracket and finds a new home. I could see Maxim Manin/Joe Thornton/Noel Acciari coming back if they want to take $900K or less, though.

I chose different guys tho - bringing in younger players with some NHL experience like Adam Brooks & Nick Merkley on cheap deals to be 13/14th forwards after bringing in cheap vets Jimmy Vesey & Vinnie Hinostroza to fill out the 4th line. All 4 of those guys can be played by probably a half-dozen different UFAs this summer; what's important is keeping the price points in that ballpark.

I think RD3 is a place this team shouldn't cheap out on, though, and if Lyubshkin is good with 3x$1.75M I think he's a great option. If he passes then I'm sure Justin Braun could be had for a similar price point for a year or two.

The toughest part on this team is that your bottom 6 is really iffy. Lomberg had 18 points in 55 games as a 26 year old, so maybe he's not the answer - but the price is right. Denisenko is also in his last year of his ELC and I think you need a few of those guys in the lineup this year so pair him with Lundell and see if they can make some magic happen.

This team takes a slight step back, I think, but I still think the core is strong enough to be a contender. And summer 2023 will get a little easier - you'll have about $23M available in cap space, plenty room to give $9M to Jonathan Huberdeau, re-sign Mackenzie Weegar if you're so inclined, give Spencer Knight a raise, and replace Radko Gudas on the right side. It's all about gritting your teeth this year and getting through to the other side.