Team: 2023-24 Florida Panthers

Initial Creation Date: May 12, 2023

Published: May 12, 2023

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Read my whole post before voicing an opinion please.

These are the questions I would like some help with.

What do you do with Dalpe, White, Lomberg and Smith?
Do you resign either or both of the Staal brothers?
What do you do with the rest of the UFAs anf RFAs from last season?
Do you upgrade the depth upfront or on the blueline? Or do you simply sign or acquire cheaper depth?
What do you do with Spencer Knight?

Players on Injured reserve are the ones I have questions with. There is enough money for the 20 players I have in the lineup, but who's in and who's out depending on the guys I'm uncertain of?

I don't think offense is the problem with Florida, even though Tkachuk and Montour basically dragged them to the playoffs in most peoples eyes. They have plenty of weapons. 40 goal scorer in Verhaeghe. Reinhart didn't exactly shock the world this year although he had a pretty good season. Barkov is irreplaceable regardless if he shows up on the score sheet or not. Bennett looks like he has finally found his identity and home in Florida. It's clear his chemistry with Tkachuk has become lethal. Duclair will be healthy for a full season. Lundell and Luostarinen should have break out years if they continue playing with Reinhart. Granted Im not watching every game, but it seemed like during the regular season their 4th line was just filling minutes and not as impactful as they could be, although White, Staal and company had really good seasons I think. Feels like to me if they had a 4th line who could just constantly roll over opposing teams with physicality and energy, Florida's high octane/pressure game would be more sustainable for 60 minutes, and would be much more difficult to weather or derail.

I think you upgrade the depth upfront. Hathaway may be interested in coming home especially after being knocked out by one of his home state teams. They are a really good team, everyone just wrote off Florida all season, because of the regular season they had, up until they knocked out Boston.

Not sure what the plans are for Kampf in Toronto?

Montour can play either side so I think you prioritize finding a very good DFD. Marc Staal is too old to play top 4 minutes all season IMO. Anytime he got north of 17, you could visibly see his fatigue and loss of focus and ability. He still may be serviceable as depth or 3rd pair, but I think you should keep Mahura and Gudas together. They are a great match. Soucy I think probably resigns in Seattle. Mayfield priced himself out of New York and probably gets himself the Gudbranson special in FA. Gavrikov is another option and he is a lefty. I think Mayfield would be perfect. That way Montour can continue to play forward whenever he wants. And he doesn't have to be overly concerned with Marc Staal alone facing an odd man rush.

Gudas is a no brainer. He deserves a raise this year. Honesly he should probably earn more than 3.5 for what he provides. I've been dreaming of him in a Red Wings uni for the last 6 months.

I'm not sure of Spencer Knights status. I was very puzzled at the time he signed an extension because of Bobrovsky's seemingly immovable contract. 14.5 mil into goaltending (while very impressive) is insane. A lot of repeat offenders who deem Bobrovsky is over the hill continue to be proven wrong. Because he is still elite in my opinion, I don't think Florida should move him. If they are even able to. But I think he's the guy who will take them to the promised land.

Let's say Knight comes back. Do you trade a young promising goaltender you just signed to an extension to get cap space? Do you continue with 14.5 mil in goaltending and not upgrade anywhere else this offseason anticipating his return? Trading Knight would certainly bring in valuable assets. I think there a several teams who would have interest in him. What do you think?

I'm not the most informed on the intricacies of the Panthers, so let me know what your thoughts are.