George Richards, FHN Publisher
After making their first cuts of camp and claiming a defenseman off waivers Saturday, the Florida Panthers have 34 players on their training camp roster with a week to go before the new opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Assuming the Panthers carry 23 players and another six on the taxi squad (which are the NHL maximums), Florida has five cuts to go.
So, who makes it and who does not?
As was the case on the first edition of the roster breakdown, we are going by the assumption the Panthers will use the full allotment allowed by the NHL in building this roster.
This may not be the case, but since according to PuckPedia.com and other salary cap sites, the Panthers are around $4-6 million under the cap, it should not be too tight a squeeze.
The roster max: 23 players with six more on the taxi squad which has to include a goalie unless a team is carrying three goalies on its 23-man roster which we’re not expecting Florida to do.
In creating this list, we will take the leap that the three players on the ‘Unfit to Play List’ will be ready to go for the opener and be on the roster.
But that may not be the case.
On Saturday, Patric Hornqvist came off the UPL and practiced for the first time in camp.
That leaves goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, forward Juho Lammikko and defenseman Markus Nutivaara as the final three players who have yet to participate in workouts.
Sam Montembeault, who was said to be on the UPL on the first day of camp, clarified Saturday that he missed that opening practice due to an issue with his work visa.
Wednesday, coach Joel Quenneville said goalie Scott Darling, in camp on a tryout, was on the UPL.
He was released on Saturday as the team made its first roster moves with five others sent to the split Florida-Tampa Bay AHL team in Syracuse.
When it comes to who is on the taxi squad and who is on the main roster, well, the line is going to be blurred not only in Sunrise but around the league.
Look at defenseman Riley Stillman as an example.
With Nutivaara on the UPL, Stillman has been back with Anton Stralman on Florida’s second defensive pairing.
If the season started tomorrow, those two would probably be in the lineup together.
But Stillman could still start the season on the taxi squad. Why? Because he does not have to pass through waivers to get there — and he would remain on the team and be able to be “called up” at any time.
So, in Stillman’s case, perhaps he starts on the taxi squad allowing Gustav Forsling — who was claimed off waivers from Carolina on Saturday — to start on the 23-man roster.
The Panthers could also keep veteran Kevin Connatoun on the 23-man roster as an eighth defenseman and have one of their young forwards who should be on the 23 slide down to the taxi squad.
This is not your traditional year and it will not be your traditional roster.
And we’re not even getting into which players start the season on the injured reserve list because, well, the Panthers have not said what is ailing those players who are, in NHL parlance, unfit to play.
So, we are breaking down the roster thusly: Florida will have 23 players on the main roster (13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies) with six others on the so-called taxi squad.
FLORIDA PANTHERS ROSTER PREDICTION
Forwards
Main roster (13 players): Brett Connolly, Jonathan Huberdeau, Vinnie Hinostroza, Mason Marchment, Sasha Barkov, Alex Wennberg, Carter Verhaeghe, Noel Acciari, Patric Hornqvist, Frank Vatrano, Anthony Duclair, Ryan Lomberg, Juho Lammikko.
Taxi squad (3): Eetu Luostarinen, Grigori Denisenko, Owen Tippett.
Going to Syracuse (5): Aleksi Heponiemi, Scott Wilson, Cole Schwindt, Serron Noel^, Henry Bowlby^.
George’s Take: Due to exposure through waivers (and forgoing any potential injuries), I have three rookies on the taxi squad with the thought that both Owen Tippett and Eetu Luostarinen may just be in the opening night lineup — and, on the same line.
I do not see rookie Grigori Denisenko cracking Florida’s top 12 at least right away, so he may legitimately see a lot of taxi squad practice time.
If Juho Lammikko remains on the UPL (and even if he doesn’t), Aleksi Heponiemi may stick around although he probably needs to find some playing time.
Scott Wilson has been fine at camp, but Florida is very deep at forward right now and probably need to keep more d-men around which may cost him a spot.
Mason Marchment has had a good camp, scored twice in the scrimmage and was working on the fourth line Saturday so we have him sticking around at least initially.
Defensemen
Main roster (8): Keith Yandle, Aaron Ekblad, Anton Stralman, Radko Gudas, MacKenzie Weegar, Markus Nutivaara, Gustav Forsling, Kevin Connauton*.
Taxi squad (2): Riley Stillman, Brady Keeper.
Going to Syracuse (4): Chase Priskie, John Ludvig^, Jake Massie^, Max Gildon^.
George’s Take: Although Connauton is here on a tryout and I previously wrote I do not see him here as a taxi squad player, with the uncertainty about the availability of Markus Nutivaara, it is conceivable Florida keeps him for his NHL experience.
Again, this list was made assuming the three UPL players will be available.
If, however, Nutivaara is not, I could see the Panthers keeping Connauton and Gustav Forsling with Riley Stillman and Brady Keeper at the ready (and Stillman likely playing Sunday against Chicago) on the taxi squad.
As the season goes along, Keeper will make his way into the lineup. His stock continues to rise. But he has limited NHL experience (one game in 2019 and one in the Toronto bubble) and the Panthers know NHL-tested d-men are hard to find.
Connauton, 30, has played in 314 NHL games and has been playing pro hockey since 2010.
Forsling is only 24, but has 122 games under his belt — almost all of which came under Joel Quenneville and new defensive coach Ulf Samuelsson in Chicago.
Right now, Chase Priskie looks like the odd defenseman out but if the Panthers go for upside instead of experience, perhaps Priskie makes the cut over a player such as Connauton.
As is the case with Keeper and Stillman, Priskie would not have to be exposed to waivers to be assigned to the taxi squad or to the AHL.
Goalies
Main roster (2): Sergei Bobrovsky, Chris Driedger.
Taxi squad (1): Sam Montembeault.
Going to Syracuse (1): Philippe Desrosiers.
George’s Take: With the Panthers sharing an AHL team with Tampa Bay, Scott Darling was not needed and was cut.
That allows Philippe Desrosiers to join Syracuse although if Sergei Bobrovsky is unavailable, he’ll stick as Florida’s No. 3 unless it looks like a long-term deal. Then, the Panthers may go shopping.
It looks more and more that Chris Driedger and Sam Montembeault will open the season against Chicago unless Bobrovsky returns in the next day or two.
Bobrovsky has apparently not skated since last week and is going to need some time to get back.
I do not expect Bobrovsky to make his first appearance in net until the first road games at Carolina — at the earliest.
(*) — On PTO
(^) — Sent to AHL Syracuse on Saturday