George Richards, FHN Publisher
For much of the existence of the Florida Panthers, the playoffs were a long way away by the time the NHL Trade Deadline rolled around with the team firmly in the category of sellers.
The Panthers were more than happy to unload veteran players — some on expiring contracts, some not — at the deadline to look ahead to the future. More often than not, that future ended up being like the present.
There have been some good deals made by the Panthers at the NHL Trade Deadline, however, when the team were considered buyers.
Last season, for instance, the Panthers and general manager Bill Zito were the belles of the deadline ball, going all-in in what they hoped was a chance at immortality and a shot at the Stanley Cup.
Some of those trades fared better than others. As Sergei Bobrovsky likes to say, it is what it is.
Now, we are not going through the best trades in franchise history — so none of the deals made during the offseason or even the January 1999 trade for Pavel Bure — are being considered.
Just the ones completed around the NHL Trade Deadline.
With the trade deadline coming Friday, it is not known just yet which way the Panthers will be going.
The team comes into Tuesday’s game in Tampa Bay XX points out of a playoff spot and could really be behind the 8-ball by the time the clock hits 3 p.m. on Friday.
2015: Jaromir Jagr
From New Jersey for second and third-round draft pick
When Jagr made it known that he was not happy getting limited minutes on the Devils’ fourth line, the Panthers jumped at the opportunity to bring No. 68 to town despite being six points out of the playoffs.
Florida was looking more toward the future and hoped Jagr’s famous work ethic would show its young players the way.
The deal most certainly paid off both on and off the ice as the production of Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdau took off while Jagr looked years younger while with the Panthers.
“I heard about the trade when I came in and it was just amazing to hear,’’ Barkov, then 19, said. “He was a top player in the league, won two Stanley Cups before I was born. He’s one of the great players who can score from anywhere on the ice. It’s a good thing for us.’’
Jagr ended up staying two full seasons with the Panthers and set a number of NHL milestones along the way.
“First off, I’m glad I got traded here. I didn’t really know how good this team is,” Jagr said following the end of the 2014-15 season before signing the first of two one-year extensions.
”A lot of people thought I was done. Those young guys gave me extra energy, extra life. I’m glad to be coming back next year.”
2018: Frank Vatrano
From Boston for third-round pick
Vatrano was part of two deadline trades for the Panthers: The first one was an under-the-radar move in 2018 which brought him to Sunrise and the second was a cap-clearing deal in 2022 which sent him to the Rangers for a fourth-round pick.
Vatrano was not getting a lot of playing time for his hometown Bruins when they traded him to the Panthers in 2018 but after recovering from an ankle injury at the time of the deal, Vatrano showed a lot of promise.
He ended up being one of the team’s top scorers in 2018-19 and signed a three-year extension with the Panthers.
Over the course of his four-plus seasons with Florida, Vatrano became one of the more popular players on the team and ended up scoring 73 goals with 126 points in 271 games.
He helped the Rangers get to the Eastern Conference finals last season and signed a three-year deal with the Ducks in the offseason.
2014: Roberto Luongo
From Vancouver for Shawn Matthias, Jacob Markstrom
Luongo has been involved in three trades during his tenure with the Panthers with the first considered one of the best in team history (2000 from the Islanders) and the second going down as one of the worst (2006 to Vancouver).
The third and final one is also one of the better moves the Panthers ever made.
Bringing Luongo back to the Panthers was long thought to be a fantasy what with his 12-year contract worth $64 million hindering any sort of deal. Especially with the Panthers.
“My contract sucks,” Luongo famously said. “I’d scrap it if I could right now.”
Luongo requested a trade in 2013 and reportedly would only waive his no-movement clause to the Panthers. Florida was up for sale at the time and nothing came of it.
But later that season, Luongo was benched by Canucks coach John Tortorella for the Canucks’ outdoor game. He was not happy.
Despite being in last place at the time and having a future Hall of Fame goalie in Tim Thomas, Dale Tallon got on the phone.
New owner Vinnie Viola gave Tallon the green light to go and get Luongo and a deal quickly came together. Thomas was moved to Dallas for Dan Ellis a few days later.
“It’s nice, it’s home,’’ Luongo said after the blockbuster broke. “The new ownership is committed to winning. … This is a good opportunity for me. I thought my contract was untradeable. I wasn’t expecting this to happen, especially not today.’’
Luongo’s second act with the Panthers was a big success as he helped lead the team to the Atlantic Division title and the playoffs in 2016. He ended up retiring following the 2018-19 season and remains in the team’s front office.
Luongo was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November.
2022: Claude Giroux
From Philadelphia for Owen Tippett, first and third-round picks
The price to get Giroux out of Philadelphia was steep, but the Panthers hoped the high-scoring forward would lead to postseason glory.
It did not work out that way in the end — and, the Panthers could not afford to keep him in the offseason — but Giroux was a strong addition to the 2022 Panthers.
Giroux ended up scoring three goals with 23 points in 18 regular season games, adding three goals and eight points in 10 postseason games.
He ended up signing a new contract with Ottawa in the offseason as Florida’s cap situation did not allow them to make an offer to keep him.
2021: Brandon Montour
From Buffalo for a third-round pick
The Panthers made their first big move of the 2021 Covid season by bringing in a top-4 defenseman at a discounted price.
“I know he’s a pretty skilled defenseman,” Sasha Barkov said. “He can help us with the puck and the offensive game. He moves the puck pretty well. A good addition and I’m looking forward to seeing him soon.”
Montour was a pending free agent and thought to be a rental player — but the Panthers were able to sign him to a three-year extension prior to the free agency period opening later that year.
He has turned into one of the Panthers’ most consistent defensemen despite being moved up and down the lineup and having numerous partners.
Montour is in the midst of a huge season as his 48 points ranks eighth in the NHL among defensemen and his 24:20 leading the Panthers in icetime.
2021: Sam Bennett
From Calgary for second-round pick, Emil Heineman
As the 2021 trade deadline came to a close, the Panthers landed the fourth-overall pick of the 2014 draft in Bennett.
That offseason, Florida got Sam Reinhart, who was No. 3 to go with top pick Aaron Ekblad.
Back to Bennett.
After a few disappointing years in Calgary where he was seemingly weighed down by expectations and being misplayed in the bottom-6, Bennett’s play took off in Florida as he was moved up to center the second line where he remains to this day.
In 402 games with Calgary, Bennett put up 67 goals and 140 points (0.35 points per game); with the Panthers, he has 48 goals and 99 points in 137 games (0.72).
“This is a competitor, someone who can help this team,” Zito said at the time of the trade.
Bennett ended up signing a four-year extension with the Panthers last summer and is in the second year of that new deal.
1996: Ray Sheppard
From Vancouver for second, fourth-round picks
The expansion Florida Panthers were close to making the playoffs in each of their first two seasons — but took a giant step forward in their third as they not only made the postseason, but made a run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final.
Ray Sheppard was a late addition to the 1996 Panthers, coming over in a deadline deal with the Canucks but has made up for it by never really leaving.
Sheppard became a key player in Florida’s playoff run that year, another veteran on a team full of them. He ended up scoring eight goals in 10 games leading up to the playoffs — then scored eight goals with 16 points in 21 postseason games.
He ended playing two more seasons with Florida before being traded to Carolina before the team’s move to Sunrise in 1998. Sheppard ended his NHL career with the Panthers, scoring 10 goals in 47 games during the 1999-2000 season.
Sheppard is now known as one of the top youth coaches in South Florida.
On the night the Panthers hosted a reunion of the 1996 Panthers in Sunrise, then-rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere — the first NHL player to be born-and-raised in South Florida — played in his first game against his hometown team.
Sheppard had coached Gostisbehere during his younger years in Coral Springs.
“I was fortunate to coach him at a young ages and I said then that this kid had something special,’’ Sheppard said. “I thought he might get a crack at it, even then. I’m so proud of him. He’s a great kid who worked hard and deserves everything he gets. It’s fantastic and I’m so happy to be here to see him.’’
Hey, perhaps the Panthers get Gostisbehere at this deadline. He is being shopped by the Coyotes, after all…