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Florida Panthers Ready for Opener Despite Storm, Roster News

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Driedger panthers
It appears the Florida Panthers will have three goaltenders to open the 2024-25 season after Chris Driedger was not placed on waivers before the final roster is set today at 5 p.m.(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers canceled their public Stanley Cup Championship Ring Ceremony which was scheduled for Monday night due to to the weather, but are ready to start their new season Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins.



Despite Hurricane Milton rapidly progressing into a major Category 5 storm in the Gulf of Mexico, South Florida is out of the cone of concern and the opener against the Boston Bruins appears like it will be played in Sunrise as scheduled.

The Bruins flew into Fort Lauderdale on Sunday afternoon and practiced at the IcePlex on Monday afternoon not long after the Panthers left the ice for the day.

The Panthers will get their rings in a private ceremony later today.

“It is unfortunate with the safety concerns and the weather, but, for us, rainout celebrations are sort of what we do here,” coach Paul Maurice said. “So it’s fitting, I guess. I am thankful that we’re able to get the rings done, enjoy it tonight and leave them home tomorrow. …

“The original ring plan, I thought, was brilliant. Have it in front of your fans, that’s where you share it. We won’t have that night, and understandably so. That makes the banner raising more important because there needs to be a sharing between the fans and the players.’’

The Panthers had 24 players on the ice for Monday’s morning practice with their roster needing to be set at 23 by 5 p.m. today.

UPDATE: Florida will not open the season with three goalies — Sergei Bobrovsky and Chris Driedger will open on the 23-man roster.

Spencer Knight has been sent to AHL Charlotte.

Knight also does not have to go through waivers and could be on the move — for now.

Zito pulled Knight out of the locker room to talk Monday; about $1 million of Knight’s $4.5 million salary could be shaved off the cap if he were assigned to Charlotte.

“Most of that question will be cap related and injury based and what happens in the next three or four hours,” Maurice said when asked about the Panthers starting the season with three goalies. “We’re only going to play one goalie. That’s the plan. This will sort itself our in the next couple of hours.”

The Panthers did send rookie Patrick Giles to AHL Charlotte (he practiced on Monday) as he also does not have to go through waivers.

A move to Charlotte for Giles and Knight is probably just temporary for the cap-challenged Panthers.

Florida is going into Tuesday’s opener one player shy of the 23-man limit.

On Monday, Florida’s final runs with the fourth line included Jesper Boqvist, Jonah Gadjovich, and A.J. Greer.

“Patty won’t be a player here who watches games because he doesn’t have to,’’ Maurice said. “He had a very, very good camp. The last decisions will be difficult in some ways, but as we all have the confines of a salary camp and waiverable players, a lot of that just becomes the logistically smart things for teams to do.’’

General manager Bill Zito was unavailable Monday morning but should speak about the finalized roster later this afternoon.

Driedger, who spent parts of three seasons with the Florida organization from 2018-21, would have to go through waivers to play for Charlotte.

MacKenzie Entwhistle, who had been out with an undisclosed injury last week, was on the ice Monday and will be on the Opening Night roster.

Florida did send rookie Sandis Vilmanis, also waiver-exempt, to Charlotte.

— Maurice was asked by a visiting reporter about the Panthers calm demeanor with a major hurricane off the Florida coast.

Although the west coast of the state is bracing for what could be catastrophic damage due to storm surge, Category 5 winds, and heavy rain, South Florida may only feel tropical storm-like conditions over the coming days.

Or, at least we hope that is all it is.

Maurice recalled a time when Raleigh, North Carolina, got hit with a major snowstorm and how the locals reacted to that.

“When you come from Canada, two feet of snow is nothing,” Maurice said. “The first hurricane we sat through, I was in a full panic. We were shoving kids into a closet in the middle of the house with mattresses. A full panic.

“Whatever you grow up with, you get used to it. I’m not used to it. Those trees start bending and you’re looking outside … it’s almost the noise of the wind, more than anything. I’m not used to that either. … Whatever you’re not used to scares the hell out of you.”

GAME 1 ON DECK
BOSTON BRUINS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

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