Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers Roster Battle Comes Down to the Wire
SUNRISE — With Anton Lundell missing practice Friday due to an upper-body injury, the depth of the Florida Panthers roster was bent a bit, but not broken.
Eetu Luostarinen, who once centered Florida’s fourth line, was back in the middle of his own line with Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart.
Lundell was back on the ice Saturday; Florida also added Cole Schwindt off waivers.
Opening Night is just two days away with the Panthers closing in on their final cuts before they play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at 5.
Two moves were made Saturday with Toby Bjornfot and Brandon Bussi placed on waivers. Neither move was a surprise. Both should go to the AHL Charlotte Checkers if they clear.
One question coming out of the final preseason game Saturday is the health of Aaron Ekblad.
He left 2:18 into Saturday’s gong show of an exhibition after being cross-checked in the face by Scott Sabourin of the AHL Syracuse Crunch and did not return.
Coach Paul Maurice did not offer up any sort of an update on Ekblad.
Assuming No. 5 is good to go, there are not many spots remaining.
Those jockeying for position got one last look Saturday against the Lightning.
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If Florida starts with three players (Matthew Tkachuk, Sasha Barkov, and Tomas Nosek) on long-term injury reserve, it would have enough cap space to start the season with the maximum 23-man roster.
With the Panthers adding Schwindt, and Maurice saying he could center the fourth line on Tuesday, Florida has one spot remaining.
Jack Studnicka, Tyler Motte, and Noah Gregor are fighting for that last spot.
The advantage appears to be in Studnicka’s favor; unlike Motte and Gregor, he has a two-way contract with the Panthers.
Motte and Gregor are both here on professional tryouts.
All three can play center.
On Saturday, the Panthers gave Studnicka a primetime spot, replacing Reinhart with Luostarinen and Verhaeghe.
Motte has played 455 NHL games over nine seasons with Chicago, Columbus, Vancouver, the Rangers, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, and Detroit. Saturday, he played on a line with Gregor and Mackie Samoskevich.
Being in camp on a PTO is something new to the NHL veteran but he says every training camp brings its own share of opportunity. Motte is just looking for his, here.
“You just have to play within yourself and I think it has gone well,” Motte said. “You just cannot do too much, know who you are. … As you get older, you understand who you are as a player more and what your role might be. When you get outside of who you are and what you can do, things don’t go well.’’
Gregor has played 293 NHL games with San Jose, Ottawa, and Toronto. He made the Maple Leafs in 2023 off a PTO and knows a little of the pressure not knowing what exactly is coming next means.
As much as he and Motte would love to be with the Panthers come Monday, it is possible one or both end up starting the season with Charlotte. Both could also latch on with another NHL team.
With the waiver wire full of players, perhaps a start in the AHL — whether with the Panthers or another team — is most likely.
“I did this two years ago in Toronto so I’m a little familiar with it, but there are just a lot of unknowns,’’ Gregor said. “You just want to come in, do your best, and put the staff in a tough spot with the decisions they have to make. Hopefully I am doing a good job of that.’’
LOCKS TO MAKE THE FLORIDA PANTHERS
- Forwards (13): Sam Bennett, Jesper Boqvist, Jonah Gadjovich, A.J. Greer, Luke Kunin, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues, Mackie Samoskevich, Cole Schwindt, Carter Verhaeghe
- Defensemen (7): Uvis Balinskis, Aaron Ekblad, Gus Forsling, Seth Jones, Dmitry Kulikov, Niko Mikkola, Jeff Petry
- Goalies (2): Sergei Bobrovsky, Daniil Tarasov
- Injured: Sasha Barkov, Tomas Nosek, Matthew Tkachuk
FIGHTING FOR A SPOT
- Forwards (1 assumed spot): Noah Gregor (PTO), Tyler Motte (PTO), Jack Studnicka
ON DECK: OPENING NIGHT
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
- When: Tuesday, 5 p.m.
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
- National TV: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN+/Hulu
- Radio: WQAM 560-AM/104.3 FM; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
- Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL/Panthers App
- Last Season: Tied 1-1
- This Season — At Florida: Tuesday; At Chicago: Jan. 25
- All-time Regular Season Series: Blackhawks lead 30-20-4, 3 ties
- Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. (Local TV)
