Mailbag: Trade Rumors, Florida Panthers Roster, Ballys & More

When I decided to open up the FHN Florida Panthers Mailbag for November, I did not know captain Sasha Barkov was going to get hurt later that night in Anaheim.

On Friday night, Barkov was knocked out of Florida’s 2-1 win over the Ducks when he took a knee-on-knee hit from Jackson LaCombe early in the third period.

That means a lot of the final questions for this month’s Mailbag had to do with the health of Mr. Barkov.

Unfortunately, I do not have an update for you.

UPDATE: Barkov is day-to-day, will miss Monday’s game against the Oilers. 

Barkov and the rest of the Panthers flew home from Los Angeles on Saturday and my expectation is he was either looked at by doctors in California on Friday or upon his return to Florida.

The Panthers are practicing at the arena this morning; we could have more clarity on the issue later today.

Stay tuned.

As for the remainder of the Mailbag, this was one of most active ones yet.

There are a number of great questions regarding the makeup of the team’s roster, what the trade deadline may look like and whether the Panthers could somehow, someway, get Jonathan Huberdeau back in South Florida.

There were also questions about the future of Bally Sports, how the Panthers could keep their team together what with so many free agents left to sign including scoring machine Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour and Gus Forsling.

And would the Panthers entertain trading Aaron Ekblad and/or Sergei Bobrovsky?

Read on — and thanks for all of the great questions.

What’s been most surprising about the Panthers good start so far this season? — @MrEd315

I would have to say the defensive play of this team.

It is one thing for players like Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Reinhart to ease right back into the way this team plays — but four new defensemen?

The Panthers being so successful in close games in these opening 17 with so many new faces has been impressive.

Do you think the Panthers will be in on Nikita Zadorov since he’s said he will not re-sign with the team? Will Bill Zito make it a Calgary reunion, since we have 3 ex-Flames? Thanks. — Tom