NHL Trade Deadline: Prices Are High. Florida Panthers Priced Out?

The Florida Panthers have maneuvered around an NHL Trade Deadline where those few teams which are selling are reaping high prices.

On Wednesday, the Panthers made their second trade of deadline season, and got what they needed without giving up much.

Florida wanted a strong backup goalie after sending Spencer Knight to Chicago for Seth Jones in one of the early (it was just Saturday) blockbusters.

Wednesday, the Panthers picked up Vitek Vanecek from the San Jose Sharks for Patrick Giles, an undrafted free agent out of Boston College that the Panthers signed in 2022.

Giles had a strong training camp, and ended up making his NHL debut with the Panthers on Oct. 12.

He played in nine games before being returned when Tomas Nosek was activated off LTIR before the games in Finland.

Vanecek gives the Panthers some insurance behind Sergei Bobrovsky after he won 33 games with the Devils two seasons ago, and made two starts for the Capitals against Florida in the 2022 playoffs.

He is 94-52-20 with a 2.82/.903 throughout his career.

The Panthers are expected to start him Saturday against the sinking Buffalo Sabres.

Coincidentally, Vanecek was supposed to start against Buffalo on Tuesday but San Jose held him out for trade purposes.

The Best Coverage of the Cup Champion Panthers.

Period.

Subscribe to Florida Hockey Now Today!

If the Panthers are going to make more trades before Friday’s 3 p.m. NHL deadline, they’re probably going to be more like this.

Florida still has about $6 million under the salary cap once Chris Driedger is returned to Charlotte, so cap space is not an issue.

But money doesn’t help you make deals at the NHL trade deadline.

With a conditional (2026 or 2027) first-round pick going to the Blackhawks, Florida has not had a first-round selection since taking Mackie Samoskevich in 2021 — and won’t have one until at least 2027.

Calgary is getting Florida’s first-round pick this year as part of the 2022 trade for Matthew Tkachuk; it is a top-10 projected pick, which means Florida cannot currently trade its 2026 or 2027 first-round selections right now due to a technicality.

Since Calgary would get Florida’s 2026 first-round selection if the Panthers dropped out of the playoffs this season and moved up in the lottery, Florida has to hold onto that pick just in case the bottom completely falls out of its season and it moves up in the lottery.

No, it is not going to happen.

But, technically, it could.

That means Florida’s 2026 first-round pick is spoken for right now — even though the Flames are not going to get it — which means the 2027 pick is as well because Chicago would get that one if Calgary ends up with the 2026 selection.

Anyway…

So, for trading purposes, the Panthers do not have a first-round pick to move until 2028.

Tampa Bay gave two first-round picks (2026, 2027) to Seattle on Wednesday to reunite with Yanni Gourde and bring in Oliver Bjorkstrand.

The Panthers just do not have the kind of draft capital to be in play for what is being paid out in this trade cycle.

Of course, the Panthers have been known to be creative when it comes to building up their roster.

A few weeks ago, they signed Jesse Puljujarvi on a minor league contract to see if things would work out.

Wednesday, they signed him to an NHL deal and, if he clears waivers for the third time this season, he will be part of the Panthers — perhaps by Friday afternoon when the 23-man roster expands after the trade deadline ends.

As of Wednesday evening, the Panthers have 22 players, including Driedger. The team wants to have as many empty slots as possible for flexibility going into the deadline.

The only Florida players who could be assigned to the AHL without having to go through waivers are Samoskevich, Driedger, and Puljujarvi (once he clears Thursday).

So, what do the Panthers have to move?

The Panthers could trade players on their NHL roster, of course, but GM Bill Zito and coach Paul Maurice like what they have so that’s not happening.

As far as prospects go, the Panthers have a few players in Charlotte and in junior hockey whom other teams may have interest in — as was the case with Giles and the Sharks.

The Panthers also have the negotiating rights to University of Denver forward Jack Devine, who did not sign with the team and returned for his senior year in a bid to repeat as a national champion.

A seventh-round pick in 2022, Devine’s stock has risen during a stellar college career.

Devine ranked seventh in the nation in scoring last season, and is currently the highest-ranked scorer in college hockey with 48 points in 34 games.

Tuesday’s three-way trade in which Edmonton got Trent Frederic from Boston by way of New Jersey included the negotiating rights to two unsigned draft choices including Boston University captain Shane Lachance who went to the Devils.

Devine could be a free agent if he doesn’t sign with the Panthers following his senior year.

Zito told FHN during the summer that they have a good relationship with Devine and that he is expected to sign with the team.

What is expected is that the Panthers recoup some draft capital by facilitating trades for other teams by retaining money.

Florida did this in 2022 when Aaron Ekblad was on LTIR, assuming $1.3 million of Max Domi’s contract so he could go to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Panthers also added defensive depth that year with their extra cap space by bringing in Robert Hagg for a sixth-round pick.

So, expect the Panthers to still be active as the deadline comes Friday at 3 p.m.

They just may be for players whose names you have to Google — or big names going to other teams.

ON DECK: GAME No. 63

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SW Fla)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season (Panthers lead 1-0) — At Florida: Thursday. At Columbus: Panthers 4, Blues Jackets 3 (Oct. 15); March 20.
• Last Season: Panthers Won 3-0
• All-time Regular Season Series: Columbus leads 26-21-4
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday vs. Buffalo Sabres, 6 p.m.