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Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With Casey Fitzgerald

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The defending Eastern Conference champions have made their second signing of the day. Defenseman Casey Fitzgerald is running it back with the Florida Panthers on a one-year, two-way contract after testing the open market, the team announced today. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Fitzgerald hit unrestricted free agency this summer under Group VI rules. This special designation applies to players with significant professional experience who don’t meet the standard eligibility guidelines for unrestricted free agency but have played less than 80 NHL games, allowing them perhaps to find a more significant role with another team earlier in their career. However, the 26-year-old Fitzgerald liked his fit in the Panthers organization, and he’s opted to return for another season.

The son of New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald found his way to the Sunshine State via waivers in January, heading south to the Panthers after the Buffalo Sabres attempted to assign him to the minors. He would play quite sparingly, though, playing just four out of 40 Panthers regular-season games after the claim and two out of 21 playoff games. All in all, that’s 55 healthy scratches for Fitzgerald in 61 games he’s been rostered for as a Panther.

A puck-mover by trade, Fitzgerald’s been adequate in limited NHL action but hasn’t demonstrated enough to push into an everyday spot in the lineup. The right-shot defender has nine assists in 63 games of NHL experience between the Sabres and Panthers but is still looking for his first NHL goal.

Buffalo’s third-round selection in 2016, Fitzgerald likely remains in a press-box role to start the season, even with Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour out with injuries. The team went bargain bin shopping on the back end, and their earlier UFA additions of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov, Niko Mikkola, and Mike Reilly likely push him down the depth chart. He could very well be waived again later on in the season and, if he clears, would be assigned to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

Florida Panthers Sign John Ludvig

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The Florida Panthers announced today they’ve agreed to terms with restricted free agent defenseman John Ludvig on a two-year, two-way contract. The team did not disclose financial details.

The 22-year-old left-shot defender will be a restricted free agent again at the end of his new deal and will likely be eligible for arbitration at that point. After COVID and injuries significantly limited Ludvig’s playing time since turning pro in 2020, he finally put together a full-time pro campaign last year with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, skating in 54 games and recording 17 points.

It really was a strong first impression for Ludvig, who worked his way into Charlotte’s top four with solid defensive awareness and a good bit of physicality to his game. Born in Canada to Czech parents, Ludvig went to the Panthers with the 69th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, Ludvig still needs another season or two before he’s ready for NHL action considering his delayed development, but it does look like there’s some NHL upside there. He flashed solid offensive instincts in his post-draft season with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, serving as the team’s captain in 2019-20 and exploding for 62 points in 60 games before turning pro the following year.

Knight To Participate In Development Camp

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Not featured in the Florida Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, goaltender Spencer Knight is getting back on the ice before the season gets underway. George Richards of Florida Hockey Now reports that Knight has been granted permission to participate in the team’s offseason development camp.

After spending much of last season in the league’s NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Knight is looking to make his return to the NHL. Although the Panthers did sign goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a one-year, $1.1MM contract on the first day of free agency, Knight will almost certainly find playing time in Florida’s net.

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Patric Hornqvist Announces His Retirement

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It’s a move that has been widely expected and hinted at but long-time NHL winger Patric Hornqvist made it official today, telling Aftonbladet’s Per Bjurman that he has retired at the age of 36.

Hornqvist spent last season with Florida, getting into 22 games before being shut down in early December with another concussion although he was skating with the team through their playoff run.  Fortunately, this announcement isn’t related to lingering issues from that injury as the veteran confirmed that he’s feeling fine now.

He spent 15 seasons in the NHL between Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Florida and is certainly one of the most successful late-round picks in recent memory as he was picked with the final selection in 2005, going 230th overall.  Hornqvist hangs up his skates with the 14th-most games played from that draft class while sitting ninth in scoring with 543 points.  His 264 goals are tied for the tenth-most by a Sweden-born player.

Hornqvist also won a pair of Stanley Cup titles with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017 plus a World Championship gold medal in 2018.  He was Florida Bill Zito’s first acquisition after Zito took over as general manager, wanting to give the Panthers some grit and an improved net-front presence.

Florida is hoping that Hornqvist will remain in the organization in some capacity, something Zito alluded to back at the draft.  For the time being, nothing is set in place at this time although Hornqvist acknowledged there was mutual interest in making something happen.  However, for the time being, at least, he has moved his family back to Sweden so if he is to remain with the Panthers organization, it’s likely to be in a scouting or part-time development role in the short term.

Florida Panthers Sign Rasmus Asplund

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The Florida Panthers have signed UFA forward Rasmus Asplund to a one-year, two-way contract, the team announced. PuckPedia reports Asplund’s deal is worth $775K in the NHL and $450K in the minors.

Asplund hit the UFA market after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Nashville Predators. Nashville had acquired Asplund as some utility depth down the stretch, sending the Buffalo Sabres a 2025 seventh-round pick for him in March.

He’s a very strong shutdown forward and is worth a spot in most teams’ bottom six groups, making it a tad puzzling he’d receive a two-way deal. He’ll have to fight for the opportunity to stay in an everyday NHL role in Florida after the team bolstered their bottom six with acquisitions such as Evan Rodrigues, Kevin Stenlund, and Steven Lorentz while also earmarking a lineup spot for 2018 15th overall pick Grigori Denisenko.

The 25-year-old Swede recorded two goals, six assists, and eight points in 46 games last season, split between Buffalo and Nashville. Able to play both wing and center, he’s totaled 18 goals and 49 points in 183 NHL contests to date.

He is still a likely candidate to make the team out of camp, even though it may be as a 13th or 14th forward. He would allow the team to more comfortably return Zac Dalpe to AHL Charlotte, where he’s served as the team’s captain for the past two seasons. Injuries forced Florida to call him up for their playoff run, where he scored a goal and posted a -8 rating in 13 games.

Florida Panthers Sign William Lockwood, Gerald Mayhew

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Already signing forward Evan Rodrigues earlier today, the Florida Panthers continue to add to their forward depth, announcing the signing of forward William Lockwood to a two-year, $1.55MM, carrying an AAV of $775K. Shortly thereafter, the team also announced they have re-signed forward Gerald Mayhew, signing him to a one-year, $775K, two-way deal. PuckPedia later reported Mayhew’s minor-league salary is $450K.

Lockwood was originally drafted in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, and stayed within the organization until a trade to the New York Rangers at last year’s deadline. The University of Michigan product has primarily played in the AHL for the Canucks organization but also carries 28 games of NHL experience.

Producing the best offensive output of his minor league career last season, Lockwood played in 43 games split between the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Abbotsford Canucks, scoring 17 goals and 13 assists. In the event that Florida runs into injury trouble next season, Lockwood should serve as a serviceable call-up option for the team.

In the case of Mayhew, the Panthers are continuing their due diligence to keep their AHL team competitive. In his first season with the Panthers organization, Mayhew played 69 games for the Charlotte Checkers, scoring 24 goals and 20 assists. It’s not quite the offensive outburst compared to his 2019-20 campaign with the Iowa Wild, but any 20-20 player will still carry tremendous value to any team.

Florida Panthers Sign Evan Rodrigues

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The Florida Panthers announced that the team has agreed to a four-year contract with forward Evan Rodrigues. In a follow-up report, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shares that Rodrigues will earn an AAV of $3MM.

Although coming off of nearly a 20-goal campaign during the 2021-22 season, Rodrigues had to wait until September to eventually sign a one-year, $2MM contract with the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Colorado Avalanche. Playing a high-speed game, Rodrigues’ versatility fit very well into Colorado’s lineup.

Bouncing around the top three forward lines for the Avalanche, Rodrigues nearly replicated his best season, scoring 16 goals and 23 assists, while averaging almost 18 minutes of ice time per night. With a staggering amount of injuries in Colorado, Rodrigues even found himself on their second power-play unit for much of the year.

In the move to South Florida, Rodrigues is joining another team with its sights set on the Stanley Cup. His versatility should be able to factor in very well to that lineup, as General Manager Bill Zito said, “Rodrigues brings skill and the ability to compete in three zones of the ice. A culture fit and someone who adds versatility to our lineup, we can’t wait to welcome Evan to the Panthers”. 

Minor League Signings 07/01/2023

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On day one of the free agent market opening up, the league saw a grand total of 166 signings, with a whopping $646.4MM handed out over the course of 291 total contract years. This class of free agents was expected to be one of the weaker in recent memory, but the excitement still remained as quite a few players switched cities. In all the chaos, there were some minor contracts that were inked yesterday that may have slipped under the radar for most:

  • The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Brady Keeper to a one-year, $775K, two-way contract. Keeper spent last season playing for the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. He only managed to play for about half of the Canucks games, scoring one goal and five assists in 35 games. In the playoffs, although eliminated in the first round, Keeper scored one goal in two games for Abbotsford (CapFriendly).
  • Defenseman Ryan Shea has inked a one-year, $775K, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Shea was a former fourth-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks back in 2015, but never actually signed with the team, joining the Dallas Stars on an entry-level contract in 2020. The Northeastern University product played a combined 162 games for the Texas Stars of the AHL, scoring 10 goals and 56 assists (CapFriendly).
  • The Washington Capitals signed forward, Pierrick Dube, to a two-year, $1.9MM, entry-level contract yesterday. An undrafted free agent last year, Dube joined the Laval Rocket, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. Dube played very well for the Rocket, scoring 16 goals and 16 assists in 44 games down the stretch. Still only 22 years old, Dube could factor into one of the top lines on the Hershey Bears next season, potentially even finding minutes with the Capitals in the near future (CapFriendly).
  • Another depth signing for the Penguins, the team has added forward Joona Koppanen to a two-year, $1.55MM, two-way contract. Koppanen was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, playing the majority of his career up to this point with the Providence Bruins. Last season, Koppanen did get his first change in the NHL, playing five games for the Bruins in January, tallying only one assist while averaging just under 11 minutes of ice time a game (CapFriendly).
  • The Florida Panthers re-signed defenseman Lucas Carlsson to a one-year, $775K, two-way contract yesterday. The defenseman was acquired in 2021 from the Blackhawks in an early-April trade. Although playing in 40 games during 2021-22 for Florida, Carlsson spent the majority of last season with their AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. In the minor leagues, Carlsson was one of the highest-scoring defensemen in the league, scoring 20 goals and 34 assists in 61 games (CapFriendly).
  • Securing his first contract in professional hockey, the Edmonton Oilers have added defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer to a one-year, $845K, entry-level contract. A former fourth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes back in 2017, Hoefenmayer never played in the Coyotes system, eventually playing on minor-league contracts with the Toronto Marlies after finishing his junior career with the Ottawa 67’s. Hoefenmayer played quite well for the Marlies, scoring 11 goals and 27 assists in 65 games last season (CapFriendly).
  • Returning back to North American hockey after spending the last two seasons playing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, the Montreal Canadiens veteran forward Philippe Maillet to a one-year, $775K, two-way contract. Already 30 years old, Maillet has spent parts of his career with the Capitals and Los Angeles Kings organizations before finally making the jump overseas in 2021-22. In 66 games played for Metallurg last season, Maillet scored 22 goals and 31 assists (CapFriendly).
  • The recipient of the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy from the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs, Hunter Shepard, has signed a two-year, $1.55MM, two-way contract to remain with the Capitals organization. Shepard was sensational en route to the Hershey Bears winning the 2023 Calder Cup, managing a 14-6-0 record throughout the playoffs, carrying a 2.27 GAA and a .914 SV% (CapFriendly).

 

San Jose Sharks Acquire Anthony Duclair

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6:32 pm: San Jose has made the trade official, sending Lorentz and their 2025 fifth-round pick to Florida for Duclair.

5:42 pm: The San Jose Sharks have traded for Florida Panthers winger Anthony Duclair, according to The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman. Goldman adds that forward Steven Lorentz is expected to be part of the trade heading back to the Panthers, though there could be more moving pieces involved.

Duclair brings a more dynamic asset to the Sharks after he landed on his feet in Florida as a top-line player. Last season, he recorded just two goals and nine points in 20 games with the Panthers, missing much of the season recovering an Achilles tear. Duclair’s skill set and ability to generate scoring chances make him a valuable asset for the Sharks, however, as they sorely need some high-end skill in their lineup (even though they’re rebuilding). He’ll never provide much value defensively, but it’s not much of a concern for a Sharks team that doesn’t anticipate being competitive next season.

In return, the Panthers acquire a fine bottom-of-the-lineup forward in Lorentz and nearly $2MM in cap space, helping them fortify their fourth line while opening up some more cap space to replace Duclair’s top-nine on the open market in the coming days. He could very well center their fourth line next season after recording 10 goals and 19 points in 80 games with the Sharks last season.

Florida Panthers Sign Dmitry Kulikov

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The Florida Panthers have signed yet another defenseman, bringing back familiar face Dmitry Kulikov, according to TSN’s Chris Johnston. The deal has been officially announced, with the Panthers specifying that it’s a one-year pact. Per CapFriendly, it’s a $1MM AAV deal.

Florida brought Kulikov into the NHL with the 14th overall pick in 2009, and he went on to play 460 games for them over seven seasons before departing the organization in 2016. He overcame some long-term injuries in the middle of his career to rebound as a rather effective shutdown defender in the past few seasons, but he got stuck on one of the worst defensive teams in recent memory last season with the Anaheim Ducks.

He’ll try and show he’s still got what it takes to be an everyday NHLer this season in Florida, although he’s a candidate to slip out of a lineup spot upon the returns of Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour from injury. Still Kulikov’s defensive upside is worth the gamble at $1MM and can be buried in the minors if need be without penalty.

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