Evan Rodrigues’ ‘ability to do it all’ key for Panthers as injuries impact lineup
Evan Rodrigues heard the rumors throughout the offseason. He saw his name thrown out there in potential trade talk discussions after the Florida Panthers re-signed their big three pending free agents — defenseman Aaron Ekblad, center Sam Bennett and winger Brad Marchand — in moves that put the team more than $4.5 million over the salary cap.
If the Panthers had to shed salary, Rodrigues and his $3 million cap hit would be an easy move to cut into the deficit, especially since nearly every other player on the roster making significant money has no-movement clauses in their contract.
The Panthers got around it, with Florida getting more than $8 million in temporary salary cap relief by putting forwards Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek on long-term injured reserve while each recovers from extensive surgeries.
All the while, Rodrigues never let the outside noise faze him.
“I wasn’t really too worried about it,” Rodrigues said Wednesday. “I talked to management the coaching staff, and kind of knew where I stood. It wasn’t an overly stressful summer. There’s a lot of rumors and media attention out there, but I wasn’t too worried.”
And it’s a good thing Rodrigues is still with the Panthers because his versatility is needed now perhaps more than ever as they make their bid to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup.
When Barkov sustained a noncontact injury in practice on Sept. 25 that ultimately required surgery to repair the ACL and MCL in his right knee and has him out seven to nine months, Rodrigues’ role immediately shifted. He went from being a winger on Florida’s top line with Barkov and Sam Reinhart to centering the Panthers’ newly created third line with Jesper Boqvist and Mackie Samoskevich on his wings.
His ability to adapt to just about any situation is a saving grace for the Panthers and just might be an integral if not underrated part of them being able to weather through so many injuries this season.
“He’s looked great and he doesn’t complain at all,” fellow forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “He just goes about his business. Wherever he’s playing, he’s playing, and he’s happy about it. For him to just jump in to center like that is obviously a credit to how valuable he is with their team. A lot of guys couldn’t do that, myself included. He just fits in anywhere you kind of put him.”
That was on display in Florida’s season opener, a 3-2 win agaoinst the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. The Panthers’ line of Samoskevich, Rodrigues and Boqvsit is one that will thrive on taking advantage with its speed and beating opponents in the transition game.
They scored the game-winning goal together, with Boqvist batting in a pass from Samoskevich that came on a puck-dumping attempt midway through the third period.
“Evan’s experience is really important to it,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, “because he does play off both those players. He’s played all three [positions] and he’s very intelligent player. What they have is speed and hand skills and they work hard. Those guys will grind that quickness, so their game will look different than the other lines. They’ll have to rely on that speed and quickness early decisions. If they can do that, then they can cause chaos, which is what we’re hoping for.”
Rodrigues was also on the ice for Verhaeghe’s power-play goal in the first period as part of the team’s second power-play unit and got time on the penalty kill as well.
“I take pride in it,” Rodrigues said. “It’s something that I feel separates myself a little bit and having that ability to do it all really.”
Rodrigues’ versatility has been on display his entire Panthers’ tenure. He has played on all four lines and has adapted his role to whatever the team needs of him over the past two years. He knows how to handle the pressures of being a scoring option on the top line and the responsibility that comes with being a physical player on the fourth line.
He put up 71 points (27 goals, 44 assists) the past two regular seasons and added another 30 (nine goals, 21 assists) in the playoffs to help the Panthers win back-to-back Stanley Cups despite his ever-changing role.
“It’s not an easy thing that he does,” Maurice said. “He’s done a marvelous job in not letting that affect his game. He got back to his roots a little bit then he brought it back in. What I admire most about him, and this is true for a number of players, is he’s not 22 anymore. But he’s still trying to get better, still adding to his game.”
His efforts are appreciated, and they have become that much more important for the Panthers this season.
“He won two Stanley Cups playing on every line. That’s a talent,” Panthers president of hockey operations Bill Zito said. “It also speaks to his character. There’s not too many guys playing on the first line, who, when you tell them they’re on the fourth line tonight say ‘OK, let’s go!’ That is what that team is about with that culture.”
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