Panthers offseason primer: Florida’s cap, draft, free agent situation
For the first time since 2019, the Florida Panthers will not participate in the Stanley Cup playoffs. For the first time since 2022, they will not be in the Stanley Cup Final. And for the first time since 2023, they will not be champions of the National Hockey League.
The Panthers’ season officially ended Wednesday with an 8-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings in their regular-season finale at Amerant Bank Arena.
Now, a five-month offseason begins.
Here’s a look at where things stand as Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito looks to get his team back into the championship conversation.
Who’s under contract in 2027?
The Panthers have 17 players under contract for next season.
The 11 forwards: Aleksander Barkov ($10 million annual cap hit through 2029-30), Matthew Tkachuk ($9.5 million annual cap hit through 2029-30), Sam Reinhart ($8.63 million annual cap hit through 2031-32), Sam Bennett ($8 million annual cap hit through 2032-33), Carter Verhaeghe ($7 million annual cap hit through 2030-31), Anton Lundell ($5 million annual cap hit through 2029-30), Evan Rodrigues ($3 million cap hit in 2026-27), Eetu Luostarinen ($3 million cap hit in 2026-27), Jesper Boqvist ($1.5 million cap hit in 2026-27), Cole Reinhardt ($813,000 cap hit in 2026-27) and Jonah Gadjovich ($905,000 annual cap hit through 2027-28).
The six defensemen: Seth Jones ($7 million annual cap hit through 2029-30), Aaron Ekblad ($6.1 million annual cap hit through 2032-33), Gustav Forsling ($5.75 million annual cap hit through 2031-32), Niko Mikkola ($5 million annual cap hit through 2033-34), Dmitry Kulikov ($1.15 million annual cap hit through 2027-28) and Uvis Balinskis ($875,000 annual cap hit through 2027-28).
Which Panthers’ free agents are most likely to return?
Florida has nine players slated to be unrestricted free agents: Forwards A.J. Greer, Cole Schwindt, Vinnie Hinostroza, Tomas Nosek, Luke Kunin, Noah Gregor and Nolan Foote plus goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov.
Bobrovsky and Greer will be the primary players Florida will look to re-sign from that group.
Additionally, six Panthers are set to become restricted free agents: Forwards Mackie Samoskevich and Wilmer Skoog, plus defensemen Donovan Sebrango, Mike Benning, Tobias Bjornfot and Mikulas Hovorka.
Samoskevich, Sebrango and Benning are the most intriguing of that group.
How much cap space will the Panthers have?
The NHL’s salary cap rises to $104 million next season, up $8.5 million from the 2025-26 season’s limit of $95.5 million.
As things currently stands, Florida has 18 players — 12 forwards, six defensemen — signed for a combined projected cap hit of $88.473 million, leaving them with $15.527 million to fill out their roster, which at this point needs two goaltenders and up to three skaters.
Will the Panthers have a first-round pick? And if so, what number will that pick be?
Florida could get the No. 1 or No. 2 pick. It could get pick No. 8, 9 or 10. Or, it could potentially not have a first-round pick at all this year.
The Panthers traded their 2026 first-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks along with goaltender Spencer Knight for defenseman Seth Jones last year. However, that pick had top-10 protection, meaning Florida retains the pick if it ends up being in the top 10 of the draft order following the draft lottery.
Florida enters Thursday with the potential to be anywhere from No. 8-10 in the draft lottery odds, pending the results of the St. Louis Blues-Utah Mammoth and San Jose Sharks-Winnipeg Jets games.
The draft lottery is on May 5, with two winners from the 16 teams not in the Stanley Cup playoffs either moving up to the Nos. 1 and 2 picks or moving up 10 spots from their original position.
So the only way the Panthers won’t have a first-round draft pick is if they originally were in the No. 9 and two teams below them win the draft lottery or if they were originally in the No. 10 spot and one team below them wins the draft lottery.
How will the Panthers improve?
Get healthy.
Really, it might just be as simple as that.
Florida finished the season with 14 regulars on the shelf and had seven players miss at least 30 games due to an assortment of injuries.
The core that won the Panthers back-to-back Stanley Cups is locked in long-term. And if Florida is at full strength, as it showed the previous two seasons when it won the Cup, it’s a tough out and at minimum a playoff team.
So take advantage of the first long offseason in a while and enter training camp refreshed.
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