Panthers make decisions on restricted free agents. Who stays? Who’s gone?
The Florida Panthers made their decisions on their eight restricted free agents ahead of the NHL’s Monday deadline.
Three of the eight received qualifying offers, which keeps them as part of the organization. That trio: Forward Ben Steeves plus defensemen Tobias Bjornfot and Mikulas Hovorka.
But perhaps more surprising is three members of the list that did not receive qualifying offers and thus will become unrestricted free agents at noon Wednesday. Those three: Forward Cole Schwindt plus defensemen Donovan Sebrango and Mike Benning. Forward Wilmer Skoog and defenseman Evan Nause also did not receive qualifying offers.
Schwindt played 29 games for Florida last season, serving mostly as the team’s fourth-line center. He logged seven points (a career high five goals plus two assists) but missed significant time with a pair of injuries — first a broken arm sustained in November and then a lower-body injury suffered in late February.
Sebrango, claimed off waivers from the Ottawa Senators early in the season, played in 42 games and produced eight assists while rotating in on Florida’s third defense pair. There was a case for Florida to stick with him as their seventh defenseman. But that became less likely of an option after the Panthers obtained the rights for Radko Gudas on Monday. Should Gudas sign with Florida, the Panthers’ likely blue line group to begin the season will be Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Seth Jones, Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov, Uvis Balinskis and Gudas.
Benning was one of Florida’s top prospects and made his NHL debut on March 12. While on the smaller side for a defenseman at 5-9 and 185 pounds, he played in 18 games, scoring twice and adding four assists while averaging close to 17 minutes of ice time per game down the stretch.
Neither Benning nor Sebrango is waiver exempt, meaning the Panthers would have to send them through waivers to get him to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, after training camp if they didn’t make the roster.
As for the three who did receive qualifying offers:
Bjornfot has been with the Panthers organization for the past three seasons and has been one of their regular call-ups from the Charlotte Checkers when they need an injury replacement. He has played in 34 games with Florida since the 2023-24 season.
Hovorka like Benning also made his NHL debut last season. He played in four games and has size at 6-6 and 229 pounds.
Steeves has yet to make his NHL debut but is coming off a career season at Charlotte with 45 points (23 goals, 22 assists) in 72 games.
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