The Florida Panthers will be changing up their roster coming out of the All-Star break as the team has waived right winger Paul Thompson and defenseman Dylan McIlrath, Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel reports (Twitter link).
The 28 year old Thompson was acquired from New Jersey last offseason as part of the deal that saw the Panthers unload Marc Savard‘s contract. He has played in 21 games for Florida this season, recording three assists, 22 penalty minutes, and a -4 rating while averaging just 7:54 per night. He is earning $575K at the NHL level and $225K in the AHL and is in the final year of a two year deal signed back in July of 2015. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
As for McIlrath, Florida acquired him back in November from the Rangers in exchange for blueliner Steven Kampfer and a 2018 7th round pick. He has played in just five games with the Panthers since then, picking up a goal and ten penalty minutes while playing only 9:34 per contests. This marks the second time he has been waived this season as New York waived him back in October where he passed through unclaimed.
The former 2010 first rounder (tenth overall) also has seen action in six AHL contests with Florida’s AHL affiliate in Springfield, recording two points (1-1-2) and 13 penalty minutes. He carries a salary and cap hit of $800K this season and will be a restricted free agent afterwards.
[Related: Panthers Depth Chart]
I’m surprised McIlrath hasn’t been given more of a chance in the NHL. Former 10th overall pedigree and their was a vocal group of Rangers fans last year that wanted him to play more.
It’s because he hasn’t been very good in the ice time he has been given. Kid is a pylon out there, his skating still needs a lot of work. He’d be an ok regular 3rd pairing guy for a bad team, because at least he can throw a big hit occasionally and doesn’t mind fighting. Florida hasn’t been great this season, but they are still good enough to not need a guy like him to slightly up the entertainment value.
He honestly wasn’t that good in NY. He’s a bigger, physical defenseman, something that the league is moving away from. And, at the very least, he’s been stuck behind Girardi, Klein and Yandle/Boyle the past couple of years so there was no obvious spot to put him.