The Panthers are set to make a splash on the back end. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that they are set to sign defenseman Anton Stralman to a three-year, $16.5MM contract.
The 32-year-old missed 29 games due to injuries last season but it doesn’t appear to have affected his market any. When he was in the lineup, he was able to chip in with 17 points (2-15-17) while averaging over 20 minutes per game during the regular season. However, an injury kept him out of the lineup in their first-round postseason exit.
The fact that Stralman plays the right side and can log heavy minutes certainly bolstered his market. While he may not be the second or third defender that he was in the prime of his career, he can still hold down a spot in Florida’s top four behind Aaron Ekblad. Stralman ranked 19th on our Top 50 UFA list with the Panthers being our projection for a landing spot.