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Florida Panthers Sign Uvis Balinskis

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The Florida Panthers have made an interesting free agent addition, signing Uvis Balinskis to a one-year entry-level contract. The deal is for the 2023-24 season, since he would not be eligible to play for them this year.

General manager Bill Zito released the following:

Uvis is a productive defenseman who has proven his impressive two-way skillset at an elite level in Europe. We look forward having a player of his caliber in our system.

Balinskis, 26, has been linked to the NHL for years now. In 2017, when Dan Milstein was hired as his agent, he said that the “NHL is next” for the Latvian defenseman after an impressive performance at the World Championships.

A contract in North America never materialized, and he kept playing in the KHL and then the Czech pro league for the next several years. While suiting up for Liberec Bili Tygri HC this season, he scored 35 points in 50 games. He also took part in the Olympics last year for Latvia, and is a very experienced puck-mover.

Whether he can crack an NHL lineup remains to be seen. The undersized defenseman will have his work cut out for him, though there will be some opportunity in Florida. Radko Gudas, Anthony Bitetto, and Marc Staal are all scheduled for unrestricted free agency, impacting the team’s depth chart.

It seems like a longshot, although it is a very low-risk one. The Panthers will lose a contract slot and a few hundred thousand dollars for the chance to see if Balinskis can make a smooth transition to North America.

PHR Playoff Primer: Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers

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With the start of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs set to begin tomorrow, PHR makes its first foray into playoff series analysis with our 2023 Playoff Primers. Where does each team stand in their series, and what storylines could dominate on and off the ice? We continue our look with the Atlantic Division showdown between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers.

With each record that they set during their 65-win, 135-point regular season, the focus began to shift for the Boston Bruins. They’ve known they’d be making the playoffs since December, if not earlier. While other teams went to battle with the focus of securing a playoff spot, the Bruins were chasing records etched into the books by some of the NHL’s most historic teams. Now? The records have been set, their regular season is over, and they’re now in the same postseason boat as everybody else: zero wins, zero losses.

For this Boston team, making a deep run is considered the bare minimum. Anything less than a berth in the conference finals will feel like a disappointment, and it’s very likely that anything less than a Stanley Cup victory will leave fans in New England wanting more.

For the Florida Panthers, it was an uneven regular season that left them in the wholly undesirable position of being Boston’s first-round opponent. There are many who will expect these Panthers to serve as the Washington Generals to Boston’s Harlem Globetrotters, but just write them off in this series would be a mistake.

One must remember that it was just a few years ago that the Tampa Bay Lightning flirted with regular-season history, only to be swept in the first round of the playoffs against a hungry Blue Jackets team that just barely scraped their way into the playoffs. This is a scrappy Panthers team looking to move past the disappointment that defined their elimination in last year’s playoffs, led by new franchise face Matthew Tkachuk.

Will the Bruins take their first step toward a place in hockey history? Will their regular-season dominance extend to the postseason in a way it couldn’t for the 2018-19 Lightning? Or will we see another historic upset, perhaps even with reigning Calder Cup Champion Alex Lyon leading Florida to glory?

Regular Season Performance

Boston: 65-12-5, 135 points, +128 goal differential
Florida: 42-32-8, 92 points, +17 goal differential

Head-To-Head

October 17th, 2022: Boston 5, Florida 3
November 23rd, 2022: Florida 5, Boston 2
December 19th, 2022: Boston 7, Florida 3
January 28th, 2023: Florida 4, Boston 3

Series tied 2-2

Team Storylines

The Bruins are one of the NHL’s deepest, most talented teams, with a lineup full of top-end talent and valuable role players. You don’t set the NHL record for regular-season success without an elite lineup, after all. But the major question for the Bruins is something relatively out of their control: health.

They have experience, with a few players remaining from the team’s 2011 Stanley Cup victory and even more from the 2019 roster that just barely missed out on a championship. They have scoring talent, led by 61-goal, 113-point scorer David Pastrnak, defensive talent, and a goalie who posted an otherworldly .938 save percentage in the regular season.

But among those top players, there are some health-related question marks. We covered reports earlier today that Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron could miss the first game of the series, and Linus Ullmark has been dealing with an undisclosed injury in recent days, though he did practice yesterday with no restrictions.

This Bruins team is one that has 2019 Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall listed as a third-liner, alongside Tyler Bertuzzi, who has scored 16 points in 21 games in Boston. They have a stable full of versatile, capable players who can handle any situation thrown at them. The major question, then, will be if those players can stay healthy, and if they can maintain the standard of play they set in the regular season in the more intense environment of the playoffs.

There are no roster-related question marks surrounding this Bruins team, as long as they stay healthy. The main storyline to watch for this series, from their perspective, will be availability and execution, and those are two factors that are impossible to fully evaluate before the puck is dropped tomorrow.

For Florida, the main storyline relates to their situation in their crease.

With the Panthers’ season on the line, the team turned to Lyon, an AHL netminder who won the Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves last season.

He played extremely well, rattling off a six-game winning streak that revived Florida’s fading playoff dreams.

If the Panthers want to have any hope of pulling off the impossible and becoming the second underdog to stun a record-setting, 60-plus win team in the first round, they’ll need Lyon to play as he did during the winning streak.

They’ll also need their penalty kill to step up, as the Bruins powerplay, while inconsistent, is capable of scorching hot stretches. The Panthers’ penalty kill ranked 23rd in the NHL this season, killing 76% of opposing man advantages. The Bruins killed off 87.3%, the highest rate in the NHL by a decent margin.

While goaltending will be the main focus in this series, special teams could also be the battleground where Florida either finds a way to get ahead or ends up falling apart.

Prediction

The Panthers are a quality team whose stellar play in recent weeks rightfully earned them a spot in the playoffs. With players such as Tkachuk, and Aleksander Barkov, and an experienced coach like Paul Maurice, they’re not exactly the easiest team to bet against. The pressure the Bruins will be facing as such a successful regular-season team will be immense, and to discount how impactful that pressure could be would be a mistake.

That being said, how realistic is the possibility that these Bruins, who barely ever lose consecutive games, fall to a team potentially starting a goalie with under 40 games of NHL experience? How likely is it that the possible final act of Bergeron’s illustrious NHL career ends with a humiliating upset loss to a division rival?

The Blue Jackets proved a few years ago that anything can happen in the Stanley Cup playoffs. NHL-caliber players on any team, regardless of where they are in the standings, have it in them to find a way to win any game, regardless of the challenge posed by their opposition.

In the final game of their regular season, the basement-dwelling Montreal Canadiens held their own against and nearly beat the Bruins. But in a seven-game series? That’s a far taller task, and it seems as though the Boston will have more than enough to outlast even the fiercest of challenges from the Panthers.

The prediction: Bruins win in six games.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Sam Bennett Done For Regular Season

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For this year’s playoffs, the Bruins will have a home-ice advantage throughout the entirety. Although the Eastern Conference wild-card race has not been entirely settled yet, they will play the Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, or the Pittsburgh Penguins for their opening-round matchup.

[SOURCE LINK]

  • Jameson Olive, the Senior Digital Content Manager for the Panthers, relays on a message from head coach Paul Maurice, announcing that forward Sam Bennett will not play in Florida’s final regular season game. Although the Panthers clinched a spot in the playoffs last night, they don’t know if they will be playing the Bruins or the winner of the Metropolitan division. The team has played well in Bennett’s absence, as the forward has not played since their March 20th win against the Detroit Red Wings. Bennett has had a similar year to his last, scoring 16 goals and 24 assists for the Panthers this season.

Michael Benning Signs With Florida Panthers

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2:11 pm: CapFriendly clarifies that the contract does in fact begin this season, meaning Benning will burn the first year of his entry-level contract and become an RFA in 2025. The contract carries a cap hit of $916,700.

1:06 pm: Florida Panthers defense prospect Michael Benning has ended his college career at Denver University and signed his entry-level contract with the team, reports Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards.

Benning is locked into a three-year contract starting next season, according to the Panthers, meaning he won’t be able to play in this year’s playoffs. He’ll become a restricted free agent in 2026. The 21-year-old was named the most outstanding player of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, where Denver won the national championship.

Panthers general manager Bill Zito offered a statement on Benning’s signing:

Mike is a gifted two-way defenseman who has had an outstanding collegiate career. We are thrilled for him to take the next step in his career with the Panthers and look forward to his continued development within our organization.

A 2020 fourth-round pick, Benning has excelled during his sophomore and junior seasons at Denver, seeing a massive improvement in his play on both sides of the puck. His offensive acumen is the most tantalizing part of his game, though, a theme sure to fit in with Florida’s scoring-heavy system.

If there’s a knock to Benning’s game, it’s a question of how his smaller stature will transfer to the NHL, especially as a defenseman. He stands 5-foot-9 and may struggle with the strength of NHL opponents.

Charlotte Checkers Signs Mackie Samoskevich

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Another star player from the University of Michigan will be joining the AHL, as Colby Guy of Florida Hockey Now reports that Mackie Samoskevich will be joining the Charlotte Checkers on an amateur tryout agreement for the rest of the season. Samoskevich was drafted 24th overall by the Florida Panthers in the Michigan-loaded 2021 NHL Draft.

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Panthers Assign Mack Guzda To AHL

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There is some good news on the horizon for the Panthers on the injury front in goal as the team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned Mack Guzda to Charlotte of the AHL.

The 22-year-old is in his first professional season after signing with Florida last year as an undrafted free agent.  Although Guzda has been up for the better part of the last month, he has yet to see any NHL action, instead serving as a backup netminder.  He has suited up in 26 games with the Checkers this season, posting a 2.86 GAA along with a .899 SV%.

Guzda’s demotion means that Sergei Bobrovsky has been cleared to return from the undisclosed injury that has kept him out of the lineup for the last week and a half; George Richards of Florida Hockey Now notes (Twitter link) that the veteran will serve as the backup tomorrow against Washington.  While it might seem odd that Bobrovsky won’t start right away, Alex Lyon is coming off a career-high 56 saves last night against Ottawa and has won his last five games.  If nothing else, they’ll have a capable second netminder behind him as they look to lock down a Wild Card spot in the final week of the season.

Logan Hutsko Linked To SHL

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When the Florida Panthers signed Logan Hutsko in 2021, he looked like an interesting forward addition who could quickly rise through the ranks and provide some NHL value. The third-round pick had played well at Boston College and, despite his small stature, seemed to fit in Florida’s fast, creative, and versatile system.

General manager Bill Zito said he had “dynamic skill” and “unmatched determination,” noting how his pace and compete level would serve him well.

Now, two years later, it appears he might be off to Europe. A Swedish report from Johan Svensson suggests that Hutsko will sign with IK Oskarshamn for next season. As a restricted free agent this summer, he is allowed to sign overseas. The Panthers can temporarily retain his exclusive NHL rights by extending a qualifying offer, though it is unclear if he has any future in the organization.

The 24-year-old has done rather well through his first two years of AHL action, scoring 38 points as a rookie last year and 26 this season in just 39 games.

Through his time in Florida, he has not received a single call-up, and it now looks like he’ll chase a new opportunity elsewhere. Whether he ever makes an impact at the NHL level—or even suits up for a single game—still remains to be seen.

Sergei Bobrovsky Will Be Game-Time Decision Tomorrow

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Thompson’s return to practice is a lifeline for the Sabres, who are still barely hanging in the Eastern Conference playoff race and have, arguably, their most important game in a decade tomorrow against the Florida Panthers. Per CapFriendly, Thompson is listed as a game-time decision. Thompson’s 44 goals still rank sixth in the league, and his 89 points lead the team. His impact in such a crucial game could be immeasurable, and if at all possible, he’ll be suiting up Tuesday night.

  • On the other side of the coin, the Florida Panthers could again be without goalie Sergei Bobrovsky against the Sabres as he continues to deal with a rather nasty illness, per Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards. He did not practice today and, like Thompson, is expected to be a game-time decision. The 34-year-old netminder has been sidelined for the past three games, but he’s been relieved well by Alex Lyon, who’s allowed just four goals in Bobrovsky’s absence.

Florida Panthers Sign Ryan McAllister

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The Florida Panthers announced the signing of forward Ryan McAllister to an entry-level contract on Monday, adding a promising young player to their system. The financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed, but it is a three-year contract commencing with the 2023-24 season.

McAllister, 21, was one of the more highly-touted undrafted college free agents on the market. He spent just one season with Western Michigan University after a lengthy junior career in the AJHL, where he broke out in his first campaign with 13 goals, 36 assists, and 49 points in just 39 games.

“Ryan is a talented playmaking forward who showcased his dynamic ability in his first season in college hockey,” said Panthers general manager Bill Zito. “We are looking forward to his continued development within our club.”

McAllister plays a confident game offensively and does good work on the rush, which, while not as much a hallmark of Florida’s attack as it was last season, is still an area where the Panthers excel. He’s able to make plays in tight spaces but can struggle in one-on-one defensive situations and puck battles.

McAllister is expected to begin his professional career next season with the Panthers’ AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, where he will have the opportunity to continue to develop his game and adjust to the pro level. He could compete for a roster spot with the Panthers during training camp next season, especially given the team’s tight salary situation, but will likely get his first taste of pro hockey in the minors.

AHL Shuffle: 3/30/23

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent defenseman Topi Niemela to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, the Marlies announced on Twitter. Niemela finished his season with Karpat of the Liiga, Finland’s top league, earlier this month, and is set to cross the pond to get his first taste of North American pro hockey. Drafted in the third round by Toronto in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Niemela played 58 games for Karpat this season, tallying 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points. It was a dip in production, as he recorded 10 goals and 22 assists in just 48 games in 2021-22. He will join a Marlies squad that has already punched a ticket to the AHL playoffs, and the chance for Niemela to learn while on a playoff run will only be more beneficial. He will likely spend a decent amount of time with the AHL squad before suiting up for the Maple Leafs.

 

  • The Florida Panthers recalled goaltender Mack Guzda from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStart Bets. Johnston reported Wednesday that both Alex Lyon and Sergei Bobrovsky both took the morning skate before yesterday’s win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Lyon got the start, stopping 40-of-42 shots in the 3-2 Panthers win. The Panthers are set to take on the Montreal Canadiens tonight. Guzda, 22, has appeared in 26 games with Charlotte this season, posting an .899 save percentage and 2.86 GAA. If Guzda were to get into a game, it would be his NHL debut.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled defenseman Andrej Sustr on an emergency loan from the AHL, according to CapFriendly. Sustr, a veteran defenseman of more than 350 NHL games, has spent the entire season in the AHL. He played 39 games with the Iowa Wild, then was flipped to the Ducks in the John Klingberg trade, and has played seven games with the San Diego Gulls. Sustr suited up for the Ducks in both 2018-19 and 2021-22, making this his third stint with the team.

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