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Florida Panthers Sign Michael Del Zotto

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After being bought out on Tuesday, veteran defenseman Michael Del Zotto has found a new landing spot. The Florida Panthers have announced that they have signed Del Zotto to a one-year, two-way contract. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Del Zotto is the latest former Ottawa Senator to head to the Sunshine State, joining recent Panthers signings Colin White, Chris Tierney, and Rudolfs Balcers.

Del Zotto, 32, is a veteran of over 700 NHL games, and he is now on the ninth team of his NHL career. Del Zotto split time between the NHL and AHL levels in 2021-22, finding great success at the AHL level with the Belleville Senators while struggling to live up to his $2MM cap hit in Ottawa. Del Zotto had 27 points in 26 games in Belleville and 13 points in 26 games in Ottawa.

Del Zotto’s calling card has always been his ability to move the puck, and that’s what he’s being signed by Florida in order to provide. As it’s a two-way deal, Del Zotto will likely see time in both the AHL and NHL next season, although he could be a top-priority injury fill-in should one of the more talented Panthers defenders get injured.

As a cheap depth signing, Del Zotto is a wise add for a team that wants to improve on last season’s campaign, a year that resulted in both a President’s Trophy as well as a mightily disappointing second-round exit. Del Zotto will compete for opportunities against Marc Staal, Lucas Carlsson, and Anthony Bitetto, among others.

Florida Panthers Sign Evan Nause, Gerry Mahyew

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The Florida Panthers have signed prospect Evan Nause to his three-year entry-level contract, a year after he was selected 56th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. General manager Bill Zito released a short statement:

Evan is a talented young defenseman who has flourished in his two seasons in junior hockey. We’re pleased to have him in our system and are looking forward to watching him continue to develop.

Nause, 19, was a huge part of the Quebec Remparts success this season, scoring 46 points in 59 games while using his long reach to control the game from the back end. When Scott Wheeler of The Athletic detailed the Panthers’ prospect pool earlier this year, he put the QMJHL defenseman seventh, noting that the team had been asking a lot of him in his own end.

That development at the defensive end of the rink will be the key for Neuse, as he likely won’t play a huge offensive role if he makes it to the NHL, even if he is performing well in junior at that end. It does beg the question of whether the Panthers would actually prefer him to be in the AHL this season but since he is still just 19, he isn’t eligible for that.

Luckily, this also means that his entry-level deal won’t kick in this season (unless he somehow makes the Panthers roster out of camp), sliding forward and starting in 2023-24.

A few minutes later, the team also announced a contract for minor league forward Gerald Mayhew. The two sides have agreed on a one-year, two-way contract for the 29-year-old.

Mayhew is one of the most consistent goal-scorers in the minor leagues and actually has a history of scoring at the NHL level as well. In 57 career games he has 13 goals, including five in just 15 contests this season with the Anaheim Ducks. While he shouldn’t be considered an impact player at this point, his addition certainly gives the Panthers a bit of extra scoring punch among their depth options.

Florida Panthers Sign Rudolfs Balcers

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After being cut loose by the San Jose Sharks, Rudolfs Balcers has found a new home in Florida. The Panthers have signed the young forward to a one-year contract, with general manager Bill Zito releasing the following statement:

Rudolfs is a hard-working playmaker who competes with pace and skill. His energy and competitiveness will complement our lineup well.

Given the lack of cap space the Panthers are dealing with, they’ve decided to make some calculated gambles on younger players who fell out of favor with their most recent clubs. Balcers joins Colin White as 25-year-olds who were bought out this week and have now found new contracts with Florida.

In 61 games with San Jose last season, the talented Latvian forward registered 11 goals and 23 points, setting career-highs in both marks. Despite his lack of any real success so far, scouts have always believed there was more offense in Balcers, offense he has shown repeatedly at the World Championships and AHL level, where he is routinely a point-per-game kind of player.

With a history of turning projects into players, the Panthers will try again to put Balcers in a position to succeed and capitalize on that offensive talent. He joins a loaded forward group as a versatile piece that will likely move up and down the lineup throughout the year.

There is at least a bit of “last chance” vibes with Balcers, though that may end up being more motivation than anything else.

Alex Lyon, Anthony Bitetto Sign With Florida Panthers

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Florida has landed a third-string netminder to serve behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports the team has signed depth goalie Alex Lyon. They’ve also added some depth on the back end, adding Anthony Bitetto to a one-year, two-way contract.

Lyon, 29, is fresh off winning the Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves, where he posted a .923 save percentage in 12 playoff appearances. An undrafted free agent signing out of Yale in 2016, he has been strong in the minor leagues but only appeared 24 times in the NHL.

He may not get any more chances this year but is at least a strong option should one of Bobrovsky or Knight face an injury.

Bitetto meanwhile is in a similar situation, save for the recent Calder Cup win. The 31-year-old defenseman has 197 games under his belt at the NHL level but none of those came in 2021-22. Instead, he split the year between the Hartford Wolf Pack and the San Jose Barracuda, scoring 17 points in 53 games.

If he’s playing regular minutes with the Panthers it is because they are dealing with serious injuries but should represent a stable veteran presence in the AHL.

Florida Panthers Sign Marc, Eric Staal

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The Florida Panthers are bringing in some brotherly love, signing Marc Staal to a one-year, $750K deal and Eric Staal to a professional tryout, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.

The state of Florida will actually have three Staals on the ice, as younger brother Jared Staal is an associate coach with the Orlando Solar Bears. When Jordan Staal and the Carolina Hurricanes come to town, it can be a family reunion.

For the Panthers, adding Marc Staal on a league-minimum deal will give them a veteran presence to plug in whenever necessary. The 35-year-old defenseman has played over 1,000 regular season games, including 71 this season for the Detroit Red Wings.

While he isn’t the elite shutdown option he once was, the veteran defender is still an NHL-level talent that can handle penalty killing and third-pairing responsibilities. He may not play every night for Florida but when you look at a team that paid a huge price for defensive depth at the deadline, adding him now makes sense.

Eric Staal meanwhile didn’t play in the NHL last season, sitting out and suiting up at the Olympics instead. He was always open to a return but never found a job, suggesting that his career may be over. A PTO will give him a chance but it’s hard to see how the 37-year-old fits into the high-flying style of the Panthers.

Florida Panthers Sign Nick Cousins

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According to TSN’s Bruce Garrioch, the Florida Panthers are closing in on a contract with depth forward Nick Cousins. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports it’s a two-year deal worth $1.1MM per season.

Cousins, 28, has been a bottom-six center for most of his NHL and has provided a similar set of skills to the variety of NHL teams he’s served. Cousins is a bottom-six forward who provides shift-to-shift energy and depth scoring. In 68 games with the Predators Cousins scored nine goals and 22 points, getting those numbers on only 12 minutes of ice time per night. Cousins sometimes was used on the Predators’ power play, but was not a featured option there.

Cousins doesn’t have the skill or separation ability to be an offensive difference-maker at the NHL level. But he has shown the ability to score once in a while taking on a limited role. That’s likely what he’ll be asked to do in Florida, though there’s always the possibility that he gets swept away in the tide that is the Florida Panthers’ offensive machine and has a career year.

Florida Panthers To Sign Colin White

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After getting bought out by the Ottawa Senators, free agent forward Colin White is headed to the Florida Panthers on a one-year, $1.2MM deal per TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. White is able to sign this deal with the Panthers thanks to him being recently bought out of his long-term contract by the Ottawa Senators.

This signing is an opportunity for both White and the Panthers. For White, he gets to join the reigning President’s Trophy-winning team, a club that had one of the most lethal attacks in recent NHL history. The Panthers score goals in bunches, and the hope for White is that he can be a part of that. Success in Florida has made other players significant amounts of money, as it has done for Mason Marchment today, so White signs this one-year deal likely with the hope that he can have a productive season and re-enter the market on stronger footing next summer.

For the Panthers, they get someone who was only a few years ago seen as a core piece of the Senators for a cheap price. At $1.2MM, White should help the team’s bottom-six and be able to fill in as a center if there are any injuries, if he’s not occupying the fourth-line center slot already. The Panthers are the team that gives White the best chance of rediscovering the form that saw him post 41 points in 71 games in 2018-19.

At a $1.2MM cost, getting a 25-year-old free agent with the resume that White has is a shrewd addition for Panthers GM Bill Zito, a manager under a ton of pressure to improve after a disappointing playoff exit this spring.

Florida Panthers Sign Nathan Staios

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The Florida Panthers have made a splash in the undrafted free agent market today, signing 21-year-old defenseman Nathan Staios to a three-year entry-level contract.

General manager Bill Zito gave the following statement on Staios’ acquisition:

Nathan is a highly skilled defenseman who possesses an excellent playmaking ability. This past season, he established himself as one of the best defenders in junior hockey and we are excited that he will continue his career within our organization.

Staios, 21, was being pursued by several clubs after his excellent overage season with the Hamilton Bulldogs, where he scored 66 points in 59 games and helped them to the Memorial Cup.

The son of long-time NHLer Steve Staios, this defenseman holds a bit more offensive upside than his dad. He’ll join a Panthers program that will need cheap options in the coming years as their high-end offensive talent continues to increase in cost.

Florida Panthers Sign Eetu Luostarinen, Lucas Carlsson

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The Florida Panthers have announced a new two-year contract for Eetu Luostarinen, avoiding restricted free agency with the young forward. Puck Pedia reports the deal carries a $1.5MM cap hit, paid in full base salary each season. The team also inked defenseman Lucas Carlsson to a one-year, two-way contract to avoid restricted free agency, which CapFriendlyNo contract details were included. has an $800,000 cap hit and $300,000 minor salary with $400,000 guaranteed.

General manager Bill Zito did release a statement on the two players:

Eetu is a selfless, dependable and cerebral player who plays with consistency each and every night. We are excited to have him back in our lineup for the upcoming campaign.

Lucas is an effective two-way defenseman who possesses a high compete level. We are pleased that he will remain a part of our organization as we head into next season.

Luostarinen may not be a household name yet but he was an important piece for the Panthers this season, offering versatility and size to the bottom six. The 23-year-old center scored nine goals and 26 points in 78 games, averaging just over 13 minutes a night while racking up more than 100 hits. Averaging more short-handed ice time than any forward not named Aleksander Barkov or Anton Lundell, his role is integral to the machine that Zito and the Panthers have built, even if it’s hard to see much more offensive production coming in the future.

Selected 42nd overall by the Carolina Hurricanes, Luostarinen was part of the Vincent Trocheck trade in 2020 and quickly showed that he could handle himself at the NHL level. It’s not to say more offense is impossible from the 6’3″ forward, just that his role in Florida is likely to stay limited to defensive minutes for the time being. The team has so many established offensive players ahead of him that his deployment will likely stay heavily skewed to his own end of the rink, tasked with protecting the lead and taking some of the defensive burdens off of Barkov.

A two-year deal will leave Luostarinen as a restricted free agent in the summer of 2024, though by then he will be eligible for arbitration.

Carlsson worked his way into 40 NHL games this season and is Florida’s likely go-to man for their seventh defenseman spot. In his first “full” NHL campaign, Carlsson averaged just 12:43 per game but managed three goals and six points.

NHL Announces 2022-23 Regular Season Schedule

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The news continues to break during what’s been a busy pre-draft week. The NHL has released the full 82-game schedule for the 2022-23 campaign, marking a return to normal dates and length for the first time since 2018-19.

2022-23 will see its curtains open overseas, where the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators will open the season at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czechia on October 7 and 8, 2022. The regular season will begin on the North American side of the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, with a classic doubleheader. The puck will drop at Madison Square Garden for an Eastern Conference Final rematch between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers, followed by a Pacific Division showdown in Southern California between the Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings.

The Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup banner-raising ceremony will be the following night at home against the Chicago Blackhawks. The season will wrap up on April 13, 2023.

Some key events throughout the season include the 2022 Global Series in Tampere, Finland, where the Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets will play a pair of games on November 4 and 5, 2022. The 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic is slated for January 2, 2023, between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins at Fenway Park, and the 2023 NHL Stadium Series is set for February 18, 2023, in Raleigh, North Carolina, where the Hurricanes will host the Washington Capitals. All-Star Weekend will be February 3-4, 2023, hosted by the Florida Panthers.

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