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Alexander Petrovic

Panthers Roster Updates: Bjugstad, Petrovic, Reimer, Berra

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The Florida Panthers, who have been without several key regulars for significant portions of the season due to injury, are inching closer to full health, as the Sun Sentinel’s Harvey Fialkov reports via Twitter.

Nick Bjugstad, who has placed on IR retroactive to January 6th because of a lower-body injury, and Alex Petrovic, out since November with an ankle issue, are both slated to return to the team tomorrow. Bjugstad is likely going to fill the Panthers fourth line pivot spot. The 6-foot-6 center has struggled to produce this season with just one goal and two points in 21 contests. In 67 games played during the 2015-16 season, the five-year veteran registered 15 goals and 34 points. Bjugstad earlier this season missed 19 games with a broken wrist.

Petrovic established himself as a useful regular blue liner last season, tallying 17 points in 66 games and finishing with a plus-17 plus/minus rating. In 16 appearances this season, he has five points and is a plus-eight.

Meanwhile, top line center Aleksander Barkov, out the last two months with a lower-body injury, is still at least two weeks away from returning, notes Fialkov. He has been working out with former NHL forward Marco Sturm, the scribe adds. Sturm last appeared in the league five seasons ago, appearing in 48 games with Vancouver and Florida. Barkov has nine goals and 27 points in 36 games for Florida this season.

Finally, the team reassigned goaltender Reto Berra to Springfield of the AHL as James Reimer is rejoining the club after a brief absence. Berra didn’t appear in a game for Florida since the recall. Reimer left the team to be with his wife, who is expecting the birth of their child and it’s possible he will again take a leave of absence should she go into labor.

Snapshots: Olympics, St. Louis, Florida Injuries, Oleksiak

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While the International Olympic Committee was originally hoping to have a firm answer regarding the NHL’s participation in the upcoming Winter Olympics by January 15th, there is no specific deadline for the league to make their decision, an IOC rep told ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun.

The league continues to work on two different schedules for next season, one that would accommodate the NHL stopping midseason and one that would not.  While that might sound like reason for optimism, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly isn’t as bullish on the league heading to South Korea:

“The fact of the matter is that we have never at any time received a direct communication from the IOC on the prospect of NHL Player participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, and we still do not have the details of precisely how the expenses related to our possible participation would be funded as they have been in the past in the event we decided to go.

“In addition to that, and as we have said on numerous occasions, while those logistical and funding details are obviously important, absent there being some new and compelling reason for the Board [of Governors] to potentially reconsider the issue, there does not appear currently to be anywhere near the requisite support from our clubs that would be necessary for the league to commit to Olympic participation in 2018.”

While there hasn’t been a firm announcement yet regarding the funding, it is believed that International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel has a plan in place to cover the costs although it remains to be seen if that alone will be enough to sway NHL owners to participate.  At any rate, it’s looking like this may not be as close to being resolved one way or the other as originally anticipated.

Other news and notes from around the league:

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning will retire Martin St. Louis’ jersey tonight. He will be the first player in team history to receive the honor.  Louis spent parts of 13 seasons with the Lightning while also seeing time with the Flames and Rangers (after requesting a trade there in 2014) and has the most assists and points in franchise history.  Among those scheduled to speak at the ceremony tonight is former head coach John Tortorella and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
  • Panthers GM and interim head coach Tom Rowe provided an update to George Richards of the Miami Herald regarding several of their injured players. Left winger Jonathan Huberdeau, who has missed the entire season with a torn Achilles tendon, is now expected to be back in the lineup in early March instead of sometime in early-to-mid February.  Blueliner Alex Petrovic (ankle) could be back following the All-Star Break while center Nick Bjugstad (groin) is still out at least a couple more weeks.  The team didn’t have as much of an update on center Aleksander Barkov, who remains week-to-week with a lower body issue.
  • Though the original report suggested he’d miss only a couple of weeks, the Stars will be without defenseman Jamie Oleksiak will miss three to six weeks with a hand injury, head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters, including Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News. The injury occurred on Tuesday against Anaheim.  While Oleksiak spent a lot of time early on as a healthy scratch, he had been playing more frequently as of late.  The 24 year old has five goals and an assist in 20 games with Dallas this year.

Alex Petrovic Out Two Months With Ankle Injury

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The tough times continue in South Florida. The Panthers announced today that defenseman Alex Petrovic is expected to miss eight weeks with an ankle injury. Although no more information has been released pertaining to the exact injury, Petrovic has missed the past week with the ailment. The injury first occurred while the young blue liner blocked a shot in Florida’s win against the division-leading Montreal Canadiens last Tuesday. Petrovic joins star forward Jonathan Huberdeau on the shelf for the Panthers, a team that also missed winger Jussi Jokinen for a long period of time earlier this season and is just now getting center Nick Bjugstad back.

Petrovic had not gotten off to a hot start in 2016-17 prior to his injury last week. In 16 games, the 24-year-old defenseman has just one goal and four assists. However, coming off of a strong campaign last year in which he scored 17 points and was +17 as well, Petrovic has cemented himself as a valued member of Florida’s top four. It has shown thus far in the new season, as his time on ice has increased despite the big free agent additions of Keith Yandle and Jason Demers. Petrovic is a well-rounded defenseman who the Panthers have grown to lean on in the most important of situations. His absence over the next two months will definitely be felt by the team.

With Petrovic out of the lineup, Florida’s depth on the back end will have to step up. Since the initial injury on Tuesday, the Panthers have iced a a defensive unit of Yandle, Demers, young star Aaron Ekblad, rookie Michael Matheson, and newcomers Mark Pysyk and Jakub Kindl. Even with Petrovic out, the top four in Florida is still solid, but the team will need Pysyk to step up and Kindl, who has drawn into the lineup specifically to replace Petrovic, to play up to the potential he showed flashes of in Detroit. Having traded veteran Steven Kampfer recently, expect the return, Dylan McIlrath, to get some play time for Florida if his fellow former first-rounder Kindl struggles.  The next man up would be Matheson’s Boston College teammate Ian McCoshen. Collectively, Florida has the depth to handle the Petrovic injury, but tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division is not where many expected this team to be and they would certainly prefer to be at 100% right now to try to get back into the playoff picture.

[RELATED: Florida Panthers Depth Chart via RosterResource]

Panthers Looking To Sign Alex Petrovic To A Long-Term Extension

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The Florida Panthers are looking to lock up defenseman Alex Petrovic on a long-term contract, reports Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel.  Fialkov also noted that the team has turned down several trade offers for him this offseason.

Petrovic is coming off of his best NHL season, picking up two goals and 15 assists with 90 penalty minutes in 66 games while playing 16:57 per game.  He also picked up four points in six postseason contests (good for a tie for second in team scoring) while seeing his ice time jump nearly three full minutes to 19:55 per night.

The Panthers have been quite active this offseason under new general manager Tom Rowe.  Since July, the team has inked long-term deals with returning players Aaron Ekblad (eight years, $60MM), Vincent Trocheck (six years, $28.5MM), and Reilly Smith (five years, $25MM).  On top of those, the team also signed UFA additions Keith Yandle, James Reimer, and Jason Demers to long-term contracts of at least five years in length.

[Related: Panthers Depth Chart]

Petrovic is entering the final year of his current contract, one that will pay him $1.2MM while carrying a cap hit of $1.05MM.  He will be eligible for salary arbitration following the 2016-17 season.  As his deal is within one calendar year of expiring, he is eligible to sign an extension at any time.

Also from Fialkov, he adds that Florida is likely to sign a couple of players to tryout contracts for training camp.  The Panthers have three players set to play at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey in Aaron Ekblad, Aleksander Barkov, and Jussi Jokinen so there will be some vacancies in their lineup for the preseason.  You can keep tabs on which players have already inked PTO’s with our Invite Tracker.

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