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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.

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.

Florida Panthers Extend Matt Kiersted

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The Florida Panthers have signed Matt Kiersted to a two-year contract extension, keeping him from restricted free agency. CapFriendly reports the deal will be a two-way contract in 2022-23 worth $750K at the NHL level and a one-way contract in 2023-24 worth $775K. General manager Bill Zito released a short statement:

Matt made great strides this year in his first full professional season, showing his skill as an exciting young defenseman. We are looking forward to his continued growth within our organization.

Kiersted, 24, was an undrafted free agent signing out of the University of North Dakota in 2021, and had a very strong debut season in the Panthers system. Playing mostly for the Charlotte Checkers, he racked up 20 points in 63 AHL games and added two more in ten NHL contests. The puck-moving defenseman is a very nice depth piece for the team to carry, especially given the tight cap situation the team will soon find itself in.

With Ben Chiarot, Robert Hagg, Markus Nutivaara, Chase Priskie, and Petteri Lindbohm all scheduled for unrestricted free agency, much of the team’s defensive depth may be on its way out the door. Bringing Kiersted back as the seventh or eighth option was a no-brainer, especially given he will still be waiver-exempt at the start of next season, able to go up and down between levels without issue.

The two-year deal will walk him directly to Group VI unrestricted free agency if he fails to get a substantial opportunity in Florida, meaning Kiersted is setting himself up nicely for the next few years as well. He even may compete for a full-time role depending on how the rest of the offseason shakes out, or potentially help replace some of the outgoing talent in 2023-24. MacKenzie Weegar and Radko Gudas both only have one year left on their current contracts, and while the former is an obvious candidate for extension, the latter may be getting closer to the end with the club, opening up another roster spot down the line.

Florida Panthers Sign Calle Sjalin

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The Florida Panthers have nabbed another European free agent, agreeing to terms with Calle Sjalin on a two-year entry-level contract. Sjalin was originally a draft pick of the New York Rangers but never signed a contract with them and became an unrestricted free agent last year. Per CapFriendly, Sjalin’s deal carries a cap hit of $855,000.

Panthers general manager Bill Zito released a statement on the deal:

Calle is a skilled defenseman who possesses a powerful shot and exceptional playmaking ability. He has developed into a top blueliner in the Swedish Hockey League and we are excited for him to continue to grow as an athlete in our system.

Zito is right, Sjalin did turn into a top defenseman in the SHL this season, racking up 22 points in 46 games for Leksands IF. That was a huge increase on his previous numbers and immediately put him back on NHL radars. With this new deal, he’ll join a Panthers organization that has shown a strong ability to put the finishing touches on a prospect and transition them into the NHL in recent years.

Whether he ever reaches that level still remains to be seen but the Panthers will happily add a lottery ticket like Sjalin to the organization for nothing more than an entry-level contract slot. Because he is still signed with his SHL club through 2022-23, he will have to be offered back to them should he fail to make the Panthers out of camp but given how well they have handled his development to this point, that wouldn’t really be a negative.

Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With Santtu Kinnunen

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The Florida Panthers have another new prospect, agreeing to terms with Santtu Kinnunen on a two-year, entry-level contract. Kinnunen would have become an unrestricted free agent if not signed by June of this year. Instead, he’ll join the Panthers on a deal that will likely start in 2022-23. General manager Bill Zito released a statement:

Santtu is a talented defenseman who has proven himself playing professionally in Finland with Tappara Tampere. We look forward to watching him further his growth and development as he transitions to hockey in North America.

Kinnunen, 23, has been a regular for Tampere the last two seasons, and reached a career-high of 23 points in 54 regular season games this year. The young defenseman has come a long way since being the 207th overall pick in 2018, and was a big part of the club winning the Liiga championship. Whether that’s his last taste of action in Europe isn’t clear, as the Panthers could loan him back for next season given he still has a contract for 2022-23.

Still, there’s also at least some chance that he could show he’s ready to help at the NHL level, given the amount of polish he showed this season and his professional experience to this point. While he’s not a game-changing acquisition for the Panthers, Kinnunen represents a strong depth piece that is much more valuable than the average seventh-rounder.

That’s exactly why he’s been given a contract, and it’s not like the Florida organization has a surplus of defenders for next season. With Ben Chiarot, Robert Hagg, Petteri Lindbohm, Lucas Carlsson, Markus Nutivaara, and Chase Priskie all scheduled for unrestricted free agency, there were only five defensemen signed to one-way contracts for 2022-23, and eight total, including entry-level deals. Kinnunen makes it nine, a number that will certainly have to be increased through the offseason.

Florida Panthers Sign Zachary Uens

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The Florida Panthers have convinced another college draft pick to turn pro, signing Zachary Uens to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will start in 2022-23 and ends his college career after three years at Merrimack–just like teammate Declan Carlile who signed with the rival Tampa Bay Lightning earlier today. Panthers general manager Bill Zito released a statement on his newest prospect:

Zachary is a dynamic and skilled defenseman who excels at moving the puck. He showcased his competitiveness during his three seasons at Merrimack and we’re looking forward to his continued growth and development taking place within the Panthers organization.

Uens, 20, was the 105th overall pick in 2020, after originally going undrafted in 2019. The young defenseman put up 19 points in 34 games for Merrimack this season, becoming–just like Carlile–a nominee for the Hobey Baker. While he’s not expected to make the Top-Ten Finalists list that will be revealed later today, Uens has taken the next step in his hockey career by joining the Panthers organization.

He’ll likely now head to the Charlotte Checkers on an amateur tryout, where his career at the professional level will continue. Whether he can continue to develop is the question now, as there are still quite a few steps before he’ll be contributing to the Panthers’ blueline. Still, he’s joining a franchise that has proven over the last few years to have an eye for spotting overlooked talent, and perhaps he’ll be the next one to make a big splash after running mostly under the radar to this point.

Florida Panthers Sign Mack Guzda

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The Toronto Maple Leafs may have been aggressively pursuing Mack Guzda, but they didn’t land him. The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with the undrafted free agent goaltender to a three-year entry-level contract, winning the sweepstakes that included more than a dozen NHL teams. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a statement on his newest prospect:

Guzda has been a standout goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League this season. We are excited about his growth and are thrilled that he will continue his development in our organization.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Anaheim Ducks were all included in the teams that had shown interest in the 6’5″ goaltender, who has a .925 save percentage 16 appearances for the Barrie Colts this season. It’s been a steady progression for Guzda, who was a very inconsistent talent in his early OHL years, leading him to go undrafted completely each time he was eligible.

An entry-level deal is more than some late-round picks get though, so he’s already ahead of some of those lucky enough to be selected in the NHL draft. Because of his age, that three-year deal will kick in right away, meaning he’s scheduled for restricted free agency following the 2023-24 season. He recently did a one-on-one with Mark Masters of TSN, explaining what he thinks has led to his breakout campaign:

My dad is a goalie coach for the Seattle Thunderbirds now, so [during the canceled 2020-21 OHL season] I was with him just about every day on the ice. Looking over video, all the goals I gave up over the last couple of years, trying to find any patterns. I was able to rebuild parts of my game, which has helped out a lot.

Of course, the team he decided on certainly doesn’t have a lack of netminding. The Panthers have Sergei Bobrovsky signed to a massive contract that runs through 2025-26 and top prospect Spencer Knight fighting to take over the crease. That said, they also have one of the best goaltenders in NHL history to help his development as Roberto Luongo runs the Panthers’ “goaltending excellence” department. That’s likely a big selling point for a player that is still quite a distance from seeing NHL action and will need more coaching to bring out the most of his potential.

Florida Panthers Sign Justin Sourdif

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The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with Justin Sourdif on his three-year, entry-level contract. The young forward was one of the team’s 2020 draft selections and is at training camp with the team currently. The deal will carry a cap hit of $870K in the NHL according to CapFriendly. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a short statement on his newest player:

Justin is a dynamic forward who plays the game with speed and skill. He demonstrated his abilities as a playmaker in the WHL and we look forward to his development within our organization.

Sourdif, 19, was the 87th player selected last October, and spent this season back with his WHL Vancouver Giants. It was something of a breakout campaign for the right-handed forward, who scored 11 goals and 34 points in 22 games. That was the first time Sourdif had even been a point-per-game player at the junior level, signaling just how much of a jump he has made since his draft. He was even one of the players invited to Canada’s World Junior camp this summer, though the forward group for the upcoming tournament is going to be difficult to crack.

It’s not that a breakout was totally unforeseen. Sourdif had obvious talent, but his consistency wavered at times during the early part of his junior career. Despite just 54 points in 57 games during his draft year, he was still ranked 23rd among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Some even believed he could be a late first-round selection if a team fell in love with the offensive upside, though he eventually did fall to the third round. If the Panthers can develop that talent correctly, there’s a chance they could have an impact player on their hands. That is still several years down the road though, as Sourdif will return to the WHL this season to build on that shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Panthers Expect To Re-Sign Aleksander Barkov

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One name stands out high above the rest when it comes to the potential 2022 unrestricted free agent class and that is defending Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov. The Florida Panthers star has quietly established himself as an elite two-way center and a dependable point-per-game player. At just 26 years old next summer, he has room to grow as well. It is not often that a young, bona fide No. 1 center hits the open market and there would be no shortage of teams willing to hand Barkov a blank check next offseason.

Of course, the Panthers hope it never reaches that point. The team took a major step forward this past season, finishing in the top-five of the league standings and in front of their Atlantic Division rivals Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto, and Montreal. Barkov is at the core of that success, but Florida believes that they have done enough to show Barkov that he has the talent around him to bring an elusive Stanley Cup to Sunrise. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski spoke with Panthers GM Bill Zito, who said that the team is not even considering trading Barkov before he has the chance to walk. Zito said a drop-dead date does not exist and even posited that Barkov could sign a new long-term extension before the season begins.

Does the player feel as strongly? Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards has talked to multiple sources and he echoes the sentiment. Richards states that Barkov and the Panthers began negotiations as soon as they could on July 28 and talks have been going well. Like Zito, these other sources also believe that an agreement could be imminent that keeps Barkov off the market and in South Florida for years to come. The holdup may simply be that the team is waiting for their superstar to return from Finland to sign the deal in person, making for a special announcement that will delight fans and disappoint 31 other teams.

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