The Florida Panthers are managing multiple fronts during the offseason as they look to finalize negotiations with Brad Marchand, star forward Sam Bennett, and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, all of whom are set to become free agents on July 1 if no deals are reached. In the midst of that, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions have completed the signing of a new face to the roster.
Talks remain active in Sunrise, driven by the ambition to build a dynasty. Each case presents its own challenges, and the salary cap looms as a pressing limitation during this period of major decisions. The front office has identified Bennett as the top priority, but anything can happen.
Meanwhile, the outlook for Marchand is positive, though the Panthers are looking to finalize a deal for Bennett first, reportedly aiming for an eight-year contract. As for Ekblad, his negotiations appear to be lower on the list of immediate concerns. None of these situations prevented the team from adding a new player.
Who is the Panthers’ new signing?
The NHL’s back-to-back champions have acquired goaltender Daniil Tarasov from the Columbus Blue Jackets, as confirmed by insider Pierre LeBrun on his X account (formerly Twitter). The new addition is a familiar face to General Manager Bill Zito, who will reunite with him in Florida.
Zito has known Tarasov since his time as assistant general manager with the Blue Jackets, where the Russian goalie was drafted in 2017. The former Columbus netminder arrives with a record of 19–34–6 and a 3.40 goals-against average. He’ll join the Panthers to compete with fellow countryman Sergei Bobrovsky, who, like Tarasov, was born in the city of Novokuznetsk.
The connection between the Blue Jackets and Zito
The Panthers and Blue Jackets share a strong link through Zito’s career path. He also served as general manager of their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. His work in player development and scouting firmly ties the Florida GM to Columbus. In fact, shortly after his arrival in 2020, defenseman Markus Nutivaara joined the Panthers in a trade from the Blue Jackets.