The Florida Panthers may have barely finished celebrating their second straight Stanley Cup, but the front office is already moving swiftly to define its offseason strategy. With three high-profile pending unrestricted free agents — Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad — the club must make critical extension decisions before July 1, or risk losing key players to the open market.
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Panthers have established an internal “priority list” for upcoming contract talks. Though General Manager Bill Zito has expressed interest in keeping all three players, the financial reality of the salary cap may dictate otherwise.
“I would rate that pecking order as Sam Bennett, one, Brad Marchand, two, and Aaron Ekblad, three,“ LeBrun said on Tuesday’s edition of TSN’s Insider Trading. His remarks underscore that Florida may not be able to retain all three names, even if the desire exists.
Sam Bennett: The top priority
After a standout postseason performance in which he earned the Conn Smythe Trophy, Sam Bennett has become Florida’s No. 1 offseason target. Represented by agent Darren Ferris, Bennett is reportedly commanding interest that could lead to offers in the range of $10 million annually from other clubs once free agency opens.
“No. 1 priority, I believe, is Sam Bennett,“ LeBrun said. “Zito wants to keep him, and Bennett wants to stay, but what is that number?” Florida is reportedly not willing to meet a $10M AAV but may aim closer to the $8 million annual value seen in Sam Reinhart’s recent deal.
Brad Marchand: The veteran fit
Coming in second on the Panthers’ extension list is Brad Marchand, who joined the team midseason via trade from the Boston Bruins. Marchand recorded a total of 51 points in 71 regular-season games split between Boston and Florida, including 4 points in 10 games with the Panthers, followed by 20 more points in 23 playoff contests, proving to be a valuable presence on and off the ice.
“He was such a great fit that I think the Panthers will, as Zito said publicly, try to re-sign him,“ LeBrun added. However, negotiations may hinge on finding the right cap structure. One possible scenario could include extending term length to lower the annual cap hit, even if Marchand does not play the full duration.
Aaron Ekblad: The cap casualty?
As for Aaron Ekblad, the long-tenured defenseman appears to be on the outside looking in. LeBrun suggested that despite Ekblad’s importance to the franchise, the cap squeeze may leave Florida unable to offer a competitive extension.
“It just feels that when you look at three key pending UFAs, someone gets squeezed out,” LeBrun noted. “I could be wrong, but I feel like that’s Ekblad, who is in all likelihood heading to market.“
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With both Bennett and Marchand taking precedence, Ekblad may soon be among the top defensemen available in free agency — unless an unexpected shift occurs in Florida’s cap strategy.