The NHL\u2019s chess game is about to get rolling very soon, and the Florida Panthers could be in the thick of things this offseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although their team has been off the ice for over a month, the Panthers\u2019 front office has been working away reviewing all the possible scenarios between now and the start of free agency on July 1.<\/p>\n
The playing roster when last season ended was more of an aberration with as many as 13 regulars out injured.<\/p>\n
The silence has been deafening on the goaltender front, with no indication that either\u00a0Sergei Bobrovsky\u00a0or\u00a0Daniil Tarasov\u00a0have come close to a new contract.<\/p>\n
The Panthers may be better off retaining their goalie tandem of last season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tarasov impressed as backup last season and is worthy of a modest raise from his $1.1 million salary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His numbers were far better in Florida than in Columbus and his heavy late-season workload served as a showcase to prove he can handle things.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He may test the free agent market \u2014 perhaps not by choice, either.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tarasov said he wanted to return to the Panthers, and it sounds more than just lip service. After years of frustration in Columbus, Tarasov felt at home with the Panthers. It makes sense he would like to continue the relationship.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bobrovsky, on the other hand, faces more risk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He will be 38 next season and is coming off his worst statistical season in the final year of a seven-year contract that had a $10 million annual cap hit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bobrovsky will not be getting that kind of cash this time around.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While he has expressed interest in staying<\/a>, as we all know, hockey is a business \u2014 for both the player, and the team.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bill Zito\u00a0will do what he can to improve the team.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n There may be options in free agency<\/a> as well as a couple of big-name trade possibilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Carolina is probably going to re-sign\u00a0Frederik Andersen, but there are a few other quality starters available depending on how the Panthers and goalie department head\u00a0Roberto Luongo\u00a0thinks of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n The much-maligned\u00a0Stu Skinner\u00a0may just excel with a defense of the quality of the Panthers.<\/p>\n Connor Ingram\u00a0had some good seasons in Arizona and had an excellent year in Edmonton this past season. He played as many as 50 games a season in the past.<\/p>\n There are more available who will accept a team-friendly contract. It will be interesting to learn where the Panthers end up on this. The Bobrovsky-Tarasov duo may return, but then again, one or both may be gone.<\/p>\n Regardless, if they return, expect them to eat up about half of Florida\u2019s expected cap space of around $15 million.<\/p>\n Zito and Luongo having been going over the many possibilities for months now, and will continue working on it.\u00a0<\/p>\n The rest of Florida\u2019s lineup should return intact.<\/p>\n Florida has a six defensemen under contract although the team may look for an upgrade to the bottom pairing \u2014 and needs a seventh.\u00a0<\/p>\n Uvis Balinskis\u00a0proved he can handle the workload when he filled in for the injured\u00a0Seth Jones\u00a0and\u00a0Dmitry Kulikov\u00a0last year and when he replaced the traded\u00a0Jeff Petry.<\/p>\n They have depth with\u00a0Donovan Sebrango, who was a waiver pickup and showed he can play in the NHL, and young Mike Benning who made a big splash when he was elevated from Charlotte late in the season.<\/p>\n Sebrango and Benning are both restricted free agents who need contracts. Depth defensemen\u00a0Toby Bjornfot\u00a0and\u00a0Mikulas Hovorkaare also RFA.<\/p>\n In the past, Zito brought in veteran defenders at bargain prices who were seeking comeback years such as Kulikov, Petry,\u00a0Oliver Ekman-Larsson,\u00a0and\u00a0Nate Schmidt.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n With the number of defensemen already on the roster, it may not be necessary but if he is looking, there are many veteran free agent veteran defensemen who will be available when the market opens at a reasonable price.<\/p>\n These include, among others:\u00a0Zach Bogosian, Tony DeAngelo,\u00a0and former Panthers\u00a0Radko Gudas\u00a0and\u00a0Erik Gudbranson.<\/p>\n On the forward front, the Panthers are also pretty much set although<\/p>\n Mackie Samoskevich\u00a0could get tricky as a RFA after getting a very discounted contract last year by the cap-strapped Panthers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Florida may also lose\u00a0A.J. Greer\u00a0to free agency as he may be able to cash in after a career season filling in up-and-down the lineup. The Panthers are not likely to pay Greer what he could get elsewhere to return to the fourth line here.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tomas Nosek\u00a0is also a free agent, but one would think he returns if the Panthers are up for it.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cole Schwindt, who came via pre-season waivers from Vegas and struggled with various injuries, is also RFA.\u00a0Cole Reinhardt, however, has a contract.\u00a0<\/p>\n Noah Gregor\u00a0and\u00a0Luke Kunin\u00a0are also free agents.\u00a0<\/p>\n Journeyman\u00a0Vinnie Hinostroza\u00a0played well after arriving from Minnesota in early March. He was on a minimum salary two-way contract. Re-signing him under the same terms will involve minimum risk.<\/p>\n Given all the fourth line variables, when the season starts the faces should be familiar but possibly not the same faces that were fourth line regulars for the last two seasons.<\/p>\n There will be no shortage of other players fighting for jobs when training camp starts. Highly regarded AHLers who saw action with the Panthers include forwards\u00a0Nolan Foote, Sandis Vilmanis, Jack Studnicka, Wilmer Skoog\u00a0and\u00a0Jack Devine.<\/p>\n Vilmanis, despite not being with the Panthers at the end of the season, is highly-regarded by the team and, of all the young players, could be the one on the Opening Night roster.<\/p>\n There are a few X-factors here which can change everything.<\/p>\n Rumors continue to swirl that Zito is attempting to acquire\u00a0Brady Tkachuk\u00a0from the Ottawa Senators.\u00a0<\/p>\n If this is the case, surely one or more of the signed forwards will be in the deal.<\/p>\n Zito might also try to trade up from Florida\u2019s ninth pick in the first round of the draft \u2014 or move it in a deal for a goalie.<\/p>\n This, too, will be at the cost of a regular with time on his contract.<\/p>\n Buckle up, this offseason could be quite the ride.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS\u00a0OFFSEASON<\/p>\n IIHF World Championship, Switzerland:\u00a0Through May 31<\/a><\/p>\n