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Panthers Secure Championship Core but Face Cap Crunch as Free Agency Opens

Florida’s early signings of Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand have pushed its payroll over the cap, dampening activity at the start of NHL free agency

Arshdeep Bains stands on the ice during the face-off against Utah Hockey Club during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Melissa Majchrzak)
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Overview

  • General manager Bill Zito locked up Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand to multi-year deals to keep intact the nucleus behind back-to-back Stanley Cup titles
  • On July 1, Ekblad agreed to an eight-year contract worth $6.1 million per season and Marchand signed a six-year deal at $5.25 million AAV following Bennett’s eight-year, $8 million AAV pact
  • Florida added depth by signing forward Tomas Nosek to a one-year, $775,000 contract and goalie Daniil Tarasov to a one-year, $1.05 million deal
  • The Panthers now project to exceed the NHL salary cap, forcing Zito to explore trades, buyouts or other roster moves to achieve compliance
  • With most top free agents already off the board, NHL teams have seen a muted start to July 1 signings compared with previous years