The Florida Panthers are $3.75 million over the upper limit of the salary cap.
But one speculated-upon method for clearing a chunk of that space doesn’t seem to be coming to fruition.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that he doesn’t think the Panthers will trade away Evan Rodrigues.
The talented center Rodrigues is due to make $3 million in the season ahead, which would chop off most of the issue.
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Rodrigues’ spot might have been saved by Matthew Tkachuk.
Because of Tkachuk’s injury, a torn abductor muscle, the Panthers will likely have a chance to place him on long-term IR, which would keep his $9.5 million salary out of the calculations for as long as he is out injured.
Rodrigues came to the Panthers in 2023-24 and has won the Stanley Cup in both his seasons with Florida.
He has also played in 162 of a possible 164 regular season games, proving himself incredibly reliable. In that time, he has put up a combined 27 goals and 44 assists in the two seasons.
Rodrigues began his NHL career with the Sabres after teaming with Jack Eichel in college at Boston University.
Then it was on to Pittsburgh and then a season with the Avalanche before joining the Panthers.
Rodrigues has been clutch in the postseason, too. In 2023-24, he had seven goals and eight assists en route to the Cup. This season, it was two goals and a whopping 13 assists.
If the Panthers can help it, they’d like to keep the 32-year old around.
And based on Friedman’s reporting, it sounds like they’ll be able to do just that.
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