The Florida Panthers are a team that has expertly navigated this 2025 offseason. The Stanley Cup Champions were placed in a difficult salary cap situation to deal with this summer and have so far passed the test with flying colors having retained all but 2 of their players who appeared in postseason action.
However, there have been lingering question marks on the future of some notable players in the organization with the club as the team is still $3.7 million in salary cap debt, something they will have to manage by the start of the season.
One of those players is forward Evan Rodrigues. The 32 year old Toronto native has been a key piece of the Panthers back to back Cup runs. During his time in Florida, he has compiled 27 goals and 44 assists for 71 points in 162 regular season games. In the playoffs, he has amassed 9 goals and 21 assists for 30 points in 45 games.
Rodrigues carries a $3 million dollar cap hit that lasts until the 2026-2027 season. Trading him would work wonders in solving the Cats cap woes, however losing Evan would be a tough sacrifice to make and one in which Florida would like to avoid.
According to Elliotte Friedman on “32 Thoughts” he believes that the Panthers will be able to keep Rodrigues in the fold. Which begs the question as to whether another player may be on the chopping block instead or if the Panthers will find another way to manage the situation. This will be a story to watch as the summer comes to a close and the season draws near.
