Kucherov Trade and Florida Panthers 2023 off season review

Kucherov Trade and Florida Panthers

2023 off season review

Kucherov

Yes, the Panthers have traded for Nikita Kucherov after claiming that the franchise was starting a re-build or maybe its more of a re-tool.

But the question regarding the Kucherov trade is does anyone think that not he’s worth more than a late 1^st?  I think he is, but the Kraken needed the cap space, and nobody was biting when he was put on the block multiple times.

If you’re still interested in Kuch, don’t worry he will be on the block at the end of the season when everyone has more cap space, and the Panthers GM will be looking for picks and prospects.

Off Season

Again, this offseason, the Panthers GM pondered if they should continue to compete for a playoff spot or start the rebuild.

The last 3 years the team as been good enough to compete for a playoff spot in the weak Atlantic division but not good enough to compete for a Stanley Cup.

The biggest issue was that he had traded his upcoming 2024 1^st round pick to improve the team’s chances of being competitive.

Without its own 1^st round pick in 2023 and no 1^st round pick at all, the ability to improve the team’s future would be difficult.  With that in mind, the Panthers GM tried to re-acquire its 2024 1st round pick from Minnesota on multiple occasions with no luck. 

The plan was to continue to build for the future and try to stay competitive, so the GM was open to making deals that will make the team better in the long term.

It started with the Alex Tuch deal that saw the power forward being traded to the Edmonton Oilers.

Alex Tuch                                For                              Owen Tippett

Was 2^nd RD 2023                                                        Roby Jarventie

                                                                                                Edm 1^st 2023

                                                                                                Buf 2^nd 2024

Trading Tuch was tough, but the return was too good to turn down, this deal could keep the team competitive (Tippett) and add 2 assets for the future.

Then came the trade of Darcy Kuemper to Carolina for a 1^st 2023 which was flipped for 2 x 2^nd a 4^th and Zach Ostapchuk.  Again, adding assets for the future.

There were many other trades, but the most important trade of the off season that made the re-build official, was the other trade with the Kraken that sent Justin Faulk out west for the Panthers 2024 1^st.  Now if the Panthers pick is a lottery pick, it will be the first time that the Panthers picks higher than 15 in the DCHL.

Also, for the first time since joining the DCHL the Panthers GM wasn’t a playing in FA Frenzy, the cost of FA’s was too high for the south Florida franchise.

Below is the projected line up, this is a forward group good enough to compete, but it is a year or 2 away.

The defense is where the Panthers need the most help, they are not very good and there is no immediate help coming within the next couple of years with Ceulemans being the only player that projects to be a top 4 in the future.

The team’s future in net looks promising, if Akira Schmidt can continue his strong play in 2023 – 2024, he will be the teams starting goaltender for many years.

Projected Forward Lines

Projected Defencemen Pairings

Goalies Depth Chart