The Florida Panthers’ magical playoff run has come to a disappointing end. Last month, they lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Vegas Golden Knights by a margin of four games to one.
With that in mind, Florida should bolster their lineup to get back on the big stage. During the playoff run, many players suffered brutal injuries they tried to play with, most notably defender Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, who may not be on the list when the 2023-24 season begins in October.
List of ecblad laundry injuries
The 2015 Calder Trophy winner Ekblad suffered the most injuries on the roster in the 2023 postseason, including a dislocated shoulder, broken foot and oblique tear, and had to pass a concussion test.
This just goes to show how different hockey player breeds are. Although playing through injuries of this magnitude is foolish and can cause more damage, it is commendable that an individual is still willing to tie the skates to their team.
The crazy match experience of Montour
Montour had one of the most ridiculous qualifying experiences of anyone. He played on a torn brink that needed three months of recovery After surgery on June 14th. In addition, he had to travel home after Game 1 of the Cup Final to see the birth of his new son, Kai, and then travel to Game 2.
His son’s reaction once he was told the story would be the same for the ages.
New Florida Defense
For the first two days of free agency, General Manager Bill Zito focused on defense. After the loss of Mark Staal and Radko Judas, management focused on rebuilding the blue line, rather than just replacing those two lines.
Related: Panthers sign Dmitry Kulikov to a one-year deal
Latest news and highlights
The Panthers acquired Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nico Mikkola, Mike Reily, and Dmitry Kulikov and made a qualifying offer to Lucas Carlsson. This could mean that they need to go deeper into the site, as Montour and Ecblad could be out for longer than previously expected.
LTIR is a possibility
The Panthers now have just over $300,000 in cap space, but they may need to take down another fish. If Montour and Eckblad are out for a period of time, they may be placed on Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR). If that happens, it would free up $11.8 million in cap space, which is more than enough for a hunk.
Zeto is interested In the trade for another defenseman in Noah Hanafin to the Calgary Flames. If they make an LTIR move, fetching it will be more likely.
Are the injuries that bad?
We already know Montour will need surgery to give his torn obliques a lift. On the other hand, it is not known what kind of action is required for Ekblad. But it seems likely that the two will not be ready for the season opener this season.
“This is no excuse… these guys gave it their all,” he said.
Panthers head coach Paul Morris on injuries throughout the lineup in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs
no matter what happens, They won the rest They’re getting it because they played their absolute hearts out this postseason. When they return victorious, the goal will remain the same. This is the Florida Panthers’ first Stanley Cup capture in franchise history.