Earlier in the week, the Florida Panthers announced a three-year contract extension to winger Colton Sceviour. At 28-years-old, Sceviour gives the Cats cheap and talented depth, which is something that they need.
With the NHL trade deadline looming, the Florida Panthers made a move that, while it should not have surprised anyone, may have turned some heads.
On Monday, the team announced the re-signing of winger Colton Sceviour to a three-year contact worth $1.2M million annually.
#FlaPanthers agree to terms with forward Colton Sceviour on a three-year extension.
— Florida Panthers PR (@FlaPanthersPR) February 12, 2018
» https://t.co/3jgtpb9vkV pic.twitter.com/whVi0sCieu
Sceviour, who turns 29 in April, has been a consistent bottom six forward and penalty killer for the Panthers. Sceviour’s abilities on the penalty kill has helped the Panthers’ boast the 4th best penalty kill in the NHL since the start of December (91.1%).
Colton’s abilities, however, give more than just defensive help. His cheap contract allows the Panthers to not have to fill out more than a few bottom 6 positions.
The $1.2 million cap hit places Sceviour in similar range to the likes of Adam Lowry, Paul Byron and Ryan Reaves. Of these 4 players, Sceviour leads all of them for time on ice in shorthanded situations, logging a total of 117 minutes of shorthanded ice time.
In 4v5 situations specifically, Sceviour is, arguably, the second most effective player on the Florida Panthers. Judging off game score, which is often used to measure how someone is in either a game or certain situation, Sceviour ranks 2nd on the team with a game score of 3.57 in those situations.
Away from shorthanded scenarios, Sceviour’s game, while taking an obvious hit due likely to line mates (Derek Mackenzie and Michael Haley often) is still an effective option. Sceviour scores 1.21 points per 60 and has 14 points in 48 games, making him an effective option for bottom 6 scoring.
Although, the best trait for Sceviour is his ability to stay on the ice and avoid taking penalties. Throughout his career, Sceviour has taken a maximum of 25 penalty minutes in a season. This season, he is on track to have one of the lowest in his career, totaling just 8 total penalty minutes in 48 games.
The most important part for the Panthers’ is that Sceviour provides them with cheap depth, something the team will need when rebuilding their bottom six for next season.
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Radim Vrbata, one of the main staples on the 3rd line for the Panthers, has reportedly been asked by the Panthers’ front office to submit his list of 10 teams he would like to be traded to. Vrbata is on track for one of the worst seasons’ in his career and currently only has 13 points for the Cats. Combined, the two factors means the team will likely look to move on from Vrbata, either at the trade deadline or at the end of the season.
Micheal Haley and Jamie McGinn could also see limited playing time next season too.
Haley, who turns 32 in March, has not been what head coach Bob Boughner may have hoped when Haley was signed from the San Jose Sharks. He has just 5 points in 53 games for the Panthers’ and currently has the most penalty minutes in the NHL at 154, a figure that is also the highest in his NHL career.
McGinn also has not been what the Panthers’ hoped for when defenseman Jason Demers was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in return for the winger. McGinn currently has just 16 points in 49 games for the Cats. While it would likely be hard to get rid of Jamie McGinn in the offseason because of his cap hit of $3.3 million, it may be best to limit his playing time next season or take on some of his salary to offload him entirely.
In turn, it means the Panthers could theoretically look at three new spots in the bottom six. While Jayce Hawryluk looks poised to take one of those spots for the team, it’s unknown whether Hawryluk is a third or fourth liner next season for the Panthers.
On the other hand, Sceviour’s various skills allows him to shift up to the third line and at least make a decent impact. At 6’0 195 pounds, Sceviour has the size and versatility to slot into a third line spot if push comes to shove in the offseason.
Next: What type of team are the Florida Panthers right now?
While Colton Sceviour is not perfect, he does enough for the Panthers’ to improve them as a unit. His signing, while cheap for the current market, is enough for the Cats to have a lock in the bottom six.