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Florida Panthers: Seven Forwards the Cats Could Target this Summer

By Jonathan Reichenberger

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 08: Florida celebrates the eventual game winner from Florida Panthers left wing Maxim Mamin (78) during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers on April 8, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Panthers defeated the Bruins 4-2. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 08: Florida celebrates the eventual game winner from Florida Panthers left wing Maxim Mamin (78) during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers on April 8, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Panthers defeated the Bruins 4-2. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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#4 Alex Galchenyuk

MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 03: Montreal Canadiens Winger Alex Galchenyuk (27) gains control of the puck during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens game on April 3, 2018, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 03: Montreal Canadiens Winger Alex Galchenyuk (27) gains control of the puck during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens game on April 3, 2018, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Montreal Canadiens are a complete dumpster fire right now, and might be willing to part with some of their talented forwards in order to mix things up next year. This is a perfect opportunity for the Panthers to swoop in and add Galchenyuk to their roster. Gally had a solid year totaling 51 points in 82 games. Anytime a team has the possibility of adding a young, talented scoring forward, they should be interested in adding him right away.

If the Cats want to add Galchenyuk to the mix, he is going to have to arrive via trade. This may be trickier for the Panthers to approach if they want to keep their top five forwards intact and not lose one of them in a trade. In a way though, giving up a guy like Nick Bjugstad just to get Galchenyuk would defeat the purpose of trading for Galchenyuk.

Galchenyuk is only 24-years-old, so the Panthers would be getting a forward who has already shown his worth in a top six role, and could possibly grow additionally throughout the years. Alex has a lot of upside, but again, it would likely come at the expense of losing someone like Bjugstad.

If I were the Cats, I’d do this deal despite losing big Nick. In order to get talent, you definitely have to part with your own. So losing Bjugstad in order to acquire Galchenyuk really isn’t too much of a loss, considering that the Panthers have two future top six forwards in Henrik Borgstrom and Owen Tippett, and the fact that Galchenyuk is a better player than Nick Bjugstad.

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