The NHL offseason has passed its halfway point with training camp around the corner, followed by preseason games and opening night in a little over a month. At the moment, there are still over 100 free agents looking for a contract ahead of camp, with many set to continue their professional hockey careers with PTOs. Among the many skaters looking for a new home are several former Florida Panthers, including one who won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2025.
Which Former Panthers Are Still Available in NHL Free Agency?
Evgenii Dadonov - Right Wing
Drafted by the Panthers in 2007, he would debut during the 2009-10 season and played parts of six years with the club, scoring 28 goals in back-to-back campaigns. After leaving, he skated in Ottawa, Vegas, Montreal, Dallas, and most recently for the New Jersey Devils. In only 24 games in 2025-26, Dadonov scored one goal and was minus-6, a stark decline from his 20-goal, 40-point performance with the Stars in 2024-25. The 37-year-old is coming off a one-year, $1 million deal.
Reilly Smith - Right Wing
Reilly Smith played two seasons for the Panthers in 2015 and 2016, becoming a 25-goal scorer for the first time in his career. Although he was not selected in the 2017 Expansion Draft, Florida traded him to the Golden Knights, where he would go on to win the Stanley Cup in 2023. After establishing himself in the desert, he bounced between Pittsburgh and New York (Rangers) before returning to Vegas at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Despite scoring 16 goals and 26 points, Smith played only seven playoff games as the Golden Knights lost in the Stanley Cup Final. The 35-year-old was on a one-year, $1.4 million deal.
Vladimir Tarasenko - Left/Right Wing
Vladimir Tarasenko is one of the top names left in free agency and has yet to find a new home after spending a year with the Minnesota Wild, where he scored 23 goals and 47 points. The 14-year veteran has played over 900 games, scored over 300 goals, and has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup twice. Although Tarasenko is just 34, injuries have been a concern over the past few years, and he’s coming off a one-year deal valued at $3.3 million. In the right system, the former two-time All-Star can still be productive and reach 20 goals again while chasing another Stanley Cup.
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