On July 1, NHL Free Agency kicked off with 389 eligible players looking for a new contract. Moreover, 22 former Florida Panthers players were on the list, and now, after six days of free agency, the names are down to eight.
Today, we looked at which former Panthers players are still looking for a new deal in the second week of July.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Two-time Stanley Cup champion Vladimir Tarasenko is still a free agent. Last year with the Minnesota Wild, he scored 23 goals and had 47 points in 75 games, but was minus-11. In his first playoff performance since winning a title with the Panthers in 2024, he had five points in 11 contests. The 14-year veteran is approaching 1,000 games and could surpass 750 points if he finds good linemates in an offensive system.
Claude Giroux
Claude Giroux has not decided where he will play next season. Last weekend, NHL Insiders reported on social media that he was headed back to the Philadelphia Flyers, where he began his career and served as captain. Then, on Monday, Elliotte Friedman took to X to say he heard Giroux is actually returning to the Ottawa Senators, where he’s played the last four seasons.
Since moving north to Canada, he’s missed just one game and has tallied 242 points in 327 games. However, since 2022-23, his point totals have gone down from 79 to 64 to 50 to 49.
Reilly Smith
Reilly Smith was an original “Misfit” with the Vegas Golden Knights and then bounced around before a reunion in 2025. Last season, he tallied 16 goals and 26 points, the second-worst production he’s ever had with the reigning Western Conference champions. At 35, Smith needs only 12 games to reach 1,000 and another 21 points to reach 600.
Mike Reilly
Mike Reilly hasn’t had his day with the Stanley Cup yet and is still looking for a new deal with a team. He’ll be 33 next week and has a chance to reach 500 NHL games on a new deal. With the Carolina Hurricanes last year, he had nine points in 42 contests, chipping in two assists in two playoff games. If he doesn’t re-sign with the champions, he’ll join his eighth team in 12 seasons.
Evgenii Dadonov
One season after scoring 20 goals with the Dallas Stars, Evgenii Dadonov had a rough season with the New Jersey Devils, scoring a single goal in 24 games. If he can stay healthy and land with a good coach who pushes offense, there’s a chance he could score another 20 and reach 40 points again. After 12 seasons, Dadonov is just 59 games shy of 700 and needs 38 points to reach 400.
Honorable Mentions
There are three other former Panthers: Garrett Wilson, James Reimer, and Juho Lammikko. Out of the three, Reimer is the oldest at 38 now and had a mediocre performance with the Senators last year, posting a 7-4-2 record and an .886 SV%. Meanwhile, Wilson, who is 35, played only three games with the Flyers last season, leaving Lammikko with the most games played at 24 with the Devils. He had two assists in a limited role.
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