The Florida Panthers are one step closer to securing their opening night lineup, placing eight players on waivers Sunday afternoon, just 24 hours after their last preseason contest. Moreover, with the roster cuts, the Panthers have shifted $6,835,833 in salary off the NHL books, with most of these players headed to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Ahead of the season opener against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, Florida still had 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goalies, with Brad Marchand most likely shifting to the IR to begin the season.
Panthers give youngsters one final preseason opportunity
During the preseason, which lasted only four games, the Panthers gave their prospects and younger talent plenty of opportunities to skate and make an impression. However, most of the youngsters weren't expected to start the season in Sunrise, since the entire lineup is healthy for the first time in ages. That's why several young players like Cole Reinhardt, Donovan Sebrango, Kai Schwindt, and Cole Schwindt are heading down to the AHL to get their reps in.
Meanwhile, NHL veterans like Alexander Petrovic and Sam Lafferty are on the waiver wire to report to the AHL under the two-year agreements they signed in the offseason. Of note, right winger Nathan Bastian just signed his own two-way deal, valued at $850,000.
Interestingly, defenseman Uvis Balinskis and forward Bokondki Imama have yet to hit waivers, suggesting they may stay with the Panthers for their season-opening road trip. Depending on the opponent and the risk of injury right out of the gate, Florida will carry an extra player for each game if a lineup change occurs.
Panthers gain much-needed salary cap flexibility
For the 2026-27 season, the NHL salary cap is currently set at $104 million, and the Panthers, as of this writing, are sitting at $111,556,547 according to CapWages.com. Unlike last year, the entire roster is healthy, which means many of the team’s highest-paid players are back in the lineup. With so many young players on league minimum deals, balancing the books wasn’t much of an issue last year. Yet, with the first puck drop of the year around the corner, the team’s accountants are working with player personnel to ensure the numbers line up and the Panthers have the most competitive players on the ice.
Today’s transactions were largely a formality, as most of the players placed on waivers Sunday were expected to begin the season in Charlotte unless they forced their way onto the NHL roster with a standout preseason. With only four exhibition games on the schedule, there wasn't much time for anyone to dramatically change the organization’s plans. Instead, the preseason gave Florida one final opportunity to evaluate its depth and determine which players could be called upon when injuries inevitably arise during the regular season.
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