3 Florida Panthers pain points still required to be addressed in 2024 NHL Free Agency 

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Jul 17, 2024 03:11 GMT

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The Florida Panthers enter the 2024-25 season as defending Stanley Cup champions. As the club looks to defend its title, some questions have emerged given the departure of several key depth players.

While the Panthers’ core remains largely intact, it remains to be seen what else Panthers GM Bill Zito can do to improve the Cats’ roster.

Here’s a look at three pain points the Florida Panthers need to address before the start of training camp in the fall.

3 Florida Panthers pain points still required to be addressed

#3. The bottom four defensemen

The losses of Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson stung. In particular, Montour’s departure was a significant blow, leaving the Panthers with a substantial void in their top pairing. Considering that Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad can play as the top two, that area shouldn’t be a concern.

However, the bottom four should concern Florida heading into camp. The second pairing is projected to be Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola. Both blue-liners played well enough during the playoffs, but it remains to be seen if they can handle the workload throughout an entire season.

The bottom pairing is likely to feature Uvis Balinskis and Nate Schmidt. This bottom pairing arguably needs an upgrade, especially in terms of physicality. Schmidt is a veteran who can handle the job. As such, the Panthers will need to target depth defensemen who can step in, particularly in that bottom pairing.

#2. The second power play unit

The Panthers' top power play unit is stacked with Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk. However, the second unit looks somewhat lackluster. While Forsling is expected to be the quarterback of that unit, the Cats will need a big physical presence to play in front of the net.

While Sam Bennett could occupy that role, it seems the Panthers may struggle to get anything going beyond their top power play unit. Zito could target a veteran power play specialist like James van Riemsdyk, who knows how to play in front of the net.

#1. The checking line

The fourth line is projected to be Tomas Nosek with Jesper Boqvist and Mackenzie Entwistle on the wings. While fourth-liners generally don’t play that much anyhow, coach Paul Maurice’s success has been due to his ability to deploy four effective lines.

As such, the checking line, as it stands, looks suspicious. The good news is that there are plenty of depth players who could be had for league-minimum deals. Plus, the Florida Panthers could look at promoting from within to fill the spots on the fourth line.

Fans should expect fierce competition for the final three spots in the Panthers forward group. Don’t be surprised if the Cats bring in some extra bodies on PTOs to camp. Doing so could provide the club with the depth it needs to continue marching toward a repeat.