Latest news with #LTIR
Miami Herald
20 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
The Panthers are nearly $4 million over the salary cap. How they can remedy that
The Florida Panthers, rightfully so, are enjoying their summer right now. The back-to-back Stanley Cup champions handled most of their business already. President of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito managed to re-sign the trio of defenseman Aaron Ekblad plus forwards Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand. Forwards Tomas Nosek and Mackie Samoskevich got new deals, too. Plus the Panthers got their backup goaltender (Daniil Tarasov) and depth defenseman (Jeff Petry) to round out the roster. So until training camp begins in September, the team is going to revel in its success just as it did last summer. But before the 2025-26 season begins on Oct. 7 and the Panthers attempt for a rare three-peat, some business will need to be tended to. Specifically, the Panthers will have to address their salary cap situation. According to PuckPedia, the Panthers' are currently carrying a $99.225 million cap hit for next season when factoring in their top 23 contracts — 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies. That's $3.725 million over the league's salary cap of $95.5 million for the season. Florida is one of three teams that is currently over the cap, along with the Vegas Golden Knights ($7.64 million over) and the Montreal Canadiens ($4.52 million over). At the moment, Florida is able to be over the cap. The league allows teams to be up to 10% above the cap — this offseason, that's $9.55 million — during the offseason, but teams have to be cap compliant by the start of the regular season. How will the Panthers handle the cap crunch? Only two options seem truly feasible at this point. Option 1: Matthew Tkachuk opens the season on long-term injured reserve, during which time his $9.5 million cap hit would not count toward the Panthers' salary cap. The star winger played through the entire Stanley Cup playoffs with a tadductor muscle that had torn all the way off the bone in addition to a sports hernia, both of which were sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Tkachuk, who got married to his fiancee Ellie over the weekend, said shortly after the Cup Final that there's a 50-50 chance he would need surgery this offseason. He has not yet had the surgery. Should that happen, it's likely Tkachuk would not be ready to start the season and they could use LTIR to provide temporary salary cap relief. Players on LTIR must miss a minimum of 10 games or 24 days of the season, whichever is longer. Option 2: The Panthers can trade players under contract for prospects or draft picks to offload salary. Looking at the roster, the only players making significant enough money that don't have a no-movement clause in his contract that would be logical trade candidates are forwards Evan Rodrigues and one of either Jesper Boqvist or Dmitry Kulikov. Rodrigues has a cap hit of $3 million each of the next two seasons, Boqvist $1.5 million each of the next two seasons, and Kulikov $1.15 million each of the next three seasons. Rodrigues has played a key role for Florida the past two seasons but doesn't necessarily have a defined role. He is the player coach Paul Maurice has moved up and down the lineup to fill whatever gap is needed, a Swiss Army Knife of sorts. Boqvist is in a similar spot. He primarily played in the bottom six during the season but showed he can rise to the occasion in the playoffs when needed, filling in on the top line twice when Rodrigues and Sam Reinhart each missed time with injury. Kulikov has been a standout on Florida's third defense pairing. The other players on the roster without no movement clauses, in descending order of cap hit for next season, are center Anton Lundell ($5 million), forward Eetu Luostarinen ($3 million), defenseman Niko Mikkola ($2.5 million), forward A.J. Greer ($850,000), defenseman Uvis Balinskis ($850,000), forward Jonah Gadjovich ($775,000), Petry ($775,000), Nosek ($775,000) and Samoskevich ($775,000). Lundell, Luostarinen and Mikkola are seen as part of Florida's core, and the six making less than $1 million apiece wouldn't offset the cap enough to justify moving them. The possibility of trading Rodrigues and Boqvist — or making any other deals of that sort — likely won't become serious conversations until the Panthers have clarity on Tkachuk's status. If Tkachuk starts on LTIR, then Florida can carry both Rodrigues and Boqvist and have $5.775 million to work with until Tkachuk returns. However, should both Rodrigues and Boqvist be dealt, that would put Florida exactly $775,000 under the cap — just enough money to add a player making the league minimum to the roster and be cap compliant.
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Winnipeg Jets sign forward Gabriel Vilardi to a 6-year, $45 million extension
Dan Le Batard and Co. react to the NHL reportedly addressing the Long-Term Injury Reserve (LTIR) loophole in the new collective bargaining agreement, evaluating what this will mean for teams going forward. WINNIPEG. Manitoba (AP) — The Winnipeg Jets locked up forward Gabriel Vilardi on Friday, signing the forward to a six-year extension worth $45 million. Vilardi became a restricted free agent July 1 after completing a two-year, $6.88 million deal. He had career highs in 2024-25 with 27 goals, 34 assists, 61 points and 71 games. The 25-year-old from Kingston, Ontario, added a goal and three assists in nine playoff games after missing the last 11 games of the regular season and first four of the postseason because of an upper-body injury. The Jets acquired Vilardi in June 2023 in a trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings. He has 90 goals and 85 assists in 270 career regular-season games in six seasons with Los Angeles and Winnipeg.
Edmonton Journal
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
'Funniest video any NHL team has ever released': L.A. Kings wickedly troll rest of NHL
The social media team of the Los Angeles Kings have just released a wickedly funny video to notify fans about the release of the new NHL regular season schedule. Article content The video scorches and trolls numerous other NHL teams from the Boston Bruins to the Vegas Golden Knights, while paying some respect to the Edmonton Oilers. Article content The premise of the video is that the Empty Netters podcast team of Dan and Chris Powers and Almost Friday TV sketch comedy teamof Will Angus and Billy Langdon are asked by the Kings to come up with the perfect schedule for the team, minimizing travel and team expenses while maximizing chances to win the Pacific Division, even as they know little about hockey. Article content Article content Dan Powers suggests, 'Let's make sure we get Vegas twice in April. Half their team will be on LTIR by then. Those are easy wins.' Article content Just then Billy Langdon asks, 'When we do we play the Oilers.' Article content 'We don't talk about the Oilers,' says Dan Powers. Article content 'Why not?' Will Angus asks. Article content 'Hey!' says Chris Powers. 'We don't. Talk. About. The Oilers.' Article content L.A. Kings schedule makers. Brilliant video by Kings social media team. — David Staples (@dstaples) July 17, 2025 Article content Article content One team member suggest playing the Bruins after the NHL trade deadline. 'By then they'll have traded their captain to another team to help them win the Cup. Much easier game for us.' Article content Article content Vancouver hockey writer Wyatt Arndt @TheStanchion Thank you for showing NHL teams they're allowed to have fun with things. Article content Hockey website BarDown @BarDown 10/10 schedule release video. 🤣🤣 Article content The 2025-26 Schedule: brought to you by @EmptyNettersPod, @AlmostFridayTV, and ... ROI? Coming soon ⏳ — LA Kings (@LAKings) July 16, 2025
NBC Sports
30-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Reports: Back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers re-sign Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad
Dan Le Batard and Co. react to the NHL reportedly addressing the Long-Term Injury Reserve (LTIR) loophole in the new collective bargaining agreement, evaluating what this will mean for teams going forward. The Florida Panthers completed another hat trick less than two weeks since repeating as Stanley Cup champions. After Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett said they never wanted to leave South Florida, they got their wish. Days after locking up Bennett long term, the Panthers agreed to re-sign Ekblad and Marchand, according to people familiar with the agreements. Ekblad agreed to an eight-year deal with an average value of $6.1 million, while Marchand agreed to a six-year deal that Sportsnet reported would be worth around $5 million annually. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the signings. The deals got done before the start of NHL free agency, and had either Ekblad or Marchand hit the open market they could have received offers for much more than the Panthers had the ability to pay, even with the salary cap going up a record amount. They become the ninth and 10th players under contract with the Panthers through at least 2030 or beyond, joining Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Gustav Forsling, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Seth Jones and Bennett - the playoff MVP who signed an eight-year, $64 million deal. That was the question about the Panthers heading into the summer: Could they keep some combination of Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand, all of whom were set for free agency? The answer was yes - to all of them. Ekblad was not the only defenseman to re-sign. The Columbus Blue Jackets agreed to terms with Ivan Provorov on a seven-year contract worth $59.5 million, according to a person with knowledge of the extension. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been finalized. The New York Islanders signed Alexander Romanov to an eight-year contract that another person with knowledge of the extension said is worth $50 million. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because terms were not disclosed. The Minnesota Wild acquired winger Vladimir Tarasenko from the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations. Tarasenko, 33, has one year left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $4.75 million. He helped Florida win the Cup last year after being a key part of St. Louis' championship run in 2019. The Wild, Tarasenko's sixth team in four seasons, are counting on a bounce-back performance out of him after he had just 11 goals and 22 assists with Detroit, his lowest point total for any season of his career in which he played at least half of the games. 'He's a player in need of a fresh start,' general manager Bill Guerin said. 'The contract and the money and everything just kind of fits. We're a place that Vladdy can come and hopefully get back to the form he's had his past years. I just think there's a lot we can do to help him.' The Utah Mammoth also traded young forward Matias Maccelli to Toronto for a conditional 2027 third-round pick. It turns into a second-rounder in 2029 if Maccelli has 51-plus points and the Maple Leafs make the playoffs next season. 'We appreciate everything that Matias has done for the organization,' Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said. 'He is a great person, consummate professional, and we wish him all the best.'
NBC Sports
30-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Report: Aaron Ekblad re-signs with 2-time Cup champion Panthers on eve of NHL free agency, AP sources say
Dan Le Batard and Co. react to the NHL reportedly addressing the Long-Term Injury Reserve (LTIR) loophole in the new collective bargaining agreement, evaluating what this will mean for teams going forward. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad is staying with the Florida Panthers instead of becoming a free agent. Ekblad is re-signing with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions on an eight-year contract worth $48.8 million, according to two people with knowledge of the deal. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the move had not been announced. Ekblad re-signing on a deal that pays him an average of $6.1 million a season comes after the Panthers also brought back playoff MVP Sam Bennett. He had been making $7.5 million a year on his last deal and appeared to leave money on the table and give the only NHL organization he has ever been a part of a hometown discount. It remains to be seen if they can also keep Brad Marchand before the 37-year-old winger can hit the open market Tuesday. Now 29, Ekblad has been a part of Florida's core since he was the No. 1 pick in the draft in 2014. With Ekblad, Seth Jones and Gustav Forsling all signed long term, the top four on defense will be set for the better part of the next decade once Niko Mikkola, who has a year left on his current contract, is extended. In other moves around the league, the Minnesota Wild got a two-time Stanley Cup champion for nothing on the eve of free agency, and the New York Islanders locked up one of their top young players to a long-term contract. The Wild acquired winger Vladimir Tarasenko from the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations. The Islanders re-signed defenseman Alexander Romanov to an eight-year contract that a person with knowledge of the extension said is worth $50 million. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because terms were not disclosed. Romanov will count $6.25 million against the salary cap through the 2032-33 season. Tarasenko, 33, has one year left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $4.75 million. He helped Florida win the Cup last year after being a key part of St. Louis' championship run in 2019. The Utah Mammoth also traded young forward Matias Maccelli to Toronto for a conditional 2027 third-round pick. It turns into a second-rounder in 2029 if Maccelli has 51-plus points and the Maple Leafs make the playoffs next season. 'We appreciate everything that Matias has done for the organization,' Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said. 'He is a great person, consummate professional, and we wish him all the best.' --- AP Sports Writers John Wawrow and Tim Reynolds contributed. AP NHL:
