The silly but always fun season is upon us! With the unrestricted free agency interview period having begun at 12:01 AM ET Wednesday, the hockey world convening in Philadelphia for the NHL Entry Draft this weekend and then NHL free agency beginning on July 1, one could argue you’ll hear more rumors in the next two weeks then you will leading into an NHL trade deadline and I’d agree. One team that is already involved in plenty of those rumors is the Florida Panthers. Panthers general manager Dale Tallon has already and repeatedly made it known that he is willing to trade the No.1 overall pick at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft but are the Panthers looking to do some more wheeling and dealing?
Tallon — who was given permission by new ownership to spend to the cap this offseason and upcoming season — has according to numerous NHL sources made it be known that he’d like to add some skilled veterans to add leadership to his core of youth. On Wednesday, two sources told Murph’s Musings that the Panthers GM is looking north to a trade partner from the 2014 trade deadline. According to these sources the Canadiens — who at the deadline acquired Mike Weaver from Florida for a fifth round pick in the 2015 draft — are talking trade possibilities with the Panthers again and not for the top pick. Neither source could confirm what players and/or picks were or are being discussed but it appears these two teams could be looking to hook up in a trade again.
It should be noted that some poking around to find out who might be involved did lead to a general consensus from other sources that Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is once again being shopped by Tallon but there was no confirmation the Habs were trying to acquire him or that he had been offered in any deal.
Keep in mind here too that the Panthers just recently hired Gerard Gallant who was an assistant coach in Montreal the last two seasons as their new head coach. According to Habs sources, Gallant was very popular with the Canadiens players and had a solid relationship with some of the younger players too. He obviously can serve as a a good source of insight for Tallon.
So as the hockey world keeps an eye on what Florida will do with the top pick overall, that isn’t likely the only trading they could do in the coming days and weeks.
