Training camps are about to open, and that means the roster squeeze is coming for the Florida Panthers.
Julian Gaudio of The Hockey News looked at three Panthers who could find themselves on waivers soon enough, with the possibility that another team could step in and claim them before Florida can send them to the AHL.
Cole Reinhardt is one name to watch. The 26-year-old left wing was claimed by the Panthers off waivers last season and saw time in their bottom six.
Florida is healthier now, and he’s in the mix for one of the final forward spots. If he does end up on waivers, there’s a strong chance someone else takes a shot on him.
Donovan Sebrango is another possible casualty. The defenseman got extra opportunity last season because of injuries, and that playing time helped earn him a contract extension. But with the Panthers bringing in Radko Gudas this offseason, Sebrango could be squeezed out of the lineup.
Tobias Bjornfot also sits in that uncertain zone. The 25-year-old defenseman has been a fill-in option when injuries hit over the past few seasons, and he’s also become a leader and a key piece on Florida’s AHL blue line. That kind of value could make him appealing if the Panthers try to send him down.
In Carolina, the question is what happens if Alexander Nikishin is moved.
Chip Alexander of The Raleigh News & Observer reported that Nikishin remains an unsigned restricted free agent, and if the Hurricanes trade him, they’ll have to replace him somehow. There’s been offseason chatter that he could be traded, or that he might settle on a short bridge deal instead.
If Nikishin does go, Carolina already has a few internal names in the mix: Charles Alexis Legault, Mike Reilly, Juuso Valimaki and Pierre-Olivier Joseph.
Legault, who is 23 and shoots right, made his NHL debut last season and played in 12 games. Rod Brind’Amour also had a front-row view of his game at Quinnipiac, where he played alongside Brind’Amour’s son and helped win the 2023 NCAA championship. Legault also missed part of last season after a fight left his hand cut badly enough to require surgery.
In Other News...
Sergei Bobrovsky Sends Panthers Fans An Emotional Message After Exit
Sergei Bobrovskys run in South Florida is over after seven seasons, and the veteran goalie made sure Panthers fans heard from him before beginning his next chapter in Toronto. Bobrovsky signed with the Maple Leafs and publicly thanked Florida supporters for the way they embraced him during his time with the team, a parting note that carried extra weight for a player who spent so long as one of the faces of the franchise.
For the Panthers, the departure closes a significant chapter in net and pushes the focus toward what comes next. Florida has already moved to reshape the position by bringing in Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid, giving the club a new look in goal as it adjusts to life without Bobrovsky. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Took A Long-Term Bet Fans Will Want To Track
The Panthers added another defenseman to the pipeline in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, taking Jonas Kemps after a season with the Chicago Steel in the USHL. It is the kind of long-view move Florida has been willing to make, especially with a player who already has a clear developmental path lined up through a WHL Scholarship and Development agreement with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Kemps is expected to spend next season in the WHL, giving the Panthers time to monitor how his game translates before he eventually moves on to Michigan State in 2027-28. For a franchise that has shown patience with its blue-line prospects, the appeal is obvious: a chance to let the player grow in stages while keeping an eye on how much ceiling he can still unlock. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Are Suddenly Chasing Something Bigger Than Another Stanley Cup
Two straight Stanley Cups have already put Florida in rare company, but the more interesting part of this stretch is how little it seems like a one-off. Since reaching the Final in 2023, the Panthers have stayed in the leagues deepest tier, with a roster structure and coaching setup that still point toward contention rather than a posttitle reset.
What makes the picture even brighter is the sense that this group is built to last, with the salary-cap side of the equation still giving management some room to maneuver. The bigger question now is no longer whether Florida can contend again, but how long this run can stay intact and what the next wave of moves will look like as the team tries to keep its edge. [Read more 🡒]