Panthers Free Agency Notebook: Marchand, Ekblad, Bennett Highlight Extensions

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — NHL Free Agency is well underway, but the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers don’t have much to do anymore.

Most of the Panthers deals were finalized before the market opened at Noon ET on Tuesday; they are only expected to make a few smaller signings throughout the next few days.

The Trifecta Completed

Entering the offseason, Florida had three big pending unrestricted free agents: Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand.

Signing two of them, much less all three seemed to be a pipe dream.

Bill Zito got it done. But, the Panthers GM didn’t want to take the credit.

“I didn’t, it was those guys,” Zito said Tuesday when asked how he was able to make the deals work. “It’s 100% those men who made that decision that they all wanted to continue to try and win together.”

Bennett, the 2025 Conn Smythe winner, was the first to get his deal done — at eight-years, $64M ($8M AAV).

On June 30 — one day before Free Agency began — Aaron Ekblad was the second off the board, signing an eight-year, $48.8M deal ($6.1M AAV).

“It was always Florida,” Ekblad said on Tuesday. “Florida is home now.”

A first-overall draft pick by Florida in 2014, Ekblad has seen both the peaks — winning two Stanley Cups — and the lows — like continuously missing the postseason — in his 11 years with the Panthers. He takes pride in still being here after the turnaround.

“It means the world to me,” Ekblad said after signing his extension. “It means the world to Sasha. It means the world to all the staff that have been here the entire time as well. So, yeah, it was a true turnaround.”

Brad Marchand completed the hattrick, with his six-year, $31.5M deal ($5.25M AAV) becoming official on Tuesday morning.

“Instantly supplementing our lineup from the moment he arrived in South Florida, Brad has been an outstanding addition to our team,” Zito said of Marchand. “He is the definition of a warrior on the ice, a critical leader for our group and a relentless competitor.”

Nosek Returns 

Fourth-line center Tomas Nosek is coming back on a one-year, $775K deal, the Panthers announced Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Czech forward played in all six Stanley Cup Final games last season and featured on Florida’s penalty.

“Tomas is a stalwart centerman whose strong two-way play served an important role in our championship run this season,” Zito said. “We are excited for Tomas and his family to remain with our organization for the upcoming season.”

Going into next season, the Panthers will see their entire fourth-line return: Jonah Gadjovich, A.J. Greer and now Nosek.

Cheap Deal for Tarasov

After acquiring 26-year-old goaltender Daniil Tarasov last week, the Panthers signed him to a one-year, $1.05M contract on Tuesday, according to

He is expected to back up fellow countryman Sergei Bobrovsky next season.

Qualifying offers 

The Panthers extended qualifying offers to the following players (who are eligible to offer sheets): Tobias Bjornfot, MacKenzie Entwistle, Oliver Okuliar, Wilmer Skoog.

Mike Benning and Mackie Samoskevich were also extended qualifying offers by the Panthers, however they are not eligible to be offer sheeted (as they are 10.2.c players)

Cap Questions

As of now the Panthers are just over $2M above the salary cap; they also still need to sign RFA Mackie Samoskevich to a contract.

You are able to operate at 10% above the cap in the offseason, but will have to be compliant when opening night rosters are submitted.