Panthers Sign Evan Rodrigues to Four-Year Deal

The Florida Panthers have signed forward Evan Rodrigues to a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $3 million.

Another top forward is off the board. 

The Florida Panthers continued to shuffle their offense on Sunday, agreeing to terms with forward Evan Rodrigues on a four-year contract worth an average annual value of $3 million. 

The deal ties Rodrigues to South Florida through the 2026-27 season and finally lands the versatile forward the long-term contract he's been searching for his entire career. 

Rodrigues bet on himself last summer after a breakout 2021-22, and it largely paid off, with the versatile forward scoring 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 69 games while driving possession at a decent clip in all situations and logging just under 18 minutes in average nightly ice time. 

Thanks to a particularly brutal rash of injuries in Colorado, Rodrigues spent far more time in the Avs’ top six than previously expected, looking largely comfortable with the added responsibility and showing prospective bidders the fruits of his evolution into a quality middle-six forward.

The Panthers clearly took notice and now have Rodrigues under contract through the remainder of his prime at a very nice cap hit, giving their lineup some versatility that it arguably lacked throughout Florida's run to the Stanley Cup Final. 

Stay tuned. Free Agent Frenzy has only just begun.