Amid trade speculation, Bill Zito provides update on Anthony Duclair discussions

Duclair is entering the final year of a 3-year, $9 million contract

While there was a noticeable lack of action during the NHL Draft, there were certainly plenty of rumors.

Regarding the Florida Panthers, most of the trade rumors have surrounded speedy winger Anthony Duclair.

There were some who believed that a Duclair trade was imminent during the two-day NHL Draft in Nashville this week, but that could be said for several players across the league.

Alas, there were no major trades during the draft. At all.

Speaking to THN at the draft, Panthers General Manager Bill Zito dismissed many of the rumors swirling around the team as just that, rumors.

One of the reasons Duclair has been an attractive trade piece is his contract. The 27-year-old is entering the final year of a deal that pays an AAV of $3 million.

Not a bad price for a guy who, in his last full season, scored 31 goals, and can change the dynamic of the game with his blinding speed.

While Zito isn’t going to comment on any potential trades, or speculation of them, there was a Duclair topic worth asking about.

Being that he’s on an expiring contract, it’s a time where the idea of extending those deals is generally breached.

In this case, however, there has been no contact, at least not yet.

That’s what Duclair, who represents himself, said earlier this week at his youth camp in Coral Springs, and it was still the case a couple days later in Nashville.

“We haven't spoken to Anthony,” Zito told THN when asked on Thursday in Nashville.

Duclair is one of several Panthers players who will be unrestricted free agents following next season, a list that includes Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, Gus Forsling, Ryan Lomberg and Nick Cousins.

Those are some core pieces to the team Zito has built in South Florida.

At some point, and likely sooner rather than later, the topic will be breached with at least some of those players.

“There’s a number of guys we haven’t talked to,” Zito said. “We just have to get through it as best we can in the short timeframe that we have had and will have.”

There is still belief that Duclair will be moved this week, but as we saw during the draft, that could just end up being a whole lot of nothing.

Stay tuned.