The Florida Panthers have already begun offloading assets, but how far could they actually go? Could they trade Evan Rodrigues or Jesper Boqvist?
The Florida Panthers have made their first trade prior to the NHL trade deadline, sending Jeff Petry to the Minnesota Wild for a conditional seventh-round pick.
But the Panthers aren’t expected to be finished just yet, as they prepared to sell both to recoup assets and to remain under the salary cap when Seth Jones returns to the lineup.
While the Panthers won’t trade away just anybody, they could trade players on expiring contracts like A.J. Greer or even Sergei Bobrovsky. But outside of the two candidates previously mentioned in the rumor mill, Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist could see their names draw interest.
In the off-season, Rodrigues and Boqvist featured as potential trade chips from beginning to end. The injury to Aleksander Barkov and his placement on the LTIR allowed the Panthers to remain under the salary cap and keep both players on their roster, but Barkov eyes a return.
While it’s not yet confirmed that Barkov will return before the end of the season, given that the Panthers likely won’t make the playoffs. So the money issue with Rodrigues and Boqvist could be pushed into the off-season, but the Panthers may be able to garner a better return by trading them now, rather than in the off-season.
Rodrigues has stepped up this season for the Panthers. While his numbers aren’t the most eye-popping and he’s about on pace to match his previous seasons with the Panthers, he’s shifted into center ice and done an excellent job.
The 32-year-old owns a $3-million cap hit for the rest of this season and the next, while bringing plenty of playoff experience. His versatility to play as a center or winger could be an enticing target for Stanley Cup contenders looking to upgrade their middle six.
Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)As for Boqvist, his 2025-26 season has been a letdown. He’s been healthy scratched a handful of times, and in 52 games, the 27-year-old has notched just three goals and eight points. With the numerous injuries the Panthers have dealt with this season, there was an opportunity for Boqvist to move up the lineup and solidify his spot, but he hasn’t been able to do so.
Despite that, Boqvist earns just $1.5 million towards the salary cap with another year on his current deal and is a year removed from a career-high 12 goals and 23 points. He’s listed at 6-foot-1, 191 pounds, is a strong skater, and isn’t shy about throwing his weight around, recording 101 hits.
He likely won’t feature in any top six, but he could be a decent add as a depth forward lower in the lineup.
Although Panthers fans have become accustomed to their team being buyers at the deadline, the 2025-26 season is hopefully just a bump in the road.
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