Each prospect sent back to their junior team played during Monday's preseason doubleheader against Nashville

The Florida Panthers have trimmed down the team's training camp roster.

As expected, Florida's prospects who are playing in junior hockey leagues this season have been sent back to their respective clubs.

"We are mindful that major junior seasons start, and – if you've drafted a guy in the top three, and he may make the jump from junior to the NHL, those guys would stay – but we would be more inclined to give our young players who've had really good camps, we'll get them back to their teams earlier rather than later," Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said following Monday's preseason doubleheader against the Nashville Predators. 

That group includes forward Josh Davies, Gracyn Sawchyn and Sandis Vilmanis and defenseman Marek Alscher and Luke Coughlin.

Davies and Alscher will be teammates with the WHL's Portland Winterhawks this season, where they'll face off against Gracyn Sawchyn and the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Vilmanis will skate with OHL's Sarnia Sting for a second straight year while Coughlin heads back for his third season with the Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL.

All five players skated in one of Monday's preseason games.

"To get an NHL exhibition game out of junior hockey is a great learning experience for them," said Maurice. "They'll come back to camp next year, and some of these guys know they're probably going back to junior again, but it all builds, so that when they come out and turn pro and when they come to our camp, they're looking to make the team."

The Panthers training camp roster now sits at 54 players.

Florida took Tuesday off following Monday's doubleheader against the visiting Predators. The Cats won both games, shutting out Nashville 5-0 in the opener before claiming the nightcap 5-2.

Their next preseason matchup comes Wednesday in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The puck drops from PNC Arena at 7 p.m.