The Florida Panthers and general manager Bill Zito shocked the hockey world when they re-signed Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand on deals that are far lower than what they could have obtained on the open market.

Although the miracle was pulled off, the Panthers are now $2.95 million over the cap limit, according to Puckpedia, and moves will need to be made to become cap compliant. The easiest move for Zito to make would be trading Evan Rodrigues and placing him with Jesper Boqvist, but it could come at the loss of top prospect Mackie Samoskevich.

The 22-year-old is a restricted free agent after the conclusion of his three-year entry-level contract. In those three years, Samoskevich scored 15 goals and 33 points in 81 games. Prior to the 2024-25 season, Samoskevich recorded just two assists in nine games.

The Panthers are in a fantastic spot with their current roster, with almost all of their top players locked into contracts for several seasons beyond 2025-26. What the Panthers don't possess is an abundance of young talent in their prospect pool, mainly due to using picks and players to acquire top-end talent like Seth Jones and Marchand.

Because of this, Samoskevich's value to the Panthers is increased, but without a clear path or role in the Panthers' lineup, it raises the question of possibly moving him in a trade. Fortunately for the Panthers, Samoskevich is not offer sheet eligible because he did not meet the experience criteria, which is referred to as a 10.2.c player. The Panthers are in control of the situation and hold almost all of the leverage in contract negotiations. 

If Samoskevich and the Panthers agree on a contract and Rodrigues is moved because of salary cap reasons, the Panthers would need to make one additional transaction, likely placing one of A.J. Greer or Jonah Gadjovich on waivers or completing a trade to fit the American winger on the roster. 

The former 24th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft is a skilled winger with a shot first mentally and a release to warrant it. With his puck skills and offensive instincts, Samoskevich can fit seamlessly on any of the top three lines and provide the Panthers with a scoring threat. What needs to be determined is if HC Paul Maurice trusts him to play those minutes. 

Zito has handled the business thrown at him incredibly well so far, but his offseason is far from over. 

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