Already without Matthew Tkachuk for the first few months of the season, the Panthers suffered another significant loss on Friday with the announcement that Barkov's entire season could be in jeopardy. The 30-year-old Barkov has averaged over a point per game in each of his last five seasons, including 71 points (20G / 51A) in 2024-25.
Barkov left Florida's practice on Thursday with an apparent leg injury and is being further evaluated by the Panthers' training staff. Head Coach Paul Maurice stated that the team should have news on the team's captain by Friday. The 30-year-old is entering his 13th NHL season after finishing 2024-25 above a point-per-game for the 5th straight year with 20 goals and 71 points in 67 games.
Eller had a "minor procedure" on his abdomen and began training camp with the injured group. Eller is expected to join the main group later in training camp, and his availability for the Senators' season opener is uncertain.
Sebrango made his NHL debut in the 2024-25 season with Ottawa, appearing in two games and earning a one-year, two-way contract extension. The 23-year-old defenseman is expected to start 2025-26 in Belleville (AHL), where he had eight goals, 20 points and 79 PIMs in 50 games played last season.
Tkachuk is without a timetable to return after it was announced on Friday that the superstar had undergone surgery a few weeks back and is expected to miss the start of the 2025-26 regular season. There had been rumours swirling that the 27-year-old would miss some time this season after missing 30 games due to injury in 2024-25. Tkachuk is expected to remain out as late as January, and will hope to return to the Panthers before the Olympic break, where he has produced over a point-per-game since joining three seasons ago.
Florida continued to shore up its defensive depth on Thursday after announcing it had signed 24-year-old defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The former first-round pick came to Florida off waivers in March 2024 and managed to appear in 14 games with the Panthers during the 2024-25 season, failing to record a point. He spent the majority of last season with Charlotte (AHL), where he had three goals and 18 points in 50 games played.
Schwindt was claimed off waivers from the Flames in early October and spent the entire 2024-25 season with the Golden Knights. The 24-year-old winger had one goal and seven assists (eight points) in 42 games with the Golden Knights but will likely serve as their No.13 forward to start 2025-26.
Entwistle only appeared in seven total games in 2024-25, all with Charlotte (AHL), where he had one goal and one assist. Expect the 25-year-old winger to start the 2025-26 season with Charlotte again.
After just 21 games played across two seasons in Ottawa, Angus Crookshank has joined his second organization after agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract with New Jersey on Tuesday. The 25-year-old left-winger had shown flashes of brilliance in Belleville, putting up 22 goals and 40 points in 62 games during the 2024-25 season. He will battle for a bottom-six role with New Jersey but is expected to start the season with Utica (AHL).
Reinhardt was a sixth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and will have a change of scenery in the 2025-26 season after joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization on a two-year, two-way contract. The 25-year-old scored 32 points (14G / 18A) in 45 games with the Belleville Senators (AHL) last season.
Eller will enter his 17th NHL season with a new team, the sixth of his career, after signing a one-year contract worth $1.25 million with the Senators. The 36-year-old Eller split the 2024-25 season between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 22 points (10G / 12A) in 80 games.
Before playing his first career game in the KHL, Kirill Gerasimyuk signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Florida. The 21-year-old goaltender was Florida's 2021 5th-round pick (152nd overall) and excelled in the VHL last season posting a SV% above .930 between Yugra Khanty-Manisysk and SKA-Neva.
Buffalo shed $2 million worth of salary just minutes before Tuesday's free agency window by trading Sam Lafferty to Chicago for a 2026 6th-round pick. The 30-year-old center appeared in 60 games in 2024-25, picking up four goals, seven points and a -15 plus/minus. He is expected to take a bottom-six role with Chicago in the upcoming season.
After spending the entirety of his 16-year career with the Boston Bruins, Marchand was dealt to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline last season and has found a new home with the team, securing a six-year contract extension worth $5.25M AAV. The 37-year-old Marchand became a fan favourite with the Panthers, finishing as the runner-up for the Conn Smythe trophy and scoring 20 points (10G / 10A) in 23 postseason games.
Ekblad was expected to be a highly desired commodity in Free Agency on July 1st, but the Panthers have locked him up to an eight-year contract extension worth $6.1 million AAV. The 29-year-old Ekblad was drafted first overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and has spent the entirety of his career with Florida. Ekblad had 380 points (118G / 262A) in 732 career games.
Beecher was the 30th-overall pick of the Bruins in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and played a career-high 78 games, scoring 11 points (3G / 8A), in his second NHL season in 2024-25. The 24-year-old Beecher played primarily on the fourth-line for the Bruins last season.
One of the biggest expected off-season free agents will not be hitting the open market after Florida announced Friday that they have signed Sam Bennett to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension ($8 million AAV). The 29-year-old is coming off an impressive Conn Smythe-winning playoff performance, with 15 goals, 22 points and a +6 plus/minus in 23 games played.
Imama appeared in 16 games with the Penguins in 2024-25, picking up one goal, 30 PIMs and a +2 plus/minus and earned himself a one-year, $775,000 contract extension on Friday. The 28-year-old bruiser has appeared in 31 career NHL games with three separate organizations (ARI, OTT, PIT) but has never averaged more than 7:29 TOI in any of his four seasons.
Balinskis appeared in his first game in 21 days for Florida's Game 4 victory, but is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 5 as Niko Mikkola returns from injury to the lineup. The 28-year-old has only appeared in five playoff games during Florida's current run, but has a goal and a +4 plus/minus.
