3 PTO signings Florida Panthers may consider before preseason

It's been a summer full of partying for the Florida Panthers as they enjoyed the benefits of the franchise's first Stanley Cup victory, but the work that goes into defending that championship is about to begin.

It won't be long before the Panthers gather for training camp, and they will be without several notable faces from their iconic postseason run, many of whom have chosen to take their talents elsewhere. While the Panthers still boast considerable talent on the roster, it wouldn't be surprising to see General Manager Bill Zito look to supplement it by extending professional tryout offers to any number of players still looking for a contract.

Here's a closer look at three players that Zito could have under consideration as preseason inches closer.

3 PTO signings Florida Panthers may consider before preseason

#3. Kyle Okposo

This will be a familiar name to Florida Panthers fans, considering the former Buffalo Sabres captain joined Florida via trade at the 2024 trade deadline and went on to win the first Stanley Cup of his career.

Selected by the New York Islanders with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2006 NHL draft, Okposo would go on to play the first eight years of his career with the team before agreeing to sign with the Sabres in 2016; where he was named the franchise's 20th captain in 2022.

Okposo's best days are perhaps behind him as evidenced by his drop in production in several previous seasons. However, having a veteran presence who can fill a bottom-six role for the defending champions could entice Zito to offer him the chance to earn an inexpensive deal for 2024-25.

In 1,051 career NHL games with the Islanders, Sabres and Panthers, Okposo has tallied 614 points through 242 goals with 372 assists.

#2. Dominik Kubalik

One of the more interesting names that has yet to land a new NHL contract, Kubalik decided to take his talents overseas by joining Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta. However, his deal includes an opt-out clause enabling him to return to the NHL with mid-December as the deadline.

Making his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, Kubalik made an immediate impression by scoring 30 goals before seeing his production dip to 17 and then 15 goals over the next pair of campaigns, respectively.

Kubalik enjoyed a bounce-back year upon signing with the Detroit Red Wings in 2022, scoring 20 goals with 25 assists before being traded to the Ottawa Senators as part of the package to acquire Alex DeBrincat.

His 11 goals and four assists registered across 75 games with the Senators in 2023-24 were both career lows. A motivated Kubalik could benefit from a new situation on a far better team, and likely wouldn't cost much.

#1. Kevin Shattenkirk

A right-handed veteran defenseman still looking for a job for the 2024-25 season, Shattenkirk played with the Boston Bruins last season, registering a modest 24 points while playing a key role on special teams.

There were a handful of notable departures from the Panthers' defense that led them to glory this past spring, including Brandon Montour and Oliver-Ekman Larsson. Shattenkirk could help offset some of Montour's absence on the power play and wouldn't be a costly expense after making $1.05 million last year.

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