Next move Panthers must make after adding Brady Tkachuk in Senators blockbuster

The Florida Panthers made a blockbuster trade for Brady Tkachuk on Sunday, shaking up the NHL world. But completing the Tkachuk brothers duo will not be their last offseason move. The Panthers need a goalie, and they need to decide between Sergei Bobrovsky and Connor Hellebuyck to fill that role.

On one hand, Bobrovsky is one of the most important Panthers players of all time. He was the backstop for both of their Stanley Cup championships, paying off the monstrous contract he signed to join the club in 2019. Now that the contract is over, he is hitting free agency. Other teams are circling, namely the Toronto Maple Leafs. But he could still return to the Panthers.

The downside to bringing back Bobrovsky is his age. The future Hall-of-Famer will be 38 years old on opening night, which means his career is winding down. And because of Florida’s cap situation, he may need a longer contract to keep the cap hit down. If the Panthers are willing to pay him into his mid-40s, they may keep Bobrovsky.

The talk of the NHL town is about all of the best players wanting to go south. But when Bobrovsky signed with the Panthers, it was a headscratcher for both sides. Why was Florida spending so much money on a goalie? And why was Bobrovsky ending his prime in Florida? To say it worked out would be a dramatic understatement. Just for loyalty’s sake, the Panthers may stay the course.

But the alternative to Bobrovsky is the best goalie in the world. A year removed from an MVP campaign and months removed from an epic gold medal game, Connor Hellebuyck could be on the move. And the Panthers are the most obvious fit for the American star.

The Panthers can make an offer for Connor Hellebuyck

If the Jets do trade Hellebuyck, they should court as many offers as possible. The goaltender is in the final year of a no-movement clause, with a ten-team no-trade list starting next year. That swings some of the leverage back to the Jets, but not much. If the 2025 MVP does not want to go to a team, the trade will be canceled.

Everyone wants to go to the Florida Panthers. Whether it’s the Stanley Cups, the lack of state tax, or the sunshine, everyone has a reason. Would Hellebuyck, an American, force his way to Florida? Even after sending three first-round picks to the Senators for Tkachuk, the Panthers still have assets to trade.

Hellebuyck has five years left on his deal at $8.5 million per season. That is more expensive than Bobrovsky would be, but that contract expires when Hellebuyck is 38, as opposed to starting then. That should not stop Florida from giving up the pieces necessary to land him.

The Panthers’ trade package would start with 24-year-old center Anton Lundell. They told the Senators that he was untouchable in the Tkachuk trade, but maybe that’s because they were preparing for this trade. If the trade is submitted on July 1 or later, they could also include a 2030 first-round pick.

The Jets should demand a goalie prospect in the deal in an effort to replace Hellebuyck. That lands Tyler Muszelik, a 2022 sixth-round pick, with Winnipeg. He had a great season for the University of Connecticut in the NCAA last year, with a 2.21 goals-against average.

The final trade from the Panthers to land Hellebuyck is as follows: 2030 first-round pick, Anton Lundell, Tyler Muszelik, 2026 second-round pick (WSH), and prospect Hunter St. Martin. Other teams, like the New Jersey Devils, could beat this offer with more first-round picks. But if Hellebuyck wants to play in Florida, they won’t have much of a choice.

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