Panthers wait out trade frenzy on Day 1 of Draft, but now know cost to unload contracts

The Florida Panthers expect this to be a busy offseason, but the first day of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft — effectively, the unofficial start of the league’s offseason — wound up being quiet for Bill Zito and Co.

The Panthers didn’t have any picks in Round 1 — the only round Thursday — and didn’t wind up making any trades, either.

No matter what, the second and final day of the NHL Entry Draft will be busier for Florida. The Panthers have six picks — one each in Rounds 3, 4, 5 and 7, and two in Round 6; Nos. 93, 125, 157, 186, 189 and 221 overall — on the second day, which begins at 11 a.m. in Montreal.

“It was a pretty active day on the phone, just trying to see what’s going on out there,” Zito told reporters in Quebec, “making sure we were thorough in investigating all of our options.”

Even though Florida didn’t make any moves, a widespread prediction came true: With general managers from all 32 teams gathered together at the Bell Centre for the first in-person NHL Draft since 2019, trades ruled the opening round of the two-day affair.

The Chicago Blackhawks alone traded for three first-round picks, sending star winger Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators in the process.

The Senators also inquired with Florida about MacKenzie Weegar, the Ottawa Sun reported. The star defenseman is entering the final year of his contract, but the Panthers are hoping to extend him this offseason and had “nice talks” with his agent earlier this week in Canada, Zito said Wednesday.

The two most logical trade pieces for the Panthers are star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, 33, and right wing Patric Hornqvist. The two veterans have two of the most onerous contracts on the roster and Florida has less than $4 million in cap space to use once free agency begins Wednesday.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Hornqvist, 35, could have some appeal to both contending teams and young teams, because of his experience and leadership qualities, as well as the fact he has only one year left on his contract at $5.3 million. Bobrovsky’s contract is essentially the entire roadblock — he has four years and $40 million left on his deal — after he put together a bounce-back season last year, leading the NHL in wins and once again making him a viable trade asset, even if it requires the Panthers to retain some of his salary.

Later in the first round Thursday, the Edmonton Oilers only had to trade down three spots from No. 29 to 32, and send out two future second-day picks, to unload right wing Zack Kassian and his contract — with two years and $6.4 million remaining — on the Arizona Coyotes.

It helps set the market for Florida entering the second day of the NHL Draft.

A year ago, the Panthers made one of their biggest moves of the offseason on the final day of the Draft when they traded their 2022 first-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres for forward Sam Reinhart. Day 2 of the 2022 Draft could be similar because Florida has six picks left to use in the final six rounds.

The only pick the Panthers are missing is their second-round pick, which they sent to the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline of the 2020-21 NHL season to acquire forward Sam Bennett. They also have the Toronto Maple Leafs’ sixth-round pick, which they got in exchange for a prospect as part of a three-team deal ahead of the trade deadline in March.