By Toby Rice
The rental trading period started off with 25 trades on day one. The Florida Panthers were involved in one of those transactions. For the first time since the rental period was added to the FNHL, the Panthers are buyers. Florida sentveteran winger Beau Bennett and prospect Jett Woo to the Dallas Stars in exchange for rental center/winger Mike Cammalleri.
Cammalleri is expected to play left wing on the third line for the Panthers. He will play with Vladimir Ruzicka and Robert Czarnik.
"We're in a position to be buyers this season," said the Panthers' GM. The last few years, we were either on the bubble or on the outside looking in at this point. As we're not in a rebuild anymore, we have assets that can move to make this team better for a playoff push."
Florida has been actively looking to add another defenseman, but it remains to be seen if that comes to fruition. "There's been a lot of moves, I'm not sure if we'll make any more." If they do not land another D, the team will still have options come playoffs. Newly acquired rookie Conor Timmins could slide into the lineup.
Timmins isn't the only rookie expected to be discussed for the playoff lineup, should the Panthers make it to the postseason. Young players McLeod, Frost, Hart, and Andrei Svechnikov are all expected to be called up.
Stay tuned as we continue to cover the rental period, and look forward to a push towards the playoffs.
1/17/2021 - 248 words
