Florida Panthers: 3 Players With Expiring Contracts

With the off-season almost completed, it feels right to take a preview into next year's. In this segment, we will be looking at three players from each team who have expiring contracts. Both restricted and unrestricted free agents are eligible for discussion.

The Florida Panthers will be discussed in this one. They have a handful of notable names with expiring deals, but one player is most important for them to re-sign.

Aleksander Barkov C (UFA): Aleksander Barkov is priority number one for the Florida Panthers. They already have had extension talks and there's a good chance that he will be signed soon. He is the team's captain and franchise player, so the Panthers absolutely need to re-sign him. In 50 games this past season, the 26-year-old center scored 26 goals and recorded 58 points. He also took home his first Selke Trophy.

Frank Vatrano LW/RW (UFA): Frank Vatrano has been a solid scorer for the Panthers over these last handful of seasons. In 56 games this past season, he scored 18 goals and recorded 26 points. Over a full 82-game schedule, he does have the potential to score 25 goals. It will be intriguing to see if the Panthers decide to re-sign him. If he has another strong year, he could get pretty decent money on the open market.

Owen Tippett RW (RFA): Owen Tippett also will be in need of a new contract next summer. The 22-year-old winger just had a solid first full season in the NHL, as he scored seven goals and recorded 18 points. If he ends up having a true breakout year, he will certainly be deserving of a significant raise. He's a player to watch closely because of this.

Honorable Mentions: Noel Acciari C (UFA), Mason Marchment LW (UFA), Markus Nuutivaara D (UFA)