Report: Florida Panthers To Enter Trade Market With One Goal in Mind

The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are right there battling for first place in the Atlantic Divison, but before their current three-game win streak, the start to the season wasn't quite up to their standards.

At 25th in the NHL in goals-against per game, and with two key members of their Cup-winning blueline gone this season (Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson both leaving in free agency), it should be no surprise to learn that defenders will be their primary goal as trade season opens, as noted by insider Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic.

My understanding is the Panthers do intend to tweak the blue line between now and the March 7 trade deadline. That’s already the internal discussion. They don’t have much cap space, so they will need to be creative.

That cap space sits at just $1.6 million, so that will obviously not get them a difference-maker. Writing that the revamped blueline "hasn't been as tight defensively", LeBrun explains that improving the defense is their target on the trade market.

Veteran D-men Nate Schmidt and Adam Boqvist are the newcomers this season, but they are not up to the standard set by Montour and OEL in their Stanley Cup run.

The Panthers are currently 15-9-1 for 31 points, and are just one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for 1st place in the division.