Bill Zito will have some issues when Panthers are fully healthy
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Jonathan Ouimet
Dec 7, 2025 (1:28 PM)
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Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Florida Panthers know the math, and the math is getting loud as they inch closer to full health and farther from cap comfort.
When this roster finally returns to something close to complete, Florida will sit over the ceiling, forcing at least one move that clears meaningful space. League chatter has already circled the usual names, and Evan Rodrigues has found himself at the center of it more than any other Panthers skater. His versatility makes him valuable in Florida, but that same trait makes him attractive to teams like Toronto, Chicago, Detroit, and Minnesota.
Cap reality does not end with one name. Niko Mikkola, Eetu Luostarinen, and Dmitry Kulikov have also surfaced in early discussions. All four provide different forms of utility, yet the Panthers cannot keep everyone once Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, and others return to the lineup. The squeeze is real, and general manager Bill Zito has navigated this tightrope before.
Florida Panthers confront difficult roster decisions
This is the part of contending seasons fans dread because it reminds them that success rarely comes without sacrificing important pieces. Florida built a deep, flexible lineup, but a deep, flexible lineup costs money, and the cap does not care about sentiment.
Rodrigues sits at 9 goals and 39 points last season, and his ability to slide up and down the lineup has been essential during the recent injury wave. Mikkola offers heavy minutes and penalty kill reliability. Luostarinen brings pace, forechecking bite, and 10 points already this season. Kulikov provided steady third-pair presence before getting hurt. None of these profiles are easy to replace, yet one might need to move to preserve roster balance.
The challenge becomes timing. Florida cannot fully map its cap picture until Barkov's LTIR status and Tkachuk's return window are confirmed. Moving too early risks losing a valuable contributor before knowing the exact space required. Waiting too long risks shrinking the market. It is a delicate thread and the league knows Florida will eventually need relief.
Adversity has already defined this season with injuries and a draining home skid, but the looming cap call adds another layer. Florida built this roster to win now, and part of winning now is making hard decisions on the fly.
Somebody will be the cap casualty. The question is who, and how soon Florida chooses to act.