Top trade target turns cold shoulder on the Panthers

The towering defenseman has reportedly circled the Detroit Red Wings as his absolute preferred trade destination ahead of the deadline. He wants no part of a move down South.

This leaves the Florida Panthers completely out in the cold after spending weeks laying the groundwork for a blockbuster deal. They wanted him badly.

Florida desperately needed defensive depth heading into the final stretch of the regular season. Their front office pushed incredibly hard to bring his veteran presence into their locker room.

But Myers clearly does not see the Sunshine State in his immediate future. He holds the cards, and he is steering his career straight toward the Motor City.

The Red Wings are aggressive right now. They are building a roster designed for heavy hockey, and grabbing a top target off the board is a massive flex by their management team.

With 8 points through 57 games this season, Myers is obviously not known for his offensive output. But that is entirely beside the point.

He is a massive 6-foot-8 frame who eats incredibly hard minutes and completely shuts down the shooting lanes. Those 40 penalty minutes prove he still plays with a mean streak.

The Panthers are gearing up for a brutal playoff push and they are far too reliant on their top four defensemen. Fatigue is a real factor on a long homestand or a grinding road trip.

Adding a seasoned veteran would have provided serious stability on the penalty kill. It forces opposing forwards to pay a physical price just to enter the zone.

Detroit gets the defensive anchor they desperately craved for their own wild card race. Their transition game will absolutely benefit from having a highly reliable safety net deployed in the defensive zone.

Florida now has to scramble back to the drawing board. The market for reliable right-shot defensemen is remarkably thin this time of year, and prices are only going up.

They struck out entirely on their primary target. The clock is ticking loudly toward the trade deadline, and the pressure in that front office is reaching a boiling point.

Management needs a viable backup plan executed immediately. Because right now, the Panthers look extremely vulnerable against heavy forechecking teams in the Eastern Conference.