3 Florida Panthers who won't be back next season

3 Florida Panthers who won’t be back next season

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 08: Carter Verhaeghe #23 of the Florida Panthers is congratulated by his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first overtime period in Game Three of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Final at FLA Live Arena on June 08, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

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Florida Panthers, Eric Score. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

2. Eric Staal

Eric Staal, a former player for the Montreal Canadiens in 2021, signed a tryout deal with the Iowa Wild of the AHL in 2022. He played in four games and was released.

He and his brother Marc were then offered tryout contracts by the Florida Panthers, which they accepted. That said, Eric is now 38 years old and has likely played his last game. He was clinging to a fourth-line role with the team throughout their playoff run.

The Panthers have flourishing prospects in the AHL they can deploy for the 2023-24 season. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Eric not be offered a contract. If this is the end, it’s been a respectable 18-year career in which Staal appeared in 13,000 games.

Is it enough to get him into the Hall of Fame? That’s up for debate. It’s a conversation for another day. But the writing does seem to be on the wall for his future in Sunrise.

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