Speculation: Brad Marchand

[RussianBum86]

Ekblad is getting 8.5 on the open market easily

A team would be foolisih to pay him that. HE gets walked 1 on 1 by the better forwards a lot.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Probably stays in Florida for less money. I guess A-Rod will be traded to make room for him?

I would think, unless they plan on really downgrading their D, which I doubt. You can't go from Ekblad to a 1M defenseman.

 

[Stuzchuk]

apparently, Zito is hoping that he can re-signed all 3 in FLA (Ekblad, Bennett, Marchand) and keep the core as close as possible as last year...

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/panthers-gm-zito-hoping-vision-for-team-will-help-him-retain-trio-of-big-free-agents~3154486

to have all 3 back and work on a 21 man roster, it would need to look like this