The Florida Panthers are in a precarious situation heading into the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. The Panthers hoped to contend for their third Stanley Cup in a row in 2026. Unfortunately, they lost Aleksander Barkov for the entire season before the puck even dropped. And the injuries began piling up from there.
Florida isn't exactly out of the postseason race at this time. They have five games to play before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline on March 6th. However, they are currently eight points out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And they are currently the third-worst team in the NHL on points.
This is an exceptionally talented team that has won its Stanley Cups for a reason. At the same time, the team can't afford to make a major splash. Even if they create a ton of cap space by putting Barkov on season-ending injured reserve, they don't have the capital to make a big trade that fixes everything.
This being said, Bill Zito is the best general manager in hockey right now. If anyone can pull out a miracle, it's him. If that miracle doesn't present itself, it may be best for the Panthers to trade some of their pending free agents. And there is one pending free agent who could give Florida some very intriguing value through trade.
Panthers' Evan Rodrigues could be top rental trade candidate
The Panthers signed Evan Rodrigues following their loss in the Stanley Cup Final to the Vegas Golden Knights. He was meant to serve as a depth forward after the team lost the likes of Anthony Duclair that offseason. To this end, Rodrigues has been a successful signing.
Rodrigues is far from a flashy player, but he's an effective one. He can provide secondary scoring while playing a middle-six role. He can even provide service in the top six in a pinch. Rodrigues can also contribute away from the puck, which gives him a lot of value.
What has helped him truly stand out is his ability to raise his game in clutch moments. He has played 61 total postseason games throughout his career, with 45 of them coming as a member of the Panthers. In those 45 playoff games, the Toronto native has nine goals and 30 points.
Rodrigues raises his play in the Stanley Cup Final, especially. As a matter of fact, he was a darkhorse candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy when Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers in 2024. He didn't win the award that year or in 2025, but he certainly made a case for himself.
There are other pending free agents on the Panthers roster who could be of interest to other teams. For instance, Eetu Luostarinen is five years younger than Rodrigues. However, Luostarinen being younger than Rodrigues is precisely why Florida shouldn't trade him. They should do what they can to keep him around.
Florida is going to have another tough offseason, whether they make the playoffs or not. Trading a couple guys that are almost certain to be out of Florida's price range would make things a lot easier. And Rodrigues is definitely a candidate to get a bit of a raise in NHL Free Agency this year.
The Panthers need to be smart about whichever path they take at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. If they elect to stand pat, they need to have a plan for the offseason. If they elect to retool, though, Evan Rodrigues must be one of players they throw on the trade block before March 6th.
