The Florida Panthers have struck again at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Florida has acquired veteran forward Kyle Okposo from the Buffalo Sabres, according to Elliotte Friedman. Buffalo is acquiring defenseman Calle Sjalin and a seventh-round draft pick in return for their captain.
This move comes after Florida acquired Vladimir Tarasenko on Wednesday. The Panthers are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. They currently stand atop the Eastern Conference with 90 points. Florida has also won 12 of their last 14 games as they battle the Boston Bruins for the Atlantic Division crown.
Panthers add Sabres' Kyle Okposo for Stanley Cup push
Hockey fans are certainly aware of the story of last year's Panthers team. Florida snuck into the Stanley Cup Playoffs thanks to a huge performance from veteran journeyman Alex Lyon. They went down 3-1 to a historically good Boston Bruins team. And then, they stormed back.
The Panthers defeated the Bruins in seven games before running through the Eastern Conference. They lost just one game after the Boston series en route to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. In the Final, though, Florida fell short as they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Panthers are certainly loading up for a return to the Final. The addition of Tarasenko gives them a scoring winger with a Stanley Cup pedigree. Okposo can chip in a goal or two, as he has 12 on the year. However, he likely slides in as a veteran depth option who can provide some additional leadership.
Florida certainly hopes these moves produce the right result. For Kyle Okposo, he hopes he can win a Stanley Cup before he calls it a career. Let's see how things work out for both sides in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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