After an injury-riddled campaign in 2025/26, the Florida Panthers came into this off-season looking to get healthy and add ahead of what could be another Stanley Cup run in 2027.
On Sunday, the team made two moves, first acquiring a first-round pick for young forward Mackie Samoskevich, and just a few hours later, the team dealt that pick along with two more first-round picks and a second rounder for Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. This move gives the Panthers one of the most dangerous top-nine’s in the entire National Hockey League, and if the team can stay healthy, they’re a top contender to win their third Stanley Cup in just four years.
Florida Panthers’ Evan Rodrigues Drawing Trade Interest
GettyEvan Rodrigues of the Florida Panthers.
While the team dealt Samoskevich to Seattle to acquire the draft capital for Tkachuk, they’ve still got some major decisions to make after the deal, and although the top-nine looks fantastic, there’s question marks over the fourth line. Sure, there’s going to be plenty of veterans that could look to play a key role on that line, but one player that likely won’t be happy about that is Evan Rodrigues.
During the Panthers two Stanley Cup runs, Rodrigues was a fixture in the Panthers top-nine, posting 9 goals and 30 points across 45 post-season games played in their two Stanley Cup winning campaigns. However, his role has diminished over the past 12 months, and at the 2026 trade deadline, he was drawing interest, although that never amounted to a trade.
Unsurprisingly, following the trade for Tkachuk, he may be on the trade block again, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting on NHL Tonight that he’s heard Rodrigues’ name out there in trade talks once more.
“Evan Rodrigues, I wonder about that, I’ve heard some noise around his name.”
Should the Panthers Move Evan Rodrigues?
Right now, with the top nine likely set in stone, Rodrigues has been relegated to the fourth line, but after putting up 11 goals and 31 points in 69 games played this past season, it’s clear that he could be a good middle-six forward for a rival team. On top of that, the team still need to fill out a few roster spots, and with no goaltenders locked in for the immediate future, the team need to prioritize filling that spot, with Rodrigues a potential asset in doing so.
Currently, the 32-year-old has one year remaining on a four-year contract signed back in 2023, as he is owed $3.075 million for the upcoming season, and given the potential additions the team could make, trading him is likely in the best interest of not only the team, but the player as well. Right now, there’s not too much more to go on in regards to potential suitors for Rodrigues, but given that he has 30+ points in each of his past five seasons while being a proven Stanley Cup Playoffs performer, this could allow the Panthers to get another asset in return while clearing some cap space to build out another potential Cup winning roster.
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