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NHL free agency 2019: Anton Stralman To Sign With The Florida Panthers

By Ant Barberio

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 4: Anton Stralman #6 of the Tampa Bay Lightning plays the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on April 4, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 4: Anton Stralman #6 of the Tampa Bay Lightning plays the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at the Scotiabank Arena on April 4, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Anton Stralman is moving from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Florida Panthers in NHL free agency. It’s a three-year deal worth $5.5 million a year.

Even before NHL free agency began, the Florida Panthers were expected to make a big splash to improve their franchise. Following the signing of head coach Joel Quenneville in the off-season, and the retirement of franchise goaltender Roberto Luongo, changes are coming to South Florida. One of Florida’s first moves of the day was the news that they emerged as the front-runner to sign Anton Stralman, as per Pierre LeBrun.

The free agent defenseman will be staying in the Sunshine State, moving from his current team the Tampa Bay Lightning after their all too early postseason exit this past year. The contract the Panthers are expected to offer is reported to be $16.5 million over the course of three years.

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The Panthers would be journeyman defenseman’s fourth “official” NHL team and seventh overall. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round of the 2005 draft. In 2008 he was traded to the Calgary Flames, only to be traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets before the season even started.

He signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers in November of 2011 after a tryout with their cross-river rivals the New Jersey Devils didn’t work out for him. In 2014, Stralman left the Rangers to sign a five-year deal with the Lightning.

Despite Tampa Bay’s historic 2018-2019 regular season campaign, Stralman is coming off one of the worst years in his career in terms of production. Although the 17 points he scored are roughly on par with last season, his plus-minus took a dip from +29 in the 2017-2018 season to just +12 this past year.

Even more concerning, Stralman only played in 47 games, his lowest total since his first year with the Rangers. However, in that same time frame, Stralman hasn’t averaged less than 20 minutes per game.

The Panthers were most likely convinced to sign Stralman considering his playoff success. Stralman has been to the Stanley Cup finals twice, with the Rangers in 2014 and the Lightning in 2015, but both proved to be losing efforts. With the Panthers seemingly ready to take that next step with the additions of Sergei Bobrovsky and Brett Connolly, having someone else who’s been there in the thick of the playoffs before surely helps.

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Stralman’s on the wrong side of 30 at 32 years old, so a three-year deal isn’t long enough to give the Panthers concern. While Stralman is a welcome addition, for a team like the Panthers that possess a young defensive core, it was an interesting choice. But with the right price and the right term, the Florida Panthers should be happy to have him.

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