2. Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers have already made several changes this offseason. New general manager Bill Zito has been aggressive as he’s trying to retool a very flawed roster. He did pretty well in the Mike Matheson trade, but I don’t think Zito’s done making huge changes.
Matheson’s departure leaves a hole on the left side of the Panthers blueline. I like MacKenzie Wegar, but the Panthers’ interest in Torey Krug suggests they’d like to add someone to the left side of their blueline. If they miss out on Krug, Gostisbehere could be their next best option.
Gostisbehere is from Florida, so it would be cool to see him return to his home state. He’d also be a bit cheaper than Krug, who is going to command at least $7 million in free agency. Gostisbehere is also younger and is a strong bounce back candidate.
The big question is, what can the Panthers give up for him? On paper, none of their forwards make too much sense. But if the Flyers are willing to accept a return built around prospects and/or draft picks, the Panthers should offer their 2020 second round pick and see what else they’d have to add. Other moves might need to be made, but if those moves can be made, Gostisbehere would make sense in Florida.