Contract Talks Yet To Begin Between Free Agents and Florida Panthers Management
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period joined Erika Watcher on NHL Network’s NHL on the Fly program and when asked about the Panthers pending free agents, he stated talks had yet to begin, but talks are expected to begin in and around this weekend.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
NHL Rumors: Sam Reinhart wants to remain with the Florida Panthers
Erika Watcher: “Let’s talk about a team now that’s trying to lock it up a bit long-term with the guys they’ve got talking about the Panthers. Have you heard anything on the movement with the extension talks with guys like Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, and Gustav Forsling, who are all UFAs, as we know, at the end of the season?
Dave Pagnotta: “Yeah, Erika. Florida has taken a patient approach with all three of these guys. As you show there, you look at the numbers and how well Sam Reinhart is doing second in the National Hockey League in goals, solid cap hit right now. Brandon Montour 3.5. Gustav Forsling under three. These are three players that are going to get very nice raises on their next deals.
Reinhardt speaking earlier this month, saying look, talks happen during the season, I’m totally comfortable with that. They haven’t gotten to that point yet. Extension talks, actual negotiations haven’t taken place just yet between Bill Zito the GM and Reinhardt’s camp, led by Craig Oster.
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Brandon Montour had some conversations, his side did at the start of the season, things have been kind of quiet there since. Gustav Forsling nothing yet on the docket in terms of discussions between his agent and Billy Zito. So we’ll see kind of how this progresses.
My understanding is a little bit after All-Star, perhaps even this coming weekend, that Florida will start to engage and get an understanding as to what exactly they’re looking for.
Again, conversations with all three are fluid there’s there’s no negativity here. They just haven’t gotten to that point just yet. But it is something on their schedule that they have to address. Relatively soon, in order to, at the very least, get a proper understanding of what the numbers are going to look like.”