The Florida Panthers, two-time Stanley Cup champions, made a move on Thursday to strengthen their goaltending by acquiring Daniil Tarasov from the Columbus Blue Jackets. In exchange for Sergei Bobrovsky’s new backup, the Panthers sent a fifth-round draft pick to Columbus. Tarasov, a 26-year-old restricted free agent, hails from the same Siberian town as Bobrovsky and is considered a potential future successor to the veteran goalie. The Blue Jackets received the 160th pick in the upcoming draft as part of the deal.
Columbus general manager Don Waddell expressed gratitude to Tarasov for his contributions to the organization over the past four years, wishing him and his family well. With Vitek Vanecek likely leaving in free agency, the Panthers are now focused on re-signing key players such as Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad.
In other NHL news, the Minnesota Wild traded center Freddy Gaudreau to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. Gaudreau, 32, has three years remaining on his contract and provides depth at center with his strong two-way game. The Wild now have five selections in the upcoming draft, with their highest being the 52nd pick in the second round.
Additionally, Utah made a move by acquiring JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring. More trades are anticipated as the NHL draft kicks off on Friday night with the first round, followed by Rounds 2-7 on Saturday.
