Coming of back to back Cup wins and back to back to back Cup finals, the Panthers were looking at UFA players Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett. Surely one was a goner, likely two. Worst case scenario is all three would be gone in a very thin free agent crop, all would be pursued, all would leave for the highest bidder, the initial conversation was the Panthers and Bill zito would have to make the hard decision on who to target and keep.
Bennett made his job easy right off the rip, announcing right off that he had no intention of leaving and wanted to stay no matter what. Florida decided he was the one to stay, signing him for an 8 year deal at 8 million per. That left everyone wondering if it would be Marchand or Ekblad who they might be able to keep. Ekblad rumored going to hometown Detroit, Marchand being considered as going to Toronto or Vegas. Surely they couldnt keep both.
Yes. Yes indeed they did.
All suspense came out right before the frenzy, Ekblad signed seven years at 6.1 million per, a hell of a lot less than he woulda made on the open market, Marchand signed six years at 5.3 million to stay, again, lots less than he would have received in Toronto. All three would have and could have received more on the open market and all chose to stay and go for the first three peat since the Islanders ran off four in a row in the very early eighties.
And 4th line penalty killer Tomas Nosek has expressed an interest in returning and likely will, meaning they will return the entire team to raise hell and run roughshod over the NHL.
The cap went up which helps. The players love the team and their teammates which helps as well. Zero tax helps of course.
Anyway, mystery solved, they didnt sign one, or two but all three plus likely fringe but important Nosek. They managed to keep the band together for another tour. In todays world of corporate greed the Cats and players came together and said lets go for it together again.