Panthers must wait until third round of NHL draft to make pick

With the Florida Panthers’ first Stanley Cup championship just days behind them, the NHL offseason is already underway. While players and fans alike are out celebrating, Panthers general manager Bill Zito and staff are gearing up for an important free-agency period and the NHL draft, as the team looks to reload for next season.

Any Panthers fans excited to see which young players will be added through the draft should be prepared to wait. Although the draft begins Friday at 7 p.m., the Panthers won’t make its first selection until the last pick of round 3 — No. 97. Unless, of course, the Panthers trade up to get a higher pick. The third round takes place on day two of the draft, which begins Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

Florida gave up its first selection to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2022 in a trade for now-Ottawa Senators winger Claude Giroux. The Utah Hockey Club, which will replace the Arizona Coyotes this coming season, own the Panthers’ second round pick in exchange for the former franchise taking on defenseman Anton Stralman’s contract.

The Panthers will have a pick in each of the remaining rounds — a total of five picks in the seven-round draft. Don’t expect to see the young faces in a Florida uniform any time soon, however. Only 12% of third-round picks ever play in the NHL. It will be some time before any 2024 Florida draftee has their chance to make an impact for the new champions.