Three Former Florida Panthers Players Without An NHL Contract

We are now approaching a month since the beginning of the 2026 free agency, and several former Florida Panthers players are without a contract.

The Panthers‘ lineup is likely full, as the team currently has just $34,286 of cap space with 22 players signed to their NHL roster, according to puckpedia.com.

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The Panthers may sign some AHL deals or possibly two-way deals before now and training camp, but for now, the roster is set, which means the players who played for the Panthers last season won’t be returning.

Those players are highlighted by Luke Kunin, Jeff Petry, and Tomas Nosek. Other former Panthers players who remain unsigned include Reilly Smith, Mike Reilly, Evgenii Dadonov, and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Luke Kunin, C

Kunin signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last off-season, hoping to win the role of the fourth-line center. 

It didn’t pan out for Kunin, as the 28-year-old skated in just 62 games, serving as a healthy scratch for a large part of the season. Kunin mustered just four goals and 10 points and averaged a career low in ice time at just 9:41.

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Kunin will likely be required to sign a professional tryout prior to pre-season and will aim to earn a league-minimum contract. He has previously shown he can be a viable player, but the 2025-26 campaign has hurt his stock. With 496 games of NHL experience, Kunin should find an NHL home.

How Lars Eller Will Help The Florida Panthers In The 2026-27 NHL SeasonLars Eller was a quiet veteran signing made by the Florida Panthers, but with his defensive acumen and veteran experience, he could play a larger role than some may expect on the fourth line.

Jeff Petry, D

Petry also signed a one-year deal with the Panthers last off-season, looking to serve as the Panthers’ sixth defenseman. Unfortunately, Petry couldn’t really find his footing with the Panthers and was traded to the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline.

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With the deal, the Panthers avoided paying some of his bonuses, but one was still tacked on.

At 38 years old, Petry is no spring chicken. Petry was once a solid offensive defenseman, but he doesn’t have the foot speed to be reliable and a difference-maker offensively. There is a real possibility that Petry is unable to find a team next season. 

Examining All Moves Made By Panthers Over Past Few Days, Exploring How Roster Could Shake OutFrom blockbuster goalie trades to long-term extensions, Bill Zito fueled a wild free agency frenzy to fortify depth and prepare Florida for another deep postseason run.

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Tomas Nosek, C

Nosek served valiantly for the Panthers in their second Stanley Cup victory, but a knee injury knocked the 33-year-old out for most of the 2025-26 season, and the Panthers ultimately decided to move on. 

Lars Eller and Cole Schwindt are expected to take over the roles Nosek and Kunin occupied last season. 

Nosek has accumulated 514 games of NHL experience, proving to be an effective fourth-line center. Like Kunin, if Nosek is hoping to continue his NHL career, he’ll be required to sign a PTO. 

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