Not sure about what’s coming back as I haven’t seen enough of San Jose this year. Unusual, that, as we generally watch a lot of Sharks games. I think it comes down to whether the Panthers think they can make the playoffs at the deadline. If that’s the case, then they’re going to want a player they think can win now. So, I think they’re going to want to swap a rental for a rental rather than a rental for a good prospect. So, if they don’t think they can keep Seidenberg and the Sharks decide they aren’t keeping Setoguchi, that may be where the Panthers want to go. They would probably be better off taking the Huskins/prospect deal as Huskins would be an adequate sixth defenseman and the forwards mentoned are potential top-6 (real top-6, not Panthers fantasy-land where Rostislav Olesz is paid top-6 money). Kulikov is certainly moving up on the depth chart next year and Garrison probably will as well.

But they want to win now, which seems unlikely with this group. They’ve hurt themselves with a few overgenerous contracts, which they’re unlikely to unload. I fear the Panthers will make the deadline deal to win then fall short. But then, that’s what they should have done last year.