After making their major moves on Saturday, the Florida Panthers did little on trade deadline day.
The one move they did make was trading injury forward Brandon Pirri to the Anaheim Ducks for a sixth-round pick in 2016. That Pirri was traded was not surprising, but the low return shocked hockey fans across North America and drew a negative reaction from most of the Panthers’ fan base, with beat writer George Richards summing up the confused feelings of many with this tweet:
A second round pick for Brandon Pirri I can kind of see. Getting a sixth shows #FlaPanthers just wanted him gone. Don’t know why.
— George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) February 29, 2016
Pirri was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks on March 2, 2014 for a third and fifth-round pick. The skilled forward put up 40 goals and 22 assists in 122 games with Florida after the deal. The 24-year-old was a deadly facet of the Panthers’ shootout unit, but seemed to find himself in coach Gerard Gallant’s doghouse at times this season.
While you can not like the hockey part of this, Dale Tallon did deal Pirri, who will become a restricted free agent this summer, to a contender, which is good for the player, and out of the Eastern Conference, which is good for the team.
In other roster news, the Cats have recalled newly-acquired defenseman Jakub Kindl and goaltender Mike McKenna from the Portland Pirates.
The Panthers’ revamped lineup will make its debut Tuesday night against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre.
You are feeling what after the Pirri trade?
| Shocked | 130 |
| Angry | 56 |
| Disgusted | 77 |
| Ok, we needed a pick | 41 |