Currently mired in a three-game losing streak, the Florida Panthers have decided to shake up the roster by swapping two players with its AHL affiliate in Portland, ME.
Returning to Sunrise are rookie wingers Connor Brickley and Logan Shaw, while the Pirates are getting back forwards Rocco Grimaldi and Garrett Wilson
Brickley cracked the Cats’ roster out of training camp and played in ten games with the parent club before being sent down. The 23-year-old scored his first NHL goal, added two assists and racked 14 PIM in Florida. With Portland, he has put up three points (1G/2A) in six games.
Shaw has suited up in thirteen games with the Pirates, bagging a team-high seven goals (tied with Rob Schremp and Kyle Rau) while adding one helper. The former third-round pick appeared in one game with the Panthers, his first in the NHL, going pointless with one shot on goal against the Boston Bruins on October 30.
Grimaldi was a bit of a disappointment in his ten games with the Cats, scoring a goal and posting a -4 rating. The speedy forward needs more seasoning the “A” under taskmaster Tom Rowe. The 22-year-old has three assists in five games with the Pirates this season.
Wilson was solid in six games of 4th line duty with Florida He didn’t score, but did post a +1 rating and register six shots on goal. He has already played seven games with Portland this year, picking up four assists in that span.
The Panthers also announced that Dmitry Kulikov has been placed on injured reserve. The defenseman isn’t expected back in the near-term, so this leaves a roster spot open until then.
We’ll see if Brickley and/or Shaw are in the lineup when the Panthers face the New York Islanders on Black Friday to close the homestand.