From a hockey standpoint, the summer is finally over, and the Florida Panthers ended it on high note, with the re-signing of leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau. The Cats, in search of a playoff spot come spring, will take the first step towards that goal with the opening of training camp this morning.
The full roster will hit the ice for the first time tomorrow at Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs. The team will practice at 9:45 a.m. before taking part in a scrimmage an hour later.
They will repeat the process on Saturday before heading to Nashville for a split-squad doubleheader on Sunday against the Predators. The first game will start at 4:30 p.m. (EST) and the second will begin at 8 p.m. (EST).
You can view the full camp schedule on the official site by clicking here. The roster of players, sans Huberdeau, can be seen by clicking here.
This year’s camp should be an fascinating one, with two to three open forward spots up for grabs. The Cats look pretty stacked on the blue line, so there should be a fierce battle for roster spots there too. Estero Rookie Tournament standouts Connor Brickley and Mike Matheson have also served noticed they will be looking for a shot with the big club sooner than expected.
Welcome back, Panthers!