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Thursday Caterwaul: Florida Panthers Open Forum

Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

While the Florida Panthers continue to show the Stanley Cup a good time around South Florida, the business side of hockey rolls on as the league readies for tonight’s 2024 NHL Awards at Fontainebleau Las Vegas and the start of the 2024 NHL Entry tomorrow night at Sphere.

Sergei Bobrovsky is up against Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebucyk and Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko for the Vezina Trophy, given annually to the goalie voted the best at his position by the league’s general managers. I don’t expect Bobrovsky, who won in 2013 and 2017, to get it, but he won a much bigger prize on Monday, so he’ll be fine.

Demko’s Canucks grabbed headlines yesterday. Vancouver sent forwards forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Sam Lafferty and a 2027 second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick, giving the team a valuable chunk of additional cap space to work with the free agent frenzy set to begin on Monday.

The Canucks also re-signed forward Teddy Blueger to a two-year, $3.6 million contract extension.

After re-signing former Florida draft pick Vladislav Kolyachonok to a two-year, two-way contract on Tuesday, the Utah Hockey Club re-upped Liam O’Brian to a three-year deal worth $3 million.

LBC GoFundMe

Doing another round of funding to assist in keeping LBC alive and well for another year. If everyone chips in a little bit, we’ll be good for the 2024-25 season. This will keep the site up in its current smooth-running form and free to all visitors, while making sure there is backend assistance when needed. I appreciate the primary assist!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-support-litter-box-cats-for-the-202425-season

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