Sources: Panthers signing E. Staal to 1-year deal

The Florida Panthers are signing Eric Staal to a one-year, $750,000 contract, sources told ESPN, adding the seasoned guardant to a roster that besides includes his younger member Marc.

Staal had been with the Panthers since they gave him a nonrecreational tryout woody successful July, and wide manager Bill Zito said earlier successful the week that they were trying to find a mode to acceptable Staal into their wage cap.

The squad has short-term flexibility aft putting prima defenseman Aaron Ekblad connected semipermanent injured reserve. Because of salary-cap constraints, the Panthers person not been capable to transportation a afloat 23-man roster yet this season.

Staal, 37, is not expected to play Friday nighttime against the Tampa Bay Lightning but should debut Sunday against the New York Islanders.

Staal did not play for an NHL squad past play but continued to bid hoping for an opportunity. He captained Canada astatine the 2022 Olympics, tallying 1 extremity and 4 assists successful 5 games. Canada finished successful sixth place, and Staal was incapable to parlay it into a midseason NHL contract.

The Panthers volition beryllium Staal's sixth NHL team, pursuing 1,293 vocation games with the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens successful which helium has totaled 1,034 points.

Defenseman Marc Staal besides joined the Panthers connected a one-year, $750,000 declaration arsenic a escaped cause during the offseason.