FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers parted ways with two-time Stanley Cup champion Evan Rodrigues this week, trading the versatile forward to the New Jersey Devils as part of the Jacob Markstrom deal and clearing $3 million in salary cap space ahead of NHL free agency.
The move, first detailed by Florida Hockey Now, sends a player who filled virtually every role coach Paul Maurice asked of him during his time in South Florida — centering or playing wing on all four lines, killing penalties and contributing on the power play. Devils general manager Sunny Mehta, who helped bring Rodrigues to the Panthers in 2023, now reunites with him in New Jersey.
“I’ve always prided myself on a 200-foot game, and I’ve always prided myself on work ethic,” Rodrigues said. “That’s what got me into the league: my smarts, my work ethic. And I think that’s what this team has. It’s a hard-working, smart team and we play a team game. That’s something I think fits in really well with myself.”
Panthers captain Sasha Barkov made clear how much the organization valued Rodrigues beyond the stat sheet. “He can basically do it all,” Barkov said. “He can play defense really well, he plays offense really well, he takes face-offs, you can put him in any situation on the ice.”
Barkov also praised Rodrigues off the ice: “He’s a great guy. He can hang out with anyone and be a great guy with anyone, so that’s a really good thing to have as a person. I’ve really been impressed by him ever since Day 1.”
The trade reflects the salary cap reality facing a Panthers roster loaded with high-end talent. Rodrigues’ $3 million cap hit, modest by NHL standards, became expendable as the front office prioritized keeping its core stars under contract. With the Panthers constructed as they are, Rodrigues likely would have opened the season on the fourth line — though his track record suggested he would not have stayed there long.
NHL free agency opens Wednesday at noon, giving the Panthers immediate flexibility to reinvest the savings. The club’s development camp is already underway at the IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, with training camp set for early to mid-September and the preseason opener scheduled for Sept. 20 against the Carolina Hurricanes.