en-us SportSpyder - The Latest Florida Panthers News https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/news The advantage of holding a top-10 pick is that the Florida Panthers are guaranteed to get one of the best young hockey players on their organizational draft board. The disadvantage is trying to predict which of those young players will be available by the time the No. 9 overall pick is up for selection. The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is likely to feature several defensemen selected in the first 10 picks, but there are some names we can cross off the list of availability. Top blueline prospects Chase Reid and Carson Carels will assuredly have their name called by the time Bill Zito submits his pick. However, there will still be a glut of talented blueliners to entice the Panthers’ scouting department. Here is a look at five defensemen that could be drafted at ninth overall. Daxon Rudolph (6-2.5, 205) • Prince Albert (WHL) Unlikely to go in the top five picks, a selection of Rudolph at No. 6 would receive no criticism. Coming off a 78-point regular season in the WHL that included 28 goals, Rudolph churned out 27 points in 19 playoff games. Boasting NHL size and a strong puck game, Rudolph is lauded for his hockey sense. He’s not a flashy skater or puck-handler, but his decision-making and offensive abilities shine. The scouting reports are complimentary of his defensive positioning and stick work, but mainly focus on his attributes in the offensive zone. His slap shot is NHL quality. Rudolph is exceptional at getting pucks to the net through traffic and he has high-end breakout passes. He projects as a top-4 defenseman at his peak with the ability to run a top power play unit. The Panthers will be undoubtedly attracted to his advanced feel for the mental side of the game and his puck decisions. Rudolph is heading to Denver to play NCAA hockey next year — a program Florida has worked well with to develop players in recent years. Keaton Verhoeff (6-4, 215) • University of North Dakota Arguably the most divisive defensive prospect in the top half of the draft, Verhoeff has seen his stock slip in the last year as blueliners like Reid and Carels passed him on many scouting charts. Verhoeff was in some conversations for the No. 1 overall pick just a year ago after putting up 45 points in 63 games for the Victoria Royals (WHL) as a 16-year-old. Last season, he played 36 games for North Dakota and registered 20 points — but did so at age 17 against much older competition. Verhoeff has plus size for the NHL level and already plays a physical brand of hockey. He has natural leadership qualities, and a top-end work ethic has been noted by scouts. A good stick and the ability to lay a hit have placated doubts about his defensive ability at the NCAA level, but there are holes to be poked in his skating and mobility. He’s not fast and doesn’t have an NHL-level burst. There are also concerns about his lateral mobility. If you want a Panther-friendly comparison, Aaron Ekblad might be a good one. Verhoeff looks to have plenty of talent to be an NHL regular and locker room leader, but it’s going to come with some criticism about his physical limitations. The Panthers value mobility on the blue line, but have found time for guys like Verhoeff in the Zito era. If he slips to ninth, the organization will certainly be tempted. Malte Gustafsson (6-4.5, 203) • HV71 (SHL) Another defenseman that can split evaluators, Gustafsson is a rangy blueliner that towers over much of his age similar competition. Some evaluators position him as a top-10 selection while others push him further into the mid-teens. Florida might be an organization that values him as the former. Zito tends to gravitate towards young players that get professional experience in Europe and Gustafsson earned 27 games in the SHL with HV71 at age 17. If there is offense in his NHL future, expect it to come in the middle or latter stages of his career. Gustafsson moves the puck well enough and has some puck carrying qualities. He’s a better stickhandler than his scout suggests, but his shot and shot decisions need a lot of development. That said, what he does best is what the Panthers value most — gap control. Gustafsson is excellent at taking away an attacker’s space and knowing when to put pressure on at both the offensive and defensive blueline. All the scouting reports rave about his competitiveness — another hallmark of the Panthers identity on the blue line. He’s probably a slight reach at ninth overall, but there would be no question about Gustafsson’s organizational fit with the Cats. Albert Smits (6-2.75, 209) • Jukurit (Liiga) Maybe the most visible defenseman in the draft because of the spotlight of the Olympics, Smits is probably the least likely on this list to fall to nine. Another teenager that has played most of his hockey this season against men, Smits had 13 points in 38 games with Jukurit before going on loan to Munich in the DEL where he put up six points in 11 playoff games. Smits tantalizes with his puck skill for a blueliner his size. He’s not elite lik... Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:16:52 GMT Brice Zimmerman https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56937151 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56937151 false false The Florida Panthers have selected 269 players in the NHL Draft, including 80 European and 189 North American skaters. As of 2026, it goes without saying that t Fri, 12 Jun 2026 23:10:34 GMT Ryan Gagne https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56934532 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56934532 false false The post appeared first on . The Carolina Hurricanes had an opportunity to trade for Sergei Bobrovsky and it's looking these days like it was good trade not to make. The post appeared first on . Fri, 12 Jun 2026 22:22:56 GMT NHL Trade Talk https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56934159 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56934159 false false Panthers voice Steve Goldstein joins the The Hockey Show to break down Stanley Cup drama, coaching carousels, and trade rumors while revealing some insight into his iconic "Let's go home, baby!" call. Fri, 12 Jun 2026 20:22:07 GMT David Dwork https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56933060 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56933060 false false On Friday afternoon, the NHL announced the 2025-26 All-Star Teams, featuring some of the game's best, like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Andrei Vasilevs Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:36:28 GMT Ryan Gagne https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56932621 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56932621 false false Florida has an interesting mix of draft picks and players that it could potentially trade for Detroit's captain. Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:52:42 GMT Billy Heyen https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56932176 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56932176 false false Stay connected with the #FloridaPanthers:Subscribe 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@flapanthers?sub_confirmation=1Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/flapanth... Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:32:08 GMT Florida Panthers https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56931958 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56931958 false false Lundell and a first? Yurov? Dorofeyev? Some of these pieces could end up in Detroit for Larkin. Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:32:28 GMT Anthony Di Marco https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56931303 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56931303 false false Tuomo Ruutu takes us back to the 2001 NHL Draft and shares the stories behind one of the biggest nights of his hockey life. From the nerves leading up to the... Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:40:31 GMT Florida Panthers https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930728 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930728 false false #stanleycupfinals #vgk #hurricanes Flying Fluffy Panthers Hockey brings you Florida Panthers and NHL highlights, live streams, and full game recaps all seas... Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:21:09 GMT Flying Fluffy Panthers Hockey https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930493 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930493 false false The Panthers have already pitched an offer to acquire Dylan Larkin from Detroit, but other teams remain in play, as well. Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:13:16 GMT https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930395 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930395 false false Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:01:22 GMT Florida Panthers https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930260 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930260 false false The Florida Panthers have a first-round pick (at least for now) for the first time since the 2021 NHL Draft. […] This article: originally appeared on Florida Hockey Now. Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:45:38 GMT George Richards, FHN Publisher https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930101 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56930101 false false On June 4, news broke that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade. As shocking as that sounded, things got interesting within days when it bec Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:20:18 GMT Ryan Gagne https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56929819 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/florida-panthers/articles/56929819 false false