Most of the Florida Panthers are resting during the 4 Nations Face-Off, even if eight players are competing in the tournament. The defending Stanley Cup Champions entered the break leading the Atlantic Division with a record of 34-20-3 and 71 points.
A couple of weeks ago, Elliotte Friedman stated that the Panthers were actively shopping for a “right-shot defenseman.” This comes not too long after the team placed defenseman Adam Boqvist on waivers, only to be acquired by the New York Islanders.
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A good addition to the roster could be Buffalo Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju. The 2017 first-round draft pick checks all the boxes that general manager Bill Zito is looking for.
Jokiharju’s Pro Career Thus Far
Jokiharju was selected 29th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017 and won a gold medal at the Under-18 World Junior Championship with Team Finland the year before. In 2019, he won a gold medal at the Under-20 World Championship. Still, his time in Chicago was short-lived. With 12 assists through 38 games, he was traded to the Sabres for Alex Nylander.
He scored his first NHL goal with the Sabres and managed 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in the 2019-20 season before it was halted due to COVID-19. He has 17 goals and 74 assists in his career.
Jokiharju Would Fit in Well on the Panthers
Jokiharju would feel a sense of familiarity in South Florida with a good number of Finnish teammates, including captain Aleksander Barkov and defenseman Niko Mikkola, as well as forwards Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell. His fellow Finns would make it easier to adjust to the change of scenery.
Since Boqvist was claimed off waivers, the Panthers have seven defensemen on the roster, with Tobias Bjornfot as the seventh. If Zito and company were to pull the trigger on a trade, Jokiharju would immediately give head coach Paul Maurice a veteran option to slot into the defensive pairings. This would be a huge boost heading down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Who Could Florida Give Up to Make it Work?
Florida is not in an ideal cap situation, with less than $767,000 available. Jokiharju carries a $3.1 million cap hit for this season and will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this summer.
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One possible trade piece is forward Sam Bennett, who is also on an expiring deal. Additionally, the team has a decent amount of forwards outside of Bennett in the American Hockey League that they could use as sweeteners to bring in the right-handed defenseman. It also helps that the Sabres have been trade partners with the Panthers for a few seasons, with their most recent trade being forward Sam Reinhart for goaltender Devon Levi.
Will Zito Make Magic Happen Again?
The Panthers general manager has done a lot since being hired in 2020. He’s made big trades and signings that have catapulted the team to success, and it won them a Stanley Cup last season. If Zito were to bring in Jokiharju, he would be a big defensive piece to shore up the bottom pairing for a big push for a championship repeat.
Florida is a destination players want to go to, and Zito has helped build that championship culture. Jokiharju would be a fine addition to the roster, and it would be mutually beneficial for both parties, while also enhancing the culture the team has built over the last few seasons.
