Evan Rodrigues signed a four-year contract with the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 29-year-old forward had 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 69 regular-season games for the Colorado Avalanche last season and five points (one goal, four assists) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Rodrigues had previously signed one-year contracts with the Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. The opportunity with the Panthers brings stability and an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup with the defending Eastern Conference champions.
"It's nice, confidence-wise," Rodrigues said "It's also a really good feeling when someone believes in you and wants to give me that term and values you as a hockey player. I think that was really important, helped me make my decision in coming to Florida."
The Panthers (42-32-8) earned the second wild card into the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, one season after winning a team-record 58 games and the Presidents' Trophy for the best record in the NHL in the regular season. They rallied from down 3-1 in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round to stun the 65-win Boston Bruins, defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games and swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final before a five-game loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.
"You always like to join a contender and a team that's pushing to win a Stanley Cup," Rodrigues said. "Obviously got really close last year and I'm just trying to come in and help the team kind of get over that hump and hopefully try to win a Stanley Cup with them. All four lines compete and work hard and I think that's why they're successful. They wear teams down, they play a fast high-offense game and it's something I'm definitely excited to be a part of."
Signed by Buffalo on April 22, 2015 as an undrafted free agent, Rodrigues has 168 points (69 goals, 99 assists) in 385 regular-season games for the Sabres, Penguins and Avalanche, and 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 16 playoff games.
"Rodrigues brings skill and the ability to compete in three zones of the ice," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. "A culture fit and someone who adds versatility to our lineup, we can't wait to welcome Evan to the Panthers."
The Panthers traded Anthony Duclair on Saturday to the San Jose Sharks for forward Steven Lorentz and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 27-year-old forward has one season remaining on a three-year contract he signed with Florida on July 15, 2021, and can become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Duclair was limited to 20 games last season (nine points; two goals, seven assists) because of a torn Achilles but had 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 20 playoff games.
Florida also signed defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to a one-year contract, defenseman Niko Mikkola to a three-year contract, defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Mike Reilly each to a one-year contract, forward Grigori Denisenko to a two-year contract and goalie Anthony Stolarz to a one-year contract.
Rodrigues cited a system that favors a heavy forecheck as another reason why he committed to the Panthers.
"I think that's kind of exactly who I am," Rodrigues said. "I'm a guy who likes to play fast, be first on the forecheck. I think a big part of my game is just my compete level. It's something I've done since I got to the NHL, something that when things aren't going well, something I always rely on. As I put the work in and compete, the rest will take care of itself and I think that's kind of the M.O. this group. I think I fit in perfectly."
NHL.com staff writer Jon Lane contributed to this report
