The Panthers made their first deal on deadline day just before noon, sending pending free agent Dennis Seidenberg to the Boston Bruins for forwards Byron Bitz and Craig Weller.
Florida also sent the rights to d-man Matt Bartkowski (Ohio State) to the Bruins.
The Panthers also get another 2010 second round pick in the deal, getting the Boston pick it had previously acquired from Tampa Bay.
Bitz, a Cornell man, has four goals and five assists for the Bruins in 45 games. He has played in 80 career games. Bitz is 25 and from Saskatchewan. Bitz has a limited cap hit of $687K, is signed through next season and then is a restricted free agent.
Weller played 55 games for the Providence Bruins this season and is probably headed to Rochester, although who knows. He has four goals and 10 assists for the P-Bs this season.
Will have more on the new guys -- and we're talking to Dennis as he is headed back to Sunrise to get his stuff -- in the coming hour or so.
-- Keaton Ellerby has been recalled from Rochester and will be in the lineup tonight.
-- Pete DeBoer says Tomas Vokoun will start in goal tonight against the Flyers. Not a surprise there. But we'll see.
-- The Panthers had an optional skate today. DeBoer, and a lot of others, skipped. Florida had two defensemen, 10 forwards and both goalies on the ice for about 20 minutes. It was fun.
A steal for the Panthers especially since the second round pick is from Tampa Bay.
Posted by: FLA Kittens | March 03, 2010 at 12:03 PM
pff hahaah wowwwwwwwwwwwwww what a joke another bac trade that weller guy is like 30 playing in the nhl and bitz is like a fourth liner with five goals good job sexton !!!! when dennis is leading the league in blocked shots what a joke ! florda are sellers once again !! this team should just fold for gods sake i feel really sorry for florida wow and the team !
Posted by: sexton is a joke | March 03, 2010 at 12:07 PM
Are these guys any good? Good enough that we can have a "Ballroom Bitz" night??
Posted by: James | March 03, 2010 at 12:08 PM
I like this trade a lot. We get another 2nd round pick (4 in the top 60 now this year) plus a serviceable forward with size in Bitz. Weller is a depth player for Rochester.
What else are you going to get for a good 4th defenceman?
Posted by: Jeff | March 03, 2010 at 12:09 PM
Sexton stinks. This orginization is clueless. Just what we need. Another Campbell and Kreps. BITZ BABY!!!
Posted by: Cliff | March 03, 2010 at 12:11 PM
Good trade for a UFA with an end of year signing bonus. I like Bitz, he always gave Panthers a tough time. Tampa's 2nd pick. Weller helps the Amerks. Sexton did good with that trade.
Posted by: Bo | March 03, 2010 at 12:12 PM
PATHETIC
OWNERSHIP LIES AGAIN
SEXTON IS AN IDIOT
OLESZ/CAMPBELL/KREPS STILL APART OF THIS TEAM, BUT THEY TRADE AWAY 2 OF OUR TOP 4 DMEN HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH
AND THEY SAY THEY ARNT GIVING UP THIS SEASON AHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA
Posted by: Panthers Joke of NHL | March 03, 2010 at 12:28 PM
so how many 2010 2nd rounders do the Cats have? theirs, tb, pitt,...more?
Posted by: JimH | March 03, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Its a shame that most "panthers fans" dont really understand the situation and hockey in general...this trade is finally the first good one of the season...if you find need to complain then you arent thinking hard enough...I can only hope that Vokun is next and we get both cap relief and a scorer.
Posted by: David | March 03, 2010 at 12:34 PM
wow--the comments go from good to bad to good to bad! Strange.
I think its 'good' since we at least got another hihg 2nd rounder out of the deal and lost a lot of cap space.
Satisfied yet? No. But we still have time.
Posted by: Eric | March 03, 2010 at 12:40 PM
agreed David. Loading up on Second Rounders finally demonstrates that Florida is going to build in-house. I'd rather see Vokun go in the summer though, that way we can get a legit scorer who might be unavailable now due to playoff pushes.
Posted by: Mike | March 03, 2010 at 12:46 PM
I love this trade.
But I love the asking price for Vokoun from Philly even more... JEFF CARTER. Let shope Philly does it.
Posted by: Saskpantherfan | March 03, 2010 at 12:47 PM
They need to trade Vokoun to Detroit for a scout and lay off all our scouts. Then maybe all these trades may make sense and we can use those early picks for something good to come.
Posted by: hed | March 03, 2010 at 12:56 PM
That would be a good trade put markstrom in net
Posted by: Resume | March 03, 2010 at 01:01 PM
Dave, you are right on the money! Anyone whining like a kid over this trade is just clueless. The Panthers get TB's second-round pick plus a big forward for a UFA whose contract is expiring at the end of the season (not to mention they get rid of his 1.25 million dollar bonus due 6/30).
This trade, as well as the Leopold and Moore trades are GOOD moves by Sexton.
This season is over. They are putting the pieces together to have a successful summer and future.
Posted by: clueless idiots | March 03, 2010 at 01:14 PM
What is the attendance going to be the rest of the season? I think I'll go to Subway and get a five dollar footlong. I 'll get more bang for my dollar than watching the boring Panthers.
Posted by: john vanbisbreck | March 03, 2010 at 01:42 PM
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY PICKS WE GET. THIS ISNT FOOTBALL YOU MORONS, AND THE PANTHERS STINK AT DRAFTING PLAYERS IN THE FIRST PLACE SO HOW THE HELL DOES THIS HELP???
FUNNY HOW NOTHING ELSE WAS DONE TODAY BY THIS CRAPPY ORGANIZATION
OLESZ STILL HERE
CAMPBELL STIL LHERE
KREPS STILL HERE
AHAHHAHAHAAA
Posted by: Embarrassed Panther Fan | March 03, 2010 at 01:57 PM
I agree with everyone, good and bad. The problem I have is that it doesn't matter what draft pic's you get unless the people making these choices at the draft change. If they screw up 1st rounders than what do you think will happen to 2nd rounders. History shows this.
Posted by: hank | March 03, 2010 at 02:00 PM
And Jeff Carter isnt going to be traded for a 33 year old goalie lol
man most panther fans are idiots!!!
I saw on the panthers website that trading Weiss made all the sense in the world. Yea considering he's our best Center and Player by far. Why isn't he wearing the C? Another mistake by this organization, he's been here the longest, he deserves it, not McCabe hahahahha
Posted by: Embarrassed Panther Fan | March 03, 2010 at 02:01 PM
Trading Weiss for anything less than a king's ransom would be capital-S Stupid. No one is going to trade a better center to get him and he's the best center on the team. He should be a Panther until he retires.
Posted by: JimH | March 03, 2010 at 02:44 PM
WHY WAS MATT RUST TRADED FOR A 26 YEAR OLD DMAN WHO CAN'T FIND HIS WAY IN THE NHL.
SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT, WE TRADED A CENTER PROSPECT IN RUST FOR MORE D?????
CENTER IS OUR WEAKEST POSITION, I GUESS IT MAKES SENSE TO THOSE IN PANTHERS MANAGEMENT THO, THATS NOT SAYING MUCH SINCE ITS TAKING THEM OVER A DECADE TO REBUILD.
FAIL!
Posted by: Embarrassed Panther Fan | March 03, 2010 at 03:58 PM
The latest CBJ addition Matt Rust is a center for Michigan. Is +12 this year with 11 goals and 21 assists. And 51% on faceoffs.
Posted by: Embarrassed Panther Fan | March 03, 2010 at 03:59 PM
can you say fire sale!!!!
until we see what happens to the draft picks you cannot rate these trades.
you can however say that the 4 free agent signings by Sexton are all gone in less than one season (one was signed by Yormark for the Finland trip)
We want hockey people running the hockey side before we become the LA Clippers, oops too late
Posted by: season ticket holder since day one | March 03, 2010 at 04:49 PM