Screen Shots: Are The Florida Panthers The NHL's Most Hated Team To Face?

The Florida Panthers were a team of rats before this off-season even began.

Now, a couple of trades before NHL free agency have them looking even tougher – and more annoying – to play against.

Let's look at that, as well as updates on Toronto Maple Leafs right winger Matias Maccelli and Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, in this latest edition of Screen Shots.

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The Maccelli experiment could be over in Toronto, with the Maple Leafs choosing not to give the right winger a qualifying offer and making him a UFA.

A qualifying offer for Maccelli would have been $4.1 million for one season, which was ultimately not worth it for Toronto.

Maccelli had a few solid games for the Leafs this past season, posting 14 goals, 25 assists and 39 points in 71 games. That was better than his 2024-25 output of eight goals and 18 points in 55 games with the Utah Mammoth, which traded him to Toronto for a third-round pick a year ago.

But Maccelli still produced far less than he did in his first two full NHL seasons with the Arizona Coyotes. In 2023-24, he had 40 assists and 57 points in 82 games, and in the year before that, he generated 38 assists and 49 points in 64 games.

If Maccelli's production with the Leafs was closer to those peak numbers, a $4.1-million qualifying offer would be well worth it to retain his signing rights.

But at the right price point, there will be at least a few teams willing to give Maccelli a chance. At 25 years old, he's still got some room to grow his game.

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Finally, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman spoke about Larkin's trade request over the weekend.

Yzerman confirmed that Larkin officially wants to be dealt out of town. However, the GM also said he's acting with the best interests of the Wings in mind.

"I cannot make any guarantees, and I did not make any guarantees, that that request could or would be met," Yzerman told reporters.

That could make things extremely awkward come training camp if Larkin hasn't been traded.

That said, we don't expect it to get to that uncomfortable point.

The market for high-end centers is going to be robust this summer, and even if Larkin – who controls his destiny with his no-trade clause – chooses only a few teams he'd be willing to join, Yzerman still should be able to get something of consequence for Larkin's services that keeps them competitive. It will just take some time to craft the best trade possible for the Red Wings.

You can't have a cynic in your dressing room, and that's what Larkin now is if he's requesting a trade. So Detroit must find the best trade for him this summer, completely cut its ties with Larkin and try picking up the pieces as they push for a playoff spot next season.

Larkin gave it a long try in Motown, but things haven't worked out, and there's no longer any good reason to keep him around.

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This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 9:36 AM.