Trade between Blackhawks and Panthers gets unexpected update nearly a year late

Ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, the Florida Panthers were once again very active, landing the likes of Seth Jones and Brad Marchand to a team that would end up going on to win their second straight Stanley Cup.

While they had to give up Spencer Knight in the deal that saw them land Jones, given his role in that Stanley Cup victory, it's safe to say that many Panthers fans were happy with the deal.

Now, almost a year later, a surprising new detail has been revealed in that trade, with NHL Insider Frank Seravalli among those reporting that the 2026 first-round pick that Florida sent to Chicago in the deal is indeed a top-10 protected one.

Heading into the 2025/26 season, that may not have seemed like a massive deal, but given that the Panthers are now sitting in 22nd place in the overall NHL standings, it appears as though they could potentially land in the top-10 in the 2026 NHL Draft.

If that happens, the Panthers will maintain their pick, with the Blackhawks then getting the Panthers 2027 first-round pick, and if that happens, it's safe to say that if Florida gets healthy, that won't be a very high pick in the draft.

Ultimately, very few people saw the Panthers falling off the way they have this season, but given all of the injuries, it was bound to happen, and if they end up with a top-10 pick, it will allow them to add a blue chip prospect to a group that should be a Stanley Cup contender once again when healthy.

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