Uvis Balinskis’ time as a leopard may be over – Hockey writer – Florida Black Panthers
The Florida Panthers are celebrating the times because they are Stanley Cup champions. They hope to win the third straight win and join the New York Islanders in 1981, 1982 and 1983 to accomplish this feat. They hope to form a new dynasty in the NHL.
One area of slight focus is defense. The young Uvis Balinskis has been in and out of the roster since he arrived in South Florida. With Aaron Ekblad’s expiring contract and Nate Schmidt’s departure, he thinks he will play more of a role. But not only did Ekblad expand, the team went out and grabbed Jeff Petry’s one-year contract. This could mean that once the season begins, fans will see him less or that he can be sent out.
Balinski struggled in past regular seasons
Last season, Ballinskis played more games than normal, playing 76 games. But he didn’t come up with big numbers.
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He found four clean backs, and also scored 14 assists and scored a negative 7. Despite winning the Stanley Cup, it wasn’t his best campaign.
Jeff Petry’s signature may be a sign of lack of confidence
As mentioned earlier, Petry signed a one-year contract with Panthers, worth $775,000, giving the team another veteran option at Eback End. He may have a third pairing with Dmitry Kulikov.
The move seems to indicate a lack of confidence in Balinsky’s ability as well. If someone gets injured in the regular season, he might be the one they call for, but that still shows their overall view of him.
Balinskis didn’t see much time in the playoffs, but did well
Eckbrad was suspended for 20 games for violating the performance enhancement material program for violating the NHL/NHLPA. Additionally, he was suspended again in the playoffs, and in Game 3 of the first round, Tampa Bay Lightning striker Brandon Hagel was in danger. In this way, Balinskis had already gained some playing time in the playoffs.
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In this case, he performed well. He scored in his first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round. In his five playoff appearances, he will only count this and end with four ratings. Despite the limited game time, he still has a lot of room for improvement.
His contract expires next summer
Balinskis enters the final year of his two-year contract, worth $850,000 per season. Despite his small blocking percentage, the team’s current blocking limit is over $3 million.
They may want to shake him to free up some extra space or they might let him walk. It’s also reasonable to keep him nearby. But given that he didn’t get a postponement, that’s not good for the 29-year-old.
What’s next for Balinsky?
Balinskis has done a lot of tons to help his resume. Not only did he get a name in the Stanley Cup, he was also selected to represent his native Latvia at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics this February. However, it seems that the Panthers are not going to leave him in their long-term plans.
