Florida Panthers keep A.J. Greer after locker cleanout scare
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
A.J. Greer almost got traded at the NHL trade deadline, and Florida Panthers fans can feel the tension building.
David Dwork reported Greer had already cleaned out his locker and said goodbye to teammates, bracing for a move that never came.
That kind of scene does not happen for fun, it happens when paperwork feels close.
The league trade deadline was Friday, March 6, 2026, so this reads like a peek behind the curtain from that final-week chaos.
The big twist is what comes next, Greer wants term, and he would like to stay in Sunrise.
Greer is not a headline star, but he has become one of those glue wingers coaches trust when games get mean.
He's at 11-11-22 through 61 games this season, a tidy bump in production with responsible minutes.
The business side matters too, his cap hit is $850,000 and he's tracking to UFA status in 2026.
That combination screams «value rental» to contenders and «quiet priority» to teams that need cost-controlled depth.
A.J. Greer puts Florida Panthers management on the spot
Panthers fans have that familiar, uneasy feeling.
Greer was drafted in 2015, Round 2, No. 39 overall by the Colorado Avalanche, and he's 29 now, so this is the window where players push for security.
If Florida truly let him get that close to the door, it suggests the front office had a real price in mind.
It also fits the standings reality, the Panthers sit at 32-29-3, and that is not a spot that screams «buy at any cost.»
Keeping him only makes sense if the follow-up is real talks on a multi-year deal.
On the ice, his value is simple, straight-line forecheck, honest board work, and enough finish to punish soft coverage.
Now the next milestone is the next contract conversation, because a player who packed his stall once won't forget how close it got.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 12|37 ANSWERS Florida Panthers keep A.J. Greer after locker cleanout scare Should the Florida Panthers give A.J. Greer a long-term deal? | ||
| Yes | 19 | 51.4 % |
| No | 18 | 48.6 % |
| List of polls | ||