The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers acquired goaltender Daniil Tarasov from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, sending a fifth-round draft pick in exchange for Sergei Bobrovsky's new backup and potential future successor.
Tarasov, 26, is a restricted free agent who is 10 years younger than Bobrovsky, who has backstopped the Panthers to consecutive championships. They come from the same Siberian town of Novokuznetsk, and Tarasov's father, Vadim, was Bobrovsky's idol.
The Blue Jackets are getting the 160th pick in this weekend's draft.
"On behalf of the Blue Jackets, I'd like to thank Daniil for his contributions to our organization over the past four years," Columbus general manager Don Waddell said. "He is an outstanding young man, and we wish he and his family well in the future."
Filling that spot with Vitek Vanecek expected to depart as an unrestricted free agent, Florida now turns to trying to re-sign some combination of playoff MVP Sam Bennett, trade deadline pickup Brad Marchand and longtime cornerstone defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
In another trade Thursday, Columbus acquired former Blue Jackets forward Brendan Gaunce from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for minor league forward Cameron Butler.
Gaunce, 31, collected one assist, four penalty minutes, seven blocked shots and 18 hits in 12 games last season, his lone campaign with the Wild.
For his career, Gaunce has 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists), 71 penalty minutes, 52 blocked shots and 295 hits in 189 regular-season games with the Vancouver Canucks (2015-19), Boston Bruins (2019-20), Blue Jackets (2021-24) and Wild.
Butler, 23, appeared in one game with the Blue Jackets on March 30, 2024, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. This past season, Butler recorded three points (two goals, one assist) and 74 penalty minutes in 37 games with AHL Cleveland.
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.
