Should The Panthers Use Tkachuk’s LTIR Money Now?

Last season, the Panthers used the LTIR flexibility from Matthew Tkachuk to add big at the trade deadline.  Adam Proteau of The Hockey News argues that Florida should take the same approach and use the savings to add a rental player before the season starts.  While that would only increase the amount of cap space they’d need to open up when he returns midseason (barring further long-term injuries), it would also give them a boost in the first half.  While the Panthers came on strong in the playoffs, they struggled a bit down the stretch with Tkachuk out of the lineup and a slower start this season could complicate things in a tight Atlantic Division.  Accordingly, the idea of pre-renting a player makes some sense in theory with an eye on fortifying their roster for the first half but the need to open up room to welcome Tkachuk back later on would only be intensified, rarely an ideal position to be in midseason.