NHL Rumors: Panthers Forward Gaining Trade Interest

The Florida Panthers could look to move Noel Acciari before the trade deadline passes, according to Elliotte Friedman.

Friedman noted that Acciari is an "under-the-radar name to keep an eye on" as we get closer to the deadline. The 30-year-old made his season debut last month but also hasn't been utilized since February 20th's contest against the Chicago Blackhawks. With the Panthers having a lot of forward depth and looking to make a big splash at the deadline, perhaps he could be a player who heads the other way.

Acciari is in the final year of his contract and carries a $1,666,667 cap hit. He is also eligible for unrestricted free agency, so there's no guarantee that he will re-sign with Florida - or if they will want to bring him back.

In two games since returning to the lineup, Acciari has one assist and a plus-1 rating. If officially made available by the Panthers, there could be a decent number of teams interested in him. He's a solid bottom-six forward who is capable of playing on the penalty kill. With that, he also is only two years removed from a 20-goal campaign. Nevertheless, let's see if Friedman's prediction comes to fruition.