Panthers sign veteran defenseman Kevin Connauton to one-year, two way contract

The Florida Panthers have officially agreed to terms with Kevin Connauton, but it was clear a contract was coming when he was placed on waivers earlier Wednesday. The veteran defenseman has agreed to a one-year, two-way contract and will be assigned directly to the taxi squad should he clear waivers on Thursday.

Connauton, 30, is what you might call a journeyman, suiting up for four different NHL teams before joining the Panthers on a professional tryout. Most recently it was with the Colorado Avalanche, where he ended up playing just four regular-season games but entered their postseason lineup for a handful of games in the bubble as well.

While he likely shouldn’t be penciled into the lineup on a nightly basis, Connauton obviously did enough at training camp to prove he can still be a valuable depth piece. How the Florida defense shakes out is one of the most interesting things to watch in the early season, as Keith Yandle is currently on the outside looking in.

The release does not indicate how much Connauton will make this season, but it seems unlikely that the deal would carry an NHL salary much more than $700K. While he’s on the taxi squad, he’ll be earning the AHL amount of his two-way deal.