Panthers center Stephen Weiss will have season-ending wrist surgery, Florida general manager Dale Tallon announced today.
Weiss, 29, was having a tough season, with just one goal and three assists in 17 games. But at the very least, the pending unrestricted free agent offered a potential trade chip for Tallon to play by the April 3 deadline.
Instead, it’s possible the Panthers could lose Weiss -- their second-leading scoring in franchise history (394 points), behind Olli Jokinen (419) -- to free agency for nothing.
And for playoff teams looking for help down the middle, Weiss is one fewer target.