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Report: Panthers will sign Gerard Gallant to an extension, too

Gerard Gallant

Florida Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant, center, talks to the players in the third period of an NHL hockey preseason game against the Dallas Stars in Sunrise, Fla., Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The Stars won 4-3 in a shootout. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

AP

It’s not official, but it sounds like the Florida Panthers signed head coach Gerard Gallant to a two-year contract extension, or they’re very close to doing so.

That’s the news from George Richards of the Miami Herald, who reports that an official announcement is expected to come sometime on Saturday.

In a way, it’s as if the Panthers are locking up their core ... only it’s in the front office, not on the roster.

The Panthers already announced an extension for GM Dale Tallon and a new title (associate GM) for Tom Rowe. Again, the Gallant news comes from Richards rather than being official.

With their seven-game winning streak intact, this certainly seems timely for the franchise. The Panthers continue to make steady progress for the most part, with what appears to be a clear plan - and rare stability - after years of mismanagement.

Gerard faces challenges ahead in getting Florida into the playoffs, ideally with at least a round of home-ice advantage (which they’d achieve if the postseason began today).

Tallon must overcome hurdles of his own, most precisely in locking up the young stars he’s amassed, especially rising assets like Aleksander Barkov (who needs an extension of his own).