On Saturday, the Florida Panthers defeated the New York Rangers by a 2-1 final score in Game 6. With it, the Panthers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row.
With the Rangers being knocked out, former Boston Bruins forward Blake Wheeler's season has come to an end. The 37-year-old showed great determination this postseason, as he returned from a long-term leg injury that kept him out since February. However, after making his return in Game 4, he, unfortunately, did not play again due to being "a little banged up" following the matchup.
Wheeler was added by the Rangers to provide them with more production in their middle six. Overall, it was a bit of a down year for the Minnesota native, as he posted nine goals and 21 points in 54 games. He had a notable drop-off in pace of production, as he had 55 points in 72 games with the Winnipeg Jets the season before.
Now that Wheeler's season is over, he is entering the summer with the potential of hitting the free-agent market on July 1. While he had a tough year due to injury, there could still be some interest if he decides to play another season. We will need to wait and see what happens on that front.
