Florida Panthers recall Givani Smith

The Florida Panthers have brought Givani Smith back to the NHL, after sending him down just before Christmas. The move comes ahead of their game against the Arizona Coyotes this evening.

Smith, 24, has played just one game since arriving in Florida but managed to rack up seven penalty minutes in it. The big physical forward will give the team a little more bite after two straight losses against Metropolitan Division clubs.

After tonight, the Panthers will hit the road for a four-game trip that takes them through Detroit, Dallas, Colorado, and Vegas – a tough part of the schedule that includes time zone changes and an afternoon game against some top teams.

Whether he goes right into the lineup remains to be seen, but the Panthers have had trouble getting much consistency from the bottom part of the lineup this season, and could perhaps use a rotation on the road. Smith does have 86 games of NHL experience under his belt, with 145 penalty minutes to show for it. The second-round pick has scored seven goals and 14 points in his career.