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Panthers reportedly close to deal with defenseman Seidenberg

The Panthers are close to signing free-agent defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and a deal is imminent, an NHL source said Sunday.

According to the source, the team and Seidenberg's agent, J.P. Barry, have been feverishly negotiating and have agreed to a one-year contract. They just need to settle on salary before the contract is finalized, which could happen as early as today.

Seidenberg's signing would be a boon for the Panthers. The 28-year-old German is coming off the best season of his career, scoring five goals and 30 points in 70 games while averaging more than 22 minutes of ice time for the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Panthers have been looking to add another experienced blue-liner to help compensate for the loss of two-time All-Star Jay Bouwmeester, now in Calgary.

It's the void everyone has wondered about since Florida had to trade away its best blue-liner this summer to avoid losing him in free agency.

"When you look at our roster, there's no doubt that's the area that probably has the most intrigue because there is some unknown there," coach Pete DeBoer said after the team's first practice of the preseason Sunday. "They're going to go out and try to prove we're not going to take a big step back because we're missing Jay."

Said defenseman Keith Ballard: "We're all very motivated."

For the second consecutive season, the Panthers will feature three new defensemen in their top six as, in addition to Bouwmeester, Karlis Skrastins wasn't re-signed and Nick Boynton wasn't brought back. But the Panthers "added a lot more mobility to our back end," assistant coach Mike Kitchen said, "which is going to be a big plus for us."

The team acquired Jordan Leopold from the Flames for Bouwmeester — close friend and former University of Minnesota teammate Ballard helped him decide to stay with the Panthers — and signed Ville Koistinen as a free agent. They've also gotten back Bryan Allen, who skated with Bouwmeester in the top pairing in 2007-08 but sat out last season because of a knee injury.

"We're going to have to chip in together," said defenseman Bryan McCabe, who matched Bouwmeester with 15 goals last season. "There's not one of us that's going to take his role on and be that type of player. But as a group we can fill the hole."

Added Allen: "When you lose a guy like that, it gives other players a chance to step up and fill bigger roles. Everyone's got to grow and be a better player. The main thing is, don't count us out. Give us a chance. We're a good enough group that we can get the job done."

It will require the Panthers' blue-liners to take on extra minutes. Bouwmeester led the NHL in ice time last season and in 2007-08 as he "ate up a lot of prime minutes against all of the best players," Kitchen noted. That's one place Seidenberg can help.

"Anybody would love to have any of that ice time," Leopold said. "It's an opportunity for all of us."Westbrook option declined
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