The Panthers made their first training camp cuts this morning, sending forwards Riley Hughes, Robert Mastrosimone, Cristophe Tellier and Nicholas Zabaneh, defensemen Mitch Vande Sompel, Eamon Powell and Dennis Cesana and goalie Michael Simpson to the Checkers.
Florida also released forwards Daniel Walcott and Josh Lopina and defensemen Phip Waugh and Andy Welinski from their professional tryouts, and they will now report to Charlotte as camp invites.
Hughes, 25, is heading into his second pro season after posting eight points (3g, 5a) in 31 games for Charlotte as a rookie. The Massachusetts native also racked up 23 points in 20 ECHL games for Savannah and tied for third on the Ghost Pirates with 14 goals.
Mastrosimone, 24, is coming off a pair of seasons in the Toronto organization to start his career, having recorded 29 points (14g, 15a) in 95 games for the Marlies before signing a one-year AHL deal with Charlotte. Prior to turning pro, Mastrosimone - who was taken in the second round of the 2019 draft by Detroit - spent three years at Boston University and one at Arizona State.
Tellier, 25, is set to begin his first full pro season after wrapping up his college career last year. The Quebec-born forward notched 69 points (20g, 49a) in 125 games over three seasons with Quinnipiac - where he helped the Bobcats win a national title in 2022-23 - and one with Northeastern. Tellier, who is on a one-year AHL contract, also logged six games for Savannah at the end of last season and recorded three goals along the way.
Zabaneh, 24, split his rookie season between Charlotte and Savannah - picking up four points (2g, 2a) in 31 games for the Checkers and 15 points (6g, 9a) in 21 games for the Ghost Pirates. The Toronto native, who also appeared in one AHL game for Providence in 2023-24 following the conclusion of his four-year stint at Boston University, signed a one-year AHL deal with Charlotte this summer.
Vande Sompel, 28, logged 13 games for Charlotte in 2024-25 before an injury ended his season early. The 2015 third-round pick is heading into his eighth pro season and the second on his current two-year AHL deal with the Checkers. He has notched 117 points (29g, 88a) in 311 career AHL games for Bridgeport, Colorado, Chicago and Charlotte.
Powell, 23, signed a one-year AHL deal in April and is set to start his proper rookie year after getting a taste of the pro game at the end of last season. After completing a five-year career at Boston College that saw him collect 103 points (16g, 87a) in 170 games and earn a pile of accolades - including being named an NCAA Second-Team All American in 2024-25 - Powell recorded two points (1g, 1a) in five regular-season games for Charlotte and added three more helpers in four postseason games during the team’s run to the Calder Cup Finals.
Cesana, 27, suited up for Charlotte for the fourth season in a row last year, logging two assists in 15 regular season games and two assists in six playoff games. The Rhode Island native also starred for Savannah, racking up 50 points (14g, 36a) in 52 games to tie for fifth among all ECHL defensemen and earn himself a spot on the league’s Second All-Star Team. Over his four pro seasons, Cesana - who inked a new one-year AHL deal with Charlotte over the summer - has totaled 15 points (1g, 14a) in 93 AHL games.
Simpson, 22, split his rookie season between Belleville in the AHL (4-3-0, 3.45 goals-against average, .880 save percentage) and Orlando in the ECHL (3-1-0, 2.13 goals-against average, .926 save percentage). Prior to turning pro the netminder, who is on a one-year AHL contract, was a standout in the OHL and backstopped his team to back-to-back league titles - one with Peterborough and one with London.
Walcott, 31, has 10 pro seasons under his belt and has accumulated 147 points (56g, 91a) over 495 career AHL games - all but one of which have come in a Syracuse sweater. The veteran forward, who was a fifth-round selection by the Rangers in 2014, wore a letter for the Crunch in every season since 2017-18.
Lopina, 24, notched 13 points (3g, 10a) in 62 games for San Diego last season. The U-Mass Amherst product - taken in the fourth-round by Anaheim in 2021 - has spent the entirety of his pro career with the Gulls, notching 44 points (20g, 24a) in 203 games.
Waugh, 25, spent the majority of his rookie season in the ECHL with Wheeling, where he posted eight points (3g, 5a) in 34 games. The six-foot-four blue liner also appeared in three AHL games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Welinski, 32, is going into his 10th pro season. At the AHL level he has posted 153 points (42g, 111a) in 327 games for San Diego, Lehigh Valley, Stockton, Hartford, Rockford, Iowa, Charlotte and Utica. The 2011 third-round pick has also appeared in 46 NHL games for Anaheim and 24 games for Frankfurt in the top German league.
