Rumors Swirling Around Owen Tippett Leading Up To Trade Deadline

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If you went back through the AHL's Player of the Week winners this season, you'd probably hard pressed to find a guy who went from winning the weekly honor to immediately becoming a healthy scratch in the AHL the following week. But that's exactly the situation Owen Tippett finds himself in, as he was held out of the Checkers' 2-1 shootout win over the Providence Bruins Thursday night.

Tippett was named the AHL's Player of The Week for the period ending March 13 after recording four goals and four assists in four games last week.

To be clear, it's simply "asset management" by Charlotte's NHL affiliate Florida Panthers as Tippett is widely rumored to be part of a potential Claude Giroux trade with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Tippett will be healthy scratched for a second straight game Saturday night when the Checkers rematch the Bruins at Bojangles Coliseum as the Panthers and Flyers continue to engage in trade talks leading up to Monday's NHL trading deadline at 3 p.m. ET.

Last year, during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Tippett spent the duration in the NHL - appearing in 45 games with the Panthers and totaling 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists). He also appeared in all six of the Panthers' 2021 Stanley Cup Playoff games, tallying a goal and three assists.

Fast forward to this season, and Tippett began the year in Florida before being assigned to AHL Charlotte on January 14. After putting up four assists in two AHL games, he was called back up to Florida on the 17th. While Tippett tallied a goal and an assist in first game back in the NHL on January 20 against Edmonton, his usage and ice time became limited from there.

He played a season-low 7:50 in his last NHL game on February 16 against Carolina.

Back in the AHL with Charlotte, Tippett's offensive prowess is on display more games than not. In fact, Tippett has recorded at least one point in all but one of his 13 AHL appearances this season - including six multi-point efforts.

But his offensive abilities - and hard/accurate shooting - aren't what is keeping him from getting back to the NHL. According to one source familiar with Tippett's situation in the Phantoms organization, management simply feels like he hasn't quite reached his full potential as a top-10 pick in 2017 (1st round - 10th overall).

Despite a dual affiliation in Charlotte this season, as the Seattle Kraken are sharing Florida's AHL affiliate - Tippett said he was well received by his new teammates upon his arrival.

"I mean, for me coming in, you know, later in the year, the guys have been great," Tippett told InsideAHLHockey.com after a March 5 win against Lehigh Valley. "It's a great group of guys. I don't think there's any, you know, it's not really all-Seattle or all-Florida. Guys are mixing and you know, making new friends and just building that team chemistry that you need."

Tippett is certainly trying to make the most of his expanded role - and ice time - while in the AHL. He's well aware of what he needs to improve upon if he hopes to make a return trip to the NHL - whether it be with Florida, or more likely it seems - with another NHL organization.

"I think it's just, you know, holding on to pucks and getting some confidence," Tippett told InsideAHLHockey.com, adding, "and building on my 200 foot game."

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