Panthers sign Jaycob Megna to one-year, two-way contract

A journeyman blueliner is bringing his luggage to the Sunshine State.

On Friday, Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito announced the team has signed defenseman Jaycob Megna to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal carries a $775,000 cap hit through the 2024-25 season.

It will be the fourth team in three seasons for Megna. After starting the 2022-23 season with the San Jose Sharks, he was dealt to the Seattle Kraken. This past season, he was put on waivers by the Kraken in early January, but was picked up by the Chicago Blackhawks. Megna spent the remainder of the season with Chicago, putting up two assists in 44 games, tied for the second-most NHL appearances in a single season for the Plantation, Florida native.

Megna broke into the professional ranks with the Anaheim Ducks organization, the team that took him in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Draft. After spending over two seasons in the American Hockey League, Megna made his NHL debut with the Ducks in the 2016-17 campaign. He would go up and down between the Ducks and their AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, before signing a one-year contract with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019, but went on to join the San Jose Barracuda on an AHL contract the following season.

The former Nebraska-Omaha product signed with the Sharks in July 2021 and saw considerable playing time in the NHL with the franchise. He appeared in a career-high 52 games during the 2022-23 season, which included his being traded to the Kraken.

In 185 NHL games, Megan has notched four goals and 23 assists with a career plus/minus of -17. In 370 appearances in the AHL, he has scored 18 goals and 80 assists, including seven points in 39 Calder Cup Playoff games.

Megna also had the opportunity to represent his country a couple of years ago. He played eight games for the United States at the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championship, putting up two assists.