The Florida Panthers made a surprise transaction on Sunday.

The Panthers put former Capital and 2018 Stanley Cup champion, Brett Connolly, on waivers. Connolly has two years remaining on a four-year, $14 million contract ($3.5 AAV) he originally signed on July 1, 2019.

The upstart Panthers currently sit in second place of the Central Division (13-4-3, 29 standings points).

The #FlaPanthers have placed Brett Connolly on waivers. He has two years left after this on four-year deal @$3.5m per… pic.twitter.com/9FvYwVvDGz

— George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) February 28, 2021

If Connolly goes unclaimed, the Panthers will likely place him on their taxi squad.

So far this season, Connolly has three points (1g, 2a) in 15 games while having slightly below average underlying play.

Connolly’s role has changed on the team as he fell out of favor with head coach Joel Quenneville. The right wing skated on the Panthers’ fourth line Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He had a season-low 7:57 of ice time per ESPN. He had been scratched four of the last five games before his appearance last night.

#FlaPanthers lines in warmups:

Huberdeau – Barkov – Verhaeghe
Vatrano – Wennberg – Hornqvist
Marchment – Luostarinen – Duclair
Lomberg – Lammikko – Connolly

Weegar – Ekblad
Yandle – Stralman
Connauton – Gudas

Bobrovsky
Driedger

— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) February 27, 2021

During his first full season with the Panthers, Connolly continued to score at a torrid pace just like he did in Washington, tallying 19 goals and 33 points in 69 games.

Recently, Brett became a dad for the first time with his wife Katrina.

I can’t believe none of you told me about this. Brett Connolly is DAD. He went to a maternity photoshoot by the sea and wanted his hat to be more prominent than his face. Somewhere he’s mashing bananas. World’s youngest grizzled elder now blows raspberries on chubby cheeks. pic.twitter.com/Z36m4mzK3f

— momo (@mlrich4) February 24, 2021