The Cross contract is essentially a bargain deal for a depth defenseman, as he was signed to a two year, two-way contract worth $700K per season.
This addition instantly addresses the defensive depth for the Florida Panthers for the next two seasons and also provides the Springfield Thunderbirds with a top-pairing defenseman.
The 29-year-old defenseman was previously selected by the Boston Bruins with the 35th overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Level Draft. Cross would spend the following four seasons playing for Boston College, where he would develop into a well-rounded, two-way defenseman.