As they continue to fight for their playoff lives, the Florida Panthers have all but acknowledged one of their top prospects could use a bit more seasoning.

The club assigned forward Owen Tippett to the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds on Wednesday.

He's managed one goal in seven NHL games in 2017-18.

Tippett poured in 36 goals and 75 points in 51 contests for the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads earlier this season, after racking up 44 goals and 75 points with the Steelheads in 2016-17.

The Panthers selected the 19-year-old winger 10th overall in last June's draft.

Florida defeated the Nashville Predators in controversial fashion Tuesday night to keep its postseason hopes alive, but the Panthers sit four points back of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with three games remaining, and two of those contests will be against the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins.

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