Panthers' Bergenheim seeking trade after being a healthy scratch too many times

Sean Bergenheim no longer wants to be a member of the Florida Panthers.

According to Bergenheim's agent Todd Diamond, the veteran forward requested a trade after he was scratched in three straight contests earlier in February. Bergenheim has seen a significant decrease in his time on ice and his offensive production has dipped along with it, which could hurt his ability to negotiate a new contract in the offseason.

Bergenheim was unhappy to be in the press box again for Friday's game against the Dallas Stars after returning to the Panthers lineup for two contests. Florida coach Gerard Gallant says Bergenheim's time as a healthy scratch is related to his lack of effort - a suggestion that offended Diamond.

"It's so disingenuous,'' Diamond told Harvey Fialkov of the Sun-Sentinel. "When has Sean Bergenheim ever taken a shift less than 100 percent?"

Bergenheim also believes Gallant's criticism was unwarranted.

"All I've done is give everything I have every time I'm on the ice,'' he told George Richards of the Miami Herald. 

The 31-year-old believes he still has plenty to offer a contending team, but he would have preferred for his request to remain within the organization rather than becoming public knowledge.

"I wish none of this would have come out,'' Bergenheim said. "When I asked for a trade, I thought everything would be kept - as it should - within the team. This shouldn't have been done this way. I just want to play. And this could be good for the Panthers. Maybe they get something in return that helps them become a better team."

Bergenheim is in the final season of a four-year deal with an average annual value of $2.75 million.