Imama making case for Panthers’ roster spot. And Brady Tkachuk, Marchand updates

Bokondji Imama, like every other Florida Panthers player competing for a roster spot, knows time is of the essence.

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Training camp is shorter. Games are fewer. Opportunities to stand out diminished.

“We don’t have much time here to show what we can do,” Imama said Wednesday, “so I’m just taking it day by day, and I’m making sure I’m getting the most out of every day.”

The 30-year-old forward, who is among a handful of players competing for realistically three spots at most on Florida’s Opening Night roster, has certainly turned heads early. Imama plays with a simple, yet physical nature that coach Paul Maurice loves on his fourth line. Two spots on that fourth line are all but set in Lars Eller and Garnet Hathway.

Imama, who signed a two-way deal with the Panthers when free agency opened, wants to show why he’s worthy of the third spot.

“That’s just me,” said Imama, who has played in 33 career NHL games across five seasons and has 400 AHL games under his belt. “I think I fit perfectly in that style. They want to play fast. They’re a hard team to play against, and that’s all my game. I take a lot of pride of being hard to play against, so I really like the fit.”

Added Maurice: “He’s powerful skater and a heavy forecheck, and that is what we look for on that line to kind of define our style of play. He can get in and get on the body. He’s got some really good speed, and certainly not afraid to get to the corners.”

He’s not afraid to scrap, either. Imama dropped the gloves early on his first shift of Tuesday’s preseason 3-2 shootout loss at the Carolina Hurricanes. He was on the ice for 11:47 overall while playing on a line with Cole Reinhardt and Cole Schwindt, two of the other forwards he’s ultimately competing with for roster spots.

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Imama has had about a week to show what he can bring to the Panthers. He has potentially two more games — on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and home against the Lightning on Saturday — to finish making his case.

“From the moment I signed with the team, just talking with [president of hockey operations and general manager] Bill Zito, I knew the standard here was pretty high up,” Imama said. “I got the chance to come down here in the summer, too, for a few weeks just to train, and right away, I saw the standard was a little different, and I’m all for it. So it’s something I’m really excited about.”

Injury updates

Maurice said forward Brady Tkachuk is day-to-day after not playing after the second period against Carolina Tuesday after he “tightened up” during the game.

Tkachuk has already played in two preseason games, the maximum allowed for players with at least 100 career NHL games, so his next live appearance wouldn’t be until Florida’s season opener on Tuesday at Carolina. Tkachuk scored three goals and tallied five points total.

“It’s going to take a handful of days to get right,” Maurice said, “but we’re definitely waiting until it gets right. I’m not too worried about it.”

Meanwhile, forward Brad Marchand (lower-body surgery) practiced in a group setting on Wednesday for the first time this training camp. The session prioritized skill moreso than contact, which is why he was cleared to be in the main portion.

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Marchand is still expected to miss the first month of the season.