Florida Panthers players are preparing for battle. The prize? A future in Sunrise.

With a mixture of budding young talent and veteran free agent signings, roster spots will no longer be handed to the most affordable option. Players will be forced to battle for every inch knowing that the numbers in their contract won’t outweigh those in the stat sheet.

No player is above the team. No player is safe from criticism.

"Competition from within will force our guys to continue to play at a high level," Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said.

"They’re going to have to fight for every game. They’re going to have to perform at their very best or otherwise someone is going to come up and take their jobs."

With training camp set to open on Thursday, let the competition begin.

Entering this year’s camp, there are few guarantees. Outside of top-line center Aleksander Barkov and goaltender Roberto Luongo, the majority of players are unaware exactly where they will line up when the puck drops in Tampa Bay on Oct. 9.

With only three weeks to plead their case, here are some of the most intriguing battles to watch during training camp …

FOURTH-LINE CENTER

Derek MacKenzie vs. Vincent Trocheck vs. Drew Shore

Already over encumbered at the center position with several promising young players in the pipeline, the Panthers opted to sign veteran Derek MacKenzie to a three-year, $3.9 million contract this offseason. A prototypical bottom-six center, he tallied nine goals and nine assists in 71 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. At 33-years old, however, MacKenzie may have a tough time staving off two hungry youngsters in 21-year-old Vincent Trocheck and 23-year-old Drew Shore.

A third-round pick in the 2011 draft, Trocheck made his NHL debut with the Panthers last season, scoring five goals and three assists while leading all Panther forwards in ice time over the team’s final 20 games of the season. A wunderkind in the faceoff circle, Trocheck’s offensive upside and ability to bail his team out in their own zone make him an ideal two-way centerman.

Shore, a second-round pick in 2009, spent nearly as much time in the air as on the ice last season as concerns over his impending waiver eligibility led to numerous flights between the AHL and NHL clubs. Despite his frequent demotions, Shore proved to be one of the Panthers’ best penalty killers while in Sunrise. In fact, the team’s save percentage rose to an astounding .944 percent when Shore was on the ice.

FAVORITE TO WIN: Derek MacKenzie

SIXTH DEFENSEMAN

Dylan Olsen vs. Alex Petrovic

Even with the offseason additions of free-agent Willie Mitchell and No. 1 overall pick Aaron Ekblad, the Panthers defensive depth remains thin. Still waiting for several blue-chip prospects to mature, the team’s sixth and final starting position on the blueline will be hotly contested between Dylan Olsen and Alex Petrvoic.

Acquired in an early-season trade with Chicago on Nov. 14, Olsen’s arrival served as a spark for the Panthers and briefly revitalized the team’s otherwise forgettable 2013-14 campaign. In the first 17 games Olsen suited up for the Cats, the team sported a 9-7-1 record before coming back to earth. At 23-years old, Olsen appeared in 44 games with Florida last season, registering three goals and nine assists, including a career best five-game point streak.

Petrovic, meanwhile, has been developing slower than expected during his first three professional seasons but remains one of the team’s more NHL-ready defensive prospects. Bothered by a nagging upper-body injury last season, he compiled two goals, 11 assists and 79 penalty minutes in 43 games for the San Antonio Rampage. Unable to establish a foothold in the NHL when given the opportunity, the 22-year-old Petrovic has earned only one assist, 39 penalty minutes and a minus-5 rating in 13 games with the Panthers over parts of the past two seasons.

FAVORITE TO WIN: Dylan Olsen

FOURTH-LINE RIGHT WINGER

Jimmy Hayes vs. Shawn Thornton

Hoping to build one of the league’s most intimidating fourth lines, the Panthers will have to choose between the 6-foot-6, 221-pound Jimmy Hayes or the 6-foot-2, 217-pound Shawn Thornton.

Signed to a two-year, $2.4 million contract this offseason, the Panthers acquired Thornton to bolster the team’s grit and fill the void left by tough-guy Krys Barch. Unlike Barch, however, Thornton’s role won’t be decided on a game-by-game basis. He’s not your run-of-the-mill brawler and won’t be utilized as one. Excluding the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, he has averaged 75 regular-season games per year since 2008. Simply put: He’s not here to sit in the press box. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Thornton, 36, earned five goals, three assists and 74 penalty minutes in 64 games with Boston last season.

Standing in Thornton’s way will be the recently re-signed Hayes, who avoided arbitration by signing a one-year deal this offseason. Arriving to Florida mid-way through last season in a trade with Chicago, Hayes, 24, came into his own while playing a multitude of roles for the struggling Panthers. His biggest contributions, though, came when utilizing his large frame to screen opposing goalies on the power play. In 53 games last season, Hayes earned a career-high 11 goals with three of them coming with the extra attacker.

FAVORITE TO WIN: Shawn Thornton

SECOND-LINE CENTER

Nick Bjugstad vs. Dave Bolland

After leading the Panthers in scoring with 38 points as a rookie last season, it would be safe to assume that second-year center Nick Bjugstad has already cemented himself as the team’s second-line center. That was, however, until the team signed former Stanley Cup hero Dave Bolland to a five-year contract this offseason.

A first-round pick in 2010, Bjugstad spent the second half of last season as the team’s top-line center after a knee injury cut Aleksander Barkov’s rookie season short. Thrust into the spotlight, Bjugstad exceeded all expectations. Not only did he become the first rookie to lead Florida in scoring, his 1.96 points per 60 minutes was best among Panthers skaters with at least 50 games played.

Bolland, on the other hand, has scored more than 38 points just once in his career, yet possesses that indescribable "it" factor that can result in both Stanley Cup-clinching goals and $27.5 million dollar deals. Bolland, 28, had eight goals and four assists in 23 games with Toronto last season. Sidelined with a severed tendon in his left ankle for the majority of last season, it’s unclear just how good a healthy Bolland is at this point. A favored player of Panthers general manager Dale Tallon from their days in Chicago, he will certainly be given every opportunity.

FAVORITE TO WIN: Nick Bjugstad

BACKUP GOALTENDER

Al Montoya vs. Dan Ellis

What looks to be a battle on paper may have already been decided before training camp even opens.

Acquired in a trade with the Dallas Stars as an affordable backup option to Roberto Luongo, journeyman goaltender Dan Ellis failed to earn a vote of confidence from the Panthers after an abysmal end to 2013-14 season. In six appearances, Ellis posted a 0-5-0 record with a 4.81 goals-against average and .836 save percentage.

Signed to a two-year, $2.1 million contract this offseason, goaltender Al Montoya will look to give the Panthers the stability in net that Ellis could not provide. The NHL’s first Cuban-American player, Montoya posted a 13-8-3 record with a 2.30 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 28 games with the Winnipeg Jets last season.

FAVORITE TO WIN: Al Montoya

You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.