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Last season, the Florida Panthers came about as close as a team can get to making the playoffs and still missing...tied with the exact same record with the 8th place Habs, they were eliminated based on the NHL's complex tie breaking criteria (see link to this info: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/standings )
Under the coaching of Peter DeBoer, and some personnel moves by former GM Jacques Martin (including the trade of Olli Jokinen to PHX for defensemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard; the acquisition of Brian McCabe from the Leafs), the Panthers were transformed into an exciting, competitive team.
However, the Panthers' financial situation has been murky for years, and there has been much speculation about owner Alan Cohen's intentions. Recent reports suggest that the team, as well as the National Car Rental Arena in Sunrise where the Panthers play, are up for sale.
The chatter around pending UFA d-man Jay Bouwmeester is sure to increase as the free agency season approaches, and the departure of Martin for Montreal amidst the talk of Cohen's desire to slash costs fuels the rumour mill.
The Panthers play open their 2009-10 preseason in Halifax against the Ottawa Senators, and are scheduled to open the regular in Helsinki, Finland with two games against the Chicago Blackhawks.
This team report from Yahoo Sports:
INSIDE SHOTS: FLORIDA PANTHERS, June 1, 2009
Goalie Craig Anderson visited the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend. The renowned race junkie got all-access passes to the pit area for Carb Day at the speedway.
Anderson is a restricted free agent and says he hasn’t heard much from the Panthers since having exit meetings with coach Pete DeBoer and general manager Jacques Martin.
“Nothing has happened,” he said. “I’m just waiting around to see what happens.”
Anderson has spent part of the last three seasons with the Panthers. In 2006-07, Anderson was expected to compete for the starting job in Florida with Alex Auld, but then the Panthers signed veteran Ed Belfour and Anderson was sent to the minors. He joined the big club late in the season when Auld went down with a knee injury and was signed to a two-year, one-way deal that following summer after the Panthers traded for Tomas Vokoun.
Anderson, 28, had his best NHL season in 2008-09, going 15-7-5 with a .924 save percentage. Anderson wants to be a starting goalie, but with Vokoun making an average of $5.75 million over the next two seasons, that might not transpire in Florida.
The Panthers will have a number of options this offseason in finding a backup for Vokoun if they decide Anderson is too expensive. Florida is also looking to 2010-11, when highly touted Swedish goalie Jacob Markstrom is expected to back up Vokoun. Florida could also trade Vokoun (who said he might just waive his no-movement clause if it was apparent the team didn’t want him) and sign Anderson to be the starter in 2009-10.
Season Highlight: The Panthers set a franchise record with five straight road wins, pulling off victories over the New York Rangers, Washington, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton from Nov. 30-Dec. 12. The Calgary and Edmonton wins marked the first time Florida had ever won the back-to-back set in Alberta. Florida also swept Toronto in a four-game series for the first time in franchise history. Before beating the Rangers, Florida was 8-11-3 and had won only three of 12 road games. The team ended up with 19 road wins, one fewer than the franchise record set last season.
Turning Point: The Panthers had moved as high as fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, but a rough patch following the trade deadline ultimately proved their demise. Florida won only two of 10 games from March 5-25, knocking the team back into eighth. Florida ended up winning six of its final eight, but it was not enough to overcome the Rangers or Montreal.
Notes, Quotes
• The Panthers will hold training camp in the small town of Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, before opening their preseason schedule against the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 15.
Florida will leave Port Hawkesbury (population: 3,922) and play the Senators at the Halifax Metro Center (capacity: 10,595). The Panthers plan to spend the next three training camps in Nova Scotia after opening the past four seasons in either Vail, Colo., or western Canada.
“This is an ideal situation because it gives our team the chance to train at a great facility and allows our players the opportunity to bond together early in training camp,” general manager Jacques Martin said. “At the same time, it will provide the residents of Port Hawkesbury and Halifax the chance to see NHL hockey in their hometown setting.”
• Former Florida winger Richard Zednik has been named one of three finalists for the Masterton Trophy after coming back from a gruesome injury to have a solid 2008-09 season for the Panthers.
On the day Zednik was announced as a finalist for the award—given annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey”—Zednik agreed to a two-year deal with KHL club Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
In two seasons with the Panthers, Zednik played in 124 games, scoring 32 goals with 27 goals.
Zednik sustained a severed carotid artery after being accidentally cut by teammate Olli Jokinen’s skate in a game on Feb. 10, 2008 in Buffalo. He missed the end of the 2007-08 season but returned this season and ended up with 17 goals and 16 assists—his best season statistically since he put up 50 points for Montreal in 2003-04. Zednik also scored his 200th career NHL goal in a game against Ottawa.
“Until you are in a situation like that, you don’t know how you would react,” coach Pete DeBoer said when Zednik was named Florida’s nominee for the award.
“You could make a pretty good case for saying, ‘I made enough money.’ He’d be able to put his feet up, enjoy his wife and kids and call it a career. I give him all the credit in the world. He jumped right back in the fire.”
Added Zednik: “I never had a question that I wouldn’t come back. I was even more eager to come back and prove I could still play the way I was playing before.”
Chris Chelios(notes) and Steve Sullivan are the other finalists for the award. It will be given at the NHL Awards show June 18 in Las Vegas.
• The Panthers went without a captain for the entire 2008-09 season, with a number of players—including Stephen Weiss, Cory Stillman), Jay Bouwmeester and Bryan McCabe—all sporting the A during the season.
DeBoer is expected to name a captain during training camp, although don’t be surprised if Florida starts the season with a situation similar to last season.
• Bouwmeester, a free agent on July 1, has remained mum on his future plans. During locker-cleanout day, he said he had not ruled out coming back to Sunrise.
“I think you have to step back and take some time,” he said. “There’s obviously decisions to be made, but right now is not the time.”
• The Panthers added a goalie to their organizational depth on May 29, signing free agent Alexander Salak to an entry-level contract. Salak, 22, has spent the last two seasons playing in Finland, going 20-20-9 with a .923 save percentage for TPS Turku this season. He is participating at the Panthers developmental camp in Ontario.
“Salak is a talented, young goaltender who has played very well while developing his skills and competing in Europe,” general manager Jacques Martin said in a statement. “We look forward to his continued growth and production within our organization.”
• Florida could decide to go younger and cheaper; on the forward lines, Shawn Matthias, Kenndal McArdle and Michal Repik will get a serious look during training camp and have a real good chance of making the team. On the defensive front, Jason Garrison and Keaton Ellerby could be on the opening-night roster.
Roster Report
Most Valuable Player: LW David Booth surprised the Panthers by scoring 22 goals last season, but this season he hit that mark by the All-Star break. Booth ended up leading the team with 29 goals and was second on the team in scoring with 60 points after getting a career-high five in the season-finale win over Washington. A restricted free agent, Booth is expecting quite a nice boost in pay.
Most Disappointing Player: RW Rostislav Olesz missed 43 games with a sports hernia, but even before he got hurt he was having a rough season. Olesz, who played in only 37 games, finished with four goals and five assists. In the month before getting hurt, Olesz did not score a goal—not the kind of output the team expected when it signed Olesz to a six-year deal before the season. The Panthers are going to ask him to get stronger during the offseason and become more of a power forward.
Free Agent Focus: Florida is expected to lose a number of players to free agency, most notably All-Star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and backup goalie Craig Anderson.
Florida has a few restricted free agents (David Booth, Anthony Stewart, Steve Eminger), and at least two of those players are expected to return.
Free agent Richard Zednik has already left the team to sign a two-year deal in Russia, and defenseman Nick Boynton said he doesn’t think the Panthers want him back.
Jassen Cullimore(notes), Ville Peltonen, Karlis Skrastins and Radek Dvorak are also free agents on July 1. There has been talk Peltonen wants to return to Europe, although he has repeatedly said he would like to come back to the NHL—and the Panthers.
Player News:
• The Panthers are looking for a couple of things during the offseason, most notably a center. Coach Pete DeBoer said he would like to see Nathan Horton go back to playing wing.
Horton, a center during his junior years, played mostly wing during his years with the Panthers. Florida moved Horton to center early in the 2008-09 season out of necessity.
• If/when Jay Bouwmeester walks away from the Panthers, Florida will be looking for some defensive help. The Panthers hope two of their youngsters will put up a battle for a roster spot during training camp, and Jason Garrison and Keaton Ellerby are the prime candidates to step in.
Florida will also welcome back Bryan Allen, who missed all but two games in 2008-09 after having major knee surgery. Allen has been cleared to begin working out and says the knee feels strong.
“I can’t wait to get back out there,” said Allen, one of Florida’s alternate captains before getting hurt.
• D Nick Boynton is a free agent and doesn’t expect to return to the Panthers next season. “I would know if they were interested. I don’t think they are,” he said.
Boynton added that 2008-09 “was a disappointing season for myself and for the team,” one in which he was sent home from a road trip and was a healthy scratch during key points in the season. Boynton didn’t play in Florida’s season finale.
Medical Watch:
• D Bryan Allen (knee) played two games before having season-ending surgery. He has been cleared to begin workouts and will be ready for training camp.
• C Stephen Weiss (wrist) will have surgery in the days following the season finale and will miss the World Championships. He should be completely healed for training camp.
---
So what's next for the Panthers? And will they even play in South Florida next year?
Over to you, GM Hockey Members.
Under the coaching of Peter DeBoer, and some personnel moves by former GM Jacques Martin (including the trade of Olli Jokinen to PHX for defensemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard; the acquisition of Brian McCabe from the Leafs), the Panthers were transformed into an exciting, competitive team.
However, the Panthers' financial situation has been murky for years, and there has been much speculation about owner Alan Cohen's intentions. Recent reports suggest that the team, as well as the National Car Rental Arena in Sunrise where the Panthers play, are up for sale.
The chatter around pending UFA d-man Jay Bouwmeester is sure to increase as the free agency season approaches, and the departure of Martin for Montreal amidst the talk of Cohen's desire to slash costs fuels the rumour mill.
The Panthers play open their 2009-10 preseason in Halifax against the Ottawa Senators, and are scheduled to open the regular in Helsinki, Finland with two games against the Chicago Blackhawks.
This team report from Yahoo Sports:
INSIDE SHOTS: FLORIDA PANTHERS, June 1, 2009
Goalie Craig Anderson visited the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day weekend. The renowned race junkie got all-access passes to the pit area for Carb Day at the speedway.
Anderson is a restricted free agent and says he hasn’t heard much from the Panthers since having exit meetings with coach Pete DeBoer and general manager Jacques Martin.
“Nothing has happened,” he said. “I’m just waiting around to see what happens.”
Anderson has spent part of the last three seasons with the Panthers. In 2006-07, Anderson was expected to compete for the starting job in Florida with Alex Auld, but then the Panthers signed veteran Ed Belfour and Anderson was sent to the minors. He joined the big club late in the season when Auld went down with a knee injury and was signed to a two-year, one-way deal that following summer after the Panthers traded for Tomas Vokoun.
Anderson, 28, had his best NHL season in 2008-09, going 15-7-5 with a .924 save percentage. Anderson wants to be a starting goalie, but with Vokoun making an average of $5.75 million over the next two seasons, that might not transpire in Florida.
The Panthers will have a number of options this offseason in finding a backup for Vokoun if they decide Anderson is too expensive. Florida is also looking to 2010-11, when highly touted Swedish goalie Jacob Markstrom is expected to back up Vokoun. Florida could also trade Vokoun (who said he might just waive his no-movement clause if it was apparent the team didn’t want him) and sign Anderson to be the starter in 2009-10.
Season Highlight: The Panthers set a franchise record with five straight road wins, pulling off victories over the New York Rangers, Washington, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton from Nov. 30-Dec. 12. The Calgary and Edmonton wins marked the first time Florida had ever won the back-to-back set in Alberta. Florida also swept Toronto in a four-game series for the first time in franchise history. Before beating the Rangers, Florida was 8-11-3 and had won only three of 12 road games. The team ended up with 19 road wins, one fewer than the franchise record set last season.
Turning Point: The Panthers had moved as high as fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, but a rough patch following the trade deadline ultimately proved their demise. Florida won only two of 10 games from March 5-25, knocking the team back into eighth. Florida ended up winning six of its final eight, but it was not enough to overcome the Rangers or Montreal.
Notes, Quotes
• The Panthers will hold training camp in the small town of Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, before opening their preseason schedule against the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 15.
Florida will leave Port Hawkesbury (population: 3,922) and play the Senators at the Halifax Metro Center (capacity: 10,595). The Panthers plan to spend the next three training camps in Nova Scotia after opening the past four seasons in either Vail, Colo., or western Canada.
“This is an ideal situation because it gives our team the chance to train at a great facility and allows our players the opportunity to bond together early in training camp,” general manager Jacques Martin said. “At the same time, it will provide the residents of Port Hawkesbury and Halifax the chance to see NHL hockey in their hometown setting.”
• Former Florida winger Richard Zednik has been named one of three finalists for the Masterton Trophy after coming back from a gruesome injury to have a solid 2008-09 season for the Panthers.
On the day Zednik was announced as a finalist for the award—given annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey”—Zednik agreed to a two-year deal with KHL club Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
In two seasons with the Panthers, Zednik played in 124 games, scoring 32 goals with 27 goals.
Zednik sustained a severed carotid artery after being accidentally cut by teammate Olli Jokinen’s skate in a game on Feb. 10, 2008 in Buffalo. He missed the end of the 2007-08 season but returned this season and ended up with 17 goals and 16 assists—his best season statistically since he put up 50 points for Montreal in 2003-04. Zednik also scored his 200th career NHL goal in a game against Ottawa.
“Until you are in a situation like that, you don’t know how you would react,” coach Pete DeBoer said when Zednik was named Florida’s nominee for the award.
“You could make a pretty good case for saying, ‘I made enough money.’ He’d be able to put his feet up, enjoy his wife and kids and call it a career. I give him all the credit in the world. He jumped right back in the fire.”
Added Zednik: “I never had a question that I wouldn’t come back. I was even more eager to come back and prove I could still play the way I was playing before.”
Chris Chelios(notes) and Steve Sullivan are the other finalists for the award. It will be given at the NHL Awards show June 18 in Las Vegas.
• The Panthers went without a captain for the entire 2008-09 season, with a number of players—including Stephen Weiss, Cory Stillman), Jay Bouwmeester and Bryan McCabe—all sporting the A during the season.
DeBoer is expected to name a captain during training camp, although don’t be surprised if Florida starts the season with a situation similar to last season.
• Bouwmeester, a free agent on July 1, has remained mum on his future plans. During locker-cleanout day, he said he had not ruled out coming back to Sunrise.
“I think you have to step back and take some time,” he said. “There’s obviously decisions to be made, but right now is not the time.”
• The Panthers added a goalie to their organizational depth on May 29, signing free agent Alexander Salak to an entry-level contract. Salak, 22, has spent the last two seasons playing in Finland, going 20-20-9 with a .923 save percentage for TPS Turku this season. He is participating at the Panthers developmental camp in Ontario.
“Salak is a talented, young goaltender who has played very well while developing his skills and competing in Europe,” general manager Jacques Martin said in a statement. “We look forward to his continued growth and production within our organization.”
• Florida could decide to go younger and cheaper; on the forward lines, Shawn Matthias, Kenndal McArdle and Michal Repik will get a serious look during training camp and have a real good chance of making the team. On the defensive front, Jason Garrison and Keaton Ellerby could be on the opening-night roster.
Roster Report
Most Valuable Player: LW David Booth surprised the Panthers by scoring 22 goals last season, but this season he hit that mark by the All-Star break. Booth ended up leading the team with 29 goals and was second on the team in scoring with 60 points after getting a career-high five in the season-finale win over Washington. A restricted free agent, Booth is expecting quite a nice boost in pay.
Most Disappointing Player: RW Rostislav Olesz missed 43 games with a sports hernia, but even before he got hurt he was having a rough season. Olesz, who played in only 37 games, finished with four goals and five assists. In the month before getting hurt, Olesz did not score a goal—not the kind of output the team expected when it signed Olesz to a six-year deal before the season. The Panthers are going to ask him to get stronger during the offseason and become more of a power forward.
Free Agent Focus: Florida is expected to lose a number of players to free agency, most notably All-Star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and backup goalie Craig Anderson.
Florida has a few restricted free agents (David Booth, Anthony Stewart, Steve Eminger), and at least two of those players are expected to return.
Free agent Richard Zednik has already left the team to sign a two-year deal in Russia, and defenseman Nick Boynton said he doesn’t think the Panthers want him back.
Jassen Cullimore(notes), Ville Peltonen, Karlis Skrastins and Radek Dvorak are also free agents on July 1. There has been talk Peltonen wants to return to Europe, although he has repeatedly said he would like to come back to the NHL—and the Panthers.
Player News:
• The Panthers are looking for a couple of things during the offseason, most notably a center. Coach Pete DeBoer said he would like to see Nathan Horton go back to playing wing.
Horton, a center during his junior years, played mostly wing during his years with the Panthers. Florida moved Horton to center early in the 2008-09 season out of necessity.
• If/when Jay Bouwmeester walks away from the Panthers, Florida will be looking for some defensive help. The Panthers hope two of their youngsters will put up a battle for a roster spot during training camp, and Jason Garrison and Keaton Ellerby are the prime candidates to step in.
Florida will also welcome back Bryan Allen, who missed all but two games in 2008-09 after having major knee surgery. Allen has been cleared to begin working out and says the knee feels strong.
“I can’t wait to get back out there,” said Allen, one of Florida’s alternate captains before getting hurt.
• D Nick Boynton is a free agent and doesn’t expect to return to the Panthers next season. “I would know if they were interested. I don’t think they are,” he said.
Boynton added that 2008-09 “was a disappointing season for myself and for the team,” one in which he was sent home from a road trip and was a healthy scratch during key points in the season. Boynton didn’t play in Florida’s season finale.
Medical Watch:
• D Bryan Allen (knee) played two games before having season-ending surgery. He has been cleared to begin workouts and will be ready for training camp.
• C Stephen Weiss (wrist) will have surgery in the days following the season finale and will miss the World Championships. He should be completely healed for training camp.
---
So what's next for the Panthers? And will they even play in South Florida next year?
Over to you, GM Hockey Members.
Last edited by davetherave on Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:47 pm; edited 2 times in total
