Confirmed Signing with Link: [FLA] Joe Thornton signs with the Panthers (1 year, $750k)

[Jeune Poulet]

I'm really liking most of the moves the Panthers are making since Zito took over.

People can criticize all they want but this is an affordable, low-key move. Just because Sheldon Keefe didn't get the memo that Thornton's place isn't as a winger on a top line doesn't mean Jumbo Joe is done.

I'm pretty sure Quenneville will use him strictly in a limited, focused role. It's a good fit.

 

[kerrabria]

I'm really liking most of the moves the Panthers are making since Zito took over.

People can criticize all they want but this is an affordable, low-key move. Just because Sheldon Keefe didn't get the memo that Thornton's place isn't as a winger on a top line doesn't mean Jumbo Joe is done.

I'm pretty sure Quenneville will use him strictly in a limited, focused role. It's a good fit.

Panthers fans like me are skeptical of the move because we don't know what this means for our young, cheap, NHL ready forward prospects. Our top 6 is pretty much defined:

Verhaeghe - Barkov - Reinhart
Huberdeau - Bennett - Tippett

Yet we still have 14 NHL forwards left.

Hornqvist.....wears the "A" and might be rested every few games, but he'll be a fixture in the bottom 6
Duclair.....good guy to play any of the 8 winger spots
Vatrano.....we all thought he'd be traded or drafted by Seattle, but he's still here
Acciari.....some of us thought he'd be traded to make room, but he's still here
Lammikko.....a lot of thought he'd be gone, but he re-signed
Mamin.....none of thought he'd come back from Russia, but here he is
Marchment.....Q love him and he won't be waived
Lomberg.....he isn't good, but he had a fine playoffs, and the locker room love him, hard to see him getting waived
Thornton.....he won't be waived
Dalpe.....rando who just signed a one-way contract with us
Lundell.....probably going to be handed the 3C spot
Denisenko.....point per game AHLer in his draft+4 year. Needs (and deserves) top 9 time
Heponiemi.....draft+5 winger who looked brilliant in his NHL games. Needs (and deserves) top 9 time
Luostarinen.....draft+5 center who earned a 4C spot last year. Needs (and deserves) consistent NHL time

 

[Panteras]

Panthers fans like me are skeptical of the move because we don't know what this means for our young, cheap, NHL ready forward prospects. Our top 6 is pretty much defined:

Verhaeghe - Barkov - Reinhart
Huberdeau - Bennett - Tippett

Yet we still have 14 NHL forwards left.

Hornqvist.....wears the "A" and might be rested every few games, but he'll be a fixture in the bottom 6
Duclair.....good guy to play any of the 8 winger spots
Vatrano.....we all thought he'd be traded or drafted by Seattle, but he's still here
Acciari.....some of us thought he'd be traded to make room, but he's still here
Lammikko.....a lot of thought he'd be gone, but he re-signed
Mamin.....none of thought he'd come back from Russia, but here he is
Marchment.....Q love him and he won't be waived
Lomberg.....he isn't good, but he had a fine playoffs, and the locker room love him, hard to see him getting waived
Thornton.....he won't be waived
Dalpe.....rando who just signed a one-way contract with us
Lundell.....probably going to be handed the 3C spot
Denisenko.....point per game AHLer in his draft+4 year. Needs (and deserves) top 9 time
Heponiemi.....draft+5 winger who looked brilliant in his NHL games. Needs (and deserves) top 9 time
Luostarinen.....draft+5 center who earned a 4C spot last year. Needs (and deserves) consistent NHL time

It’s called depth, this is a great great great problem to have

 

[kerrabria]

It’s called depth, this is a great great great problem to have

I agree it's a good problem to have...but it's still a problem, and I worry that the problem will be solved poorly.
If bringing in Thornton and keeping Vatrano/Lammikko means that we stunt other guys' development or trade them, then that's poor team management. The former three won't be here next summer. Luostarinen, Denisenko, and Heponiemi can all be impact bottom 9 forwards for dirt cheap through the duration of this window.

Even if we trade Vatrano, waive Dalpe, waive Lammikko, and Mamin busts back to Russia, we still have:

Verhaeghe - Barkov - Reinhart
Huberdeau - Bennett - Tippett
Duclair - Lundell - Hornqvist

with Thornton, Marchment, Lomberg, Acciari, Luostarinen, Heponiemi, and Denisenko competing for fourth line minutes.
Since Thornton, Marchment, Lomberg, and Acciari can't be waived, that means, at any given time, two of Luostarinen, Hippo, and Denisenko will have to rot in Charlotte. And this is assuming those four most likely candidates are gone.

 

[Panteras]

Guys get injured in an 82 game hockey season. Others will get a chance to play. Furthermore, worst case scenario we can put Barkov on LTIR for a broken nail and he can join the team only for practice. Giving others chance to play and just activate Barkov for the first playoff game.

 

[Edgelord]

Lets just check their bottom 6`s. There is no way I choose Toronto:

Florida:

Vatrano - Lundell - Tippett
Marchment - Acciari - Hornqvist

xtras: Lammikko, Jumbo, Luostarinen, Heponiemi

Toronto:

Bunting - Kampf - Mikheyev
Simmonds - Spezza - Kase

xtras: Gabriel, Engvall

I am thinking
Mikheyev-Matthews-Marner
Roberston-Tavares-Nylander
Ritche-Kerfoot-Kase
Bunting-Spezza/Kamph-Simmonds

to me that bottom 6 seems as good if not a lil better than the 1 you posted

 

[VijayPatel11]

I am thinking
Mikheyev-Matthews-Marner
Roberston-Tavares-Nylander
Ritche-Kerfoot-Kase
Bunting-Spezza/Kamph-Simmonds

to me that bottom 6 seems as good if not a lil better than the 1 you posted

Ritchie is a 3rd liner, Kerfoot is a 3rd liner, Kase is always injured, Bunting had 20 good games, kampf is a 4th liner, spezza is a 4th liner, simmons is a 4th liner

Vatrano is a middle 6 player, Lundell is an elite prospect, tippett looked like a top 6 player at the end of the season (but i suspect that instead it will be duclair on the 3rd line, who is a top 6 forward), Marchment is a 3rd/4th liner, Acciari is a 4th liner, and Hornqvist is a middle 6 player
One of these is significantly better than the other

 

[jonlin]

I am thinking
Mikheyev-Matthews-Marner
Roberston-Tavares-Nylander
Ritche-Kerfoot-Kase
Bunting-Spezza/Kamph-Simmonds

to me that bottom 6 seems as good if not a lil better than the 1 you posted

If we start shuffling, do you really think that is better than:

Verhaeghe - Barkov - Duclair
Huberdeau - Bennett - Tippett
Vatrano - Reinhart - Hornqvist
Marchment - Lundell - Acciari

Thats a 1st line, and 2x 2nd lines. Panthers still have Jumbo, Heponiemi, Luostarinen and Lammikko on the bench, if the 4th need adjustments.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Why is this thread still going at 20 pages when it's a 1 year 750k signing? And why has it become "FLA vs. TOR - who has the better team?"
The signing is fine. Now I seriously doubt Quenneville would do something stupid like playing him in the top6, but if he does, then it's a coaching problem, not a contract problem.

 

[blundluntman]

Expecting a monster 15 point season at the very least

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

As advertised. He is cooked. Looked totally lost 5 on 5 and on PP2.

Knowing Quenneville, this is it. 70+ games of this.

 

[topshelf15]

He needs to retire love the player,but its time

 

[inthe6ix]

Hate to say we told you so, but...

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

Hate to say we told you so, but...

I haven't read much of this thread. Did people actually expect him to be good?

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

We'll take him. How much......6th round pick?

 

[Eggtimer]

Not sure how the Leafs got in on this thread .
Anyways , no way their forward groups is as good and deep as the Panthers.
I’m a Devils fan so I have zero cheering interest in either team but Panthers forward group is probably the best in the NHL in my opinion.
Yes Leafs have a very good forward group as well but not as good.
Panthers have three 1st line caliber lines….
I’d take Vtrano Reinhart Horny over my Devils first line ( at least for now )

 

[I am not exposed]

As advertised. He is cooked. Looked totally lost 5 on 5 and on PP2.

Knowing Quenneville, this is it. 70+ games of this.

What? He looked decent. Not sure which game you were watching.

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

What? He looked decent. Not sure which game you were watching.

Yeah Joe didn't really offend in the game. He was a body, more or less which is fine for the 4th line. The team being on the PK for half the game didn't help either.

 

[Laus723]

Lol, he didn’t look bad at all. Was actually a bit better than I expected.

 

[banks]

Don't be fooled, Panthers fans. I'm convinced that any glimmer of quality hockey is just a "dead cat bounce".

He was %100 done in his time with Toronto. I wish it wasn't true, but it is.

 

[I am not exposed]

Don't be fooled, Panthers fans. I'm convinced that any glimmer of quality hockey is just a "dead cat bounce".

He was %100 done in his time with Toronto. I wish it wasn't true, but it is.

If that is the case, not too concerned, as it is a $750,000 contract. And we do have good depth this year, so it is not like we are relying on him in the top 6 or something. I remember the years when Scott (can't buy a goal) Gomez was asked to fill that role for the Panthers!

 

[banks]

If that is the case, not too concerned, as it is a $750,000 contract. And we do have good depth this year, so it is not like we are relying on him in the top 6 or something. I remember the years when Scott (can't buy a goal) Gomez was asked to fill that role for the Panthers!

If that's the case, nothing but love for ya'. And, personally, I'd be thrilled to be proven wrong and see Jumbo contribute to a deep Cup Run.

But I feel obligated to let FLA fans know what's up. There was no gas left in the tank. None.

 

[themelkman]

Do people just not understand how to watch hockey? Just because Jumbo didnt score a million goals doesnt mean hes cooked at all. I watched him and Marleau last year, and the difference in abilities was insane.

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

Don't be fooled, Panthers fans. I'm convinced that any glimmer of quality hockey is just a "dead cat bounce".

He was %100 done in his time with Toronto. I wish it wasn't true, but it is.

We Panthers fans have been conditioned to accept mediocrity. Thornton looked totally cooked, especially on PP2. I'm not against having him, but am against over using him.

 

[Matty Sundin]

Do people just not understand how to watch hockey? Just because Jumbo didnt score a million goals doesnt mean hes cooked at all. I watched him and Marleau last year, and the difference in abilities was insane.

too many people just box score watch nowadays. I didn’t watch him on the panthers and while I do think he looked almost done last year with Leafs, it’s like people still expect him to be Thornton from like 2006.