Thoughts at the 1/3rd mark?

[kerrabria]

During the first three weeks of the season, I watched a lot of the Panthers and other games around the NHL. But other than boxscore watching, I haven't been following the team or the league since then.

Now that we're post-Thanksgiving, in the meat of the season, and have a good sample size even for players who have missed games with injuries, does anybody care to share their big takeaways so far? A couple of questions on my mind:

• How do Lundell, Luostarinen, and Samoskevich look?
• Has Tkachuk taken another step back, as his stat line indicates?
• Is Reinhart firmly our second best player now? Looks like he's the frontrunner for Florida's team Hart, Lindsay, Rocket, Art Ross, and even Selke

I also welcome any other thoughts on players and teams league-wide too.

Click to read more...

 

[ShootIt]

Kulikov is tied at #1 in our hearts and for goals by defensemen on the team.

Lundell is at a 0.8PPG clip, something that is great to see early on. Great improvement offensively.
Loustar has been more noticeable offensively.
Glad to see both out of the last year funk.
I like what I'm seeing out of Samo. Still needs time, but his speed and shot can be deadly if he can continue to progress.

I haven't really noticed Chucky all that much this year. Stat wise, at a 0.95ppg, he's doing well, but maybe that sternum and lack of offseasons is taking a longer way to get back from?
Have missed the past few games due to timing/holidays.

Reinhart is definitely #2, borderline 1b. Just a complete 200ft player with a shot that hasn't cooled down(knocks on wood).

Nice to see Bennett be at a 0.5GPG average, not nice it's in his contract year. a few empty netters bump it up but he's been more noticeable offensively to me.

Swaggy being at Gudbranson levels of +/- is interesting. Know he's no defensive stalwart but at -16 he's -9 below the next group of guys.

Overall, the team is in very good shape. Think they will try to address the blueline depth/starters at the TDL, as I don't think they want to rely on Balls and Boqvist in the playoffs every night-minus injuries of course.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Team's good. Team's played a lot of hockey. Bob looks kinda mid so far but not really worried. Overall I think the amount of hockey played will be Florida's downfall, but no team in the East scares me? Like all of Dallas, Edmonton, Vegas, and Avs I could see easily beating Florida but no one in the East would I consider Florida an underdog against. I think it's just too much wear and tear that will kill them. There's not even really a need except for top 4 dman to bump Kuli down but that can wait until TDL. If there was just a way to give everyone 2 months off during the season I think they'd have an excellent shot at a 3rd straight Finals appearance.

 

[Idiot Stick]

Were 10th in the standings and 1 place out of 1st in the atlantic with a bunch of new blood and the team obviously coasting some games, and when were on our game, were ON

Current mood:

 

[austropanther]

Kulikov is tied at #1 in our hearts and for goals by defensemen on the team.

Lundell is at a 0.8PPG clip, something that is great to see early on. Great improvement offensively.
Loustar has been more noticeable offensively.
Glad to see both out of the last year funk.
I like what I'm seeing out of Samo. Still needs time, but his speed and shot can be deadly if he can continue to progress.

I haven't really noticed Chucky all that much this year. Stat wise, at a 0.95ppg, he's doing well, but maybe that sternum and lack of offseasons is taking a longer way to get back from?
Have missed the past few games due to timing/holidays.

Reinhart is definitely #2, borderline 1b. Just a complete 200ft player with a shot that hasn't cooled down(knocks on wood).

Nice to see Bennett be at a 0.5GPG average, not nice it's in his contract year. a few empty netters bump it up but he's been more noticeable offensively to me.

Swaggy being at Gudbranson levels of +/- is interesting. Know he's no defensive stalwart but at -16 he's -9 below the next group of guys.

Overall, the team is in very good shape. Think they will try to address the blueline depth/starters at the TDL, as I don't think they want to rely on Balls and Boqvist in the playoffs every night-minus injuries of course.

Filling in for MT who was absolutely fantastic in the CAR mini-series. One of the main reasons Necas was basically invisible, and he still has an amazing offensive Vision setting up several PPG for the forward to tap into an empty net

 

[Gentle Man]

Team's good. Team's played a lot of hockey. Bob looks kinda mid so far but not really worried. Overall I think the amount of hockey played will be Florida's downfall, but no team in the East scares me? Like all of Dallas, Edmonton, Vegas, and Avs I could see easily beating Florida but no one in the East would I consider Florida an underdog against. I think it's just too much wear and tear that will kill them. There's not even really a need except for top 4 dman to bump Kuli down but that can wait until TDL. If there was just a way to give everyone 2 months off during the season I think they'd have an excellent shot at a 3rd straight Finals appearance.

well. They didnt really play during the 5 game losing streak.

And I suspect they will take more vacations through the season. They will be fine lol

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Tkachuk has looked great in the last several games, he finally looks like he's back to form.

 

[Gentle Man]

Tkachuk has looked great in the last several games, he finally looks like he's back to form.

Heard his index finger finally healed from rigor mortis

 

[Sticksandsun]

Bob should only play 40 games this year and let Knight take the reigns a bit more, Zito needs to see what he can do.
I still have high hopes Knight can be the #1 by the start of next year but unsure if Bob is back. Wonder if Zito will maybe pull some LTIR magic with him? (Assuming Bob comes back for another year or two [$4-5 mil per] after his deal and stays with organization after retiring)

Beyond impressed with Lundell and Samoskevich, we need more drafted graduates on defense IMO.
Samoskevich makes Rodrigues a little expendable this offseason.
$3 mil in cap savings helps pay for Bennett's raise.

Schmidt, Greer, JB and even Nosek have been solid depth adds.

I don't really worry or question Tkachuk, the guy played through extreme amount of pain.
First 10 GP: 4 goals, 10 pts
Last 10 GP: 1 goal, 9 pts

I think his days of scoring 40 are done but he's still shown the ability to go PPG+ for stretches in regular season and playoffs.
Most of us would have been happy if he got 30+ goals and 90 or so points along with his intangibles.

As for Reinhart, it's hard to argue against it being the best VALUE deal Zito ever did.
A late 1st + Levi is insane to think about when factoring in the new levels of success Sam has reached.

Can't believe how many players seem to come to Florida and just explode offensively or take their games to new heights. If the drafting and developing can churn out a couple NHL players every other year, this Cup window is open for another 5 years.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Bob should only play 40 games this year and let Knight take the reigns a bit more, Zito needs to see what he can do.
I still have high hopes Knight can be the #1 by the start of next year but unsure if Bob is back. Wonder if Zito will maybe pull some LTIR magic with him? (Assuming Bob comes back for another year or two [$4-5 mil per] after his deal and stays with organization after retiring)

Beyond impressed with Lundell and Samoskevich, we need more drafted graduates on defense IMO.
Samoskevich makes Rodrigues a little expendable this offseason.
$3 mil in cap savings helps pay for Bennett's raise.

Schmidt, Greer, JB and even Nosek have been solid depth adds.

I don't really worry or question Tkachuk, the guy played through extreme amount of pain.
First 10 GP: 4 goals, 10 pts
Last 10 GP: 1 goal, 9 pts

I think his days of scoring 40 are done but he's still shown the ability to go PPG+ for stretches in regular season and playoffs.
Most of us would have been happy if he got 30+ goals and 90 or so points along with his intangibles.

As for Reinhart, it's hard to argue against it being the best VALUE deal Zito ever did.
A late 1st + Levi is insane to think about when factoring in the new levels of success Sam has reached.

Can't believe how many players seem to come to Florida and just explode offensively or take their games to new heights. If the drafting and developing can churn out a couple NHL players every other year, this Cup window is open for another 5 years.

Barky, Reino, and Forsling are all fitness freaks. That's what keeps our window open for awhile imo. Tkachuk is only 26. If Devine comes in soon and adds some young legs next to Samo, we're good. Alscher looks to be developing well, hopefully he can work his way into the mix soon, I'm thinking in 26-27. Another big Mikkola-like defender. We just have to figure out the goaltending over the next year or two.

 

[Panthers Propaganda]

Team is very obviously coasting some nights. My only concern is really the second pairing, need another competent D with no cap to play with.

Wish we had drafted some D men more often lately with what we do have.