What are your expectations for next season?

[FrolikFan67]

I like how we added defensive depth and I like how we upgraded from Duclair to E.rod. However, I don’t really have any expectations this coming season. If anything, some of the improving teams continue to get better. I think we’ll compete for a wildcard spot but especially with our injuries to start there’s a very real chance we don’t squeak in. Ottawa has potential, Detroit is getting better, Buffalo is getting better, Pittsburgh will want to get back in. Just like I had no expectations during the playoffs and we’ve seen first hand how anything can go, I’m just going to enjoy the ride. Like last regular season, it isn’t over until it’s over so I’m just here for the ride. I obviously wouldn’t be surprised if we made it in either.

We shouldn’t have the same early season struggles (pending how the injuries effect is) as last season, no “shitter staal” (idk why I love that so much lmao) getting up to speed. 4th line got bigger, stronger, and has potential. Lundell hopefully continues off his work from the playoffs and has a good bounce back season. Reinhart hopefully won’t start so snake bitten. The team knows the systems better and how to properly execute it. Pk hopefully improves. I’m just curious to see how it all plays out

 

[panthersfan751]

I'm honestly still surprised at how little respect the hockey world is giving a Cup finalist. You'd think we were the Seals or the Rockies rather than the defending East champion that beat three 110+ point teams.

We all saw after the Final that we needed to get bigger, add depth, and improve the PK. We look to have accomplished that plus upgraded from Duclair to Erod. The defense is a concern but Mikkola and Kulikov should help stabilize it along with OEL.

If we can survive October/November and are healthy by April, I expect a rematch with Carolina in the ECF. Boston and Tampa are both older and losing key players. Someone posted about Toronto shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic and I agree. Yes, they added Bertuzzi but they also lost Bunting and ROR. And even if Buffalo or Ottawa sneak in, they are totally unproven.

Despite our weakness on defense, we still have an elite center, an elite winger, excellent center depth, and a goalie who can steal a series. And those are the things you need to win a Cup.

 

[HockeyRulez]

Hopefully we make the playoffs

 

[Panteras]

I like how we added defensive depth and I like how we upgraded from Duclair to E.rod. However, I don’t really have any expectations this coming season. If anything, some of the improving teams continue to get better. I think we’ll compete for a wildcard spot but especially with our injuries to start there’s a very real chance we don’t squeak in. Ottawa has potential, Detroit is getting better, Buffalo is getting better, Pittsburgh will want to get back in. Just like I had no expectations during the playoffs and we’ve seen first hand how anything can go, I’m just going to enjoy the ride. Like last regular season, it isn’t over until it’s over so I’m just here for the ride. I obviously wouldn’t be surprised if we made it in either.

We shouldn’t have the same early season struggles (pending how the injuries effect is) as last season, no “shitter staal” (idk why I love that so much lmao) getting up to speed. 4th line got bigger, stronger, and has potential. Lundell hopefully continues off his work from the playoffs and has a good bounce back season. Reinhart hopefully won’t start so snake bitten. The team knows the systems better and how to properly execute it. Pk hopefully improves. I’m just curious to see how it all plays out

This is pretty much exactly how I feel.

 

[PanthersHockey1]

This board would melt if we didn’t make the playoffs next season. We are a better team than Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo.

It would be a huge let down if they missed.

 

[Chaos2k7]

This board would melt if we didn’t make the playoffs next season. We are a better team than Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo.

It would be a huge let down if they missed.

The board will melt down regardless.

 

[cowboy82nd]

This board would melt if we didn’t make the playoffs next season. We are a better team than Detroit, Ottawa and Buffalo.

It would be a huge let down if they missed.

Don’t know about our goaltending. Hopefully everything works out.

 

[mcostan]

Regular season goal's same as always. Just get in. We'll be looking good if we can survive Oct, Nov, Dec without our most important defenseman. Maybe hover around the wildcard, just staying alive in the race. Then, have a progressively stronger Jan, Feb. Hopefully, carve out a somewhat secure playoff position. Zito might have some space around the deadline and move some assets to add a missing piece depending on how the Denisenko experiment goes and if Samoskevich makes the jump. There's always someone injured or on LTIR

 

[violaswallet]

With Lundell on the roster, we’ve never not made it past the first found. So I expect the same

Fun fact: AL is our 18th highest playoff scorer ever

 

[EXTRAS]

What do the forward lines look like at this point?

 

[Cats2TheCup]

With MT, I expect us to compete for the Cup. All of our guys just got tons of invaluable experience and they’ll build off last season.

 

[CatscratchFever]

Wonder how healthy they'll be to start? Is this team good enough to collect enough points and just make it to the postseason without killing themselves all year? A lot of question marks.

 

[pantherbot]

I think a lot also depends on Boston. Last year they massively outperformed both general expectations and all the analytics (i.e. lots of puck luck). This coming season Bergeron/Krejci will be another year older or maybe not even on the team. So if they mean revert while those two guys decline, they could see a drop. Not saying they won't still be a good team, but it means 3rd in the Atlantic is up for grabs behind Toronto and Tampa.

I totally expect us to be borderline wildcard spot by November/December unless Bob/Knight play lights out. The defense to start the year is a bottom-10 defense just above the tanking teams. Forwards like Bennett, Luo, Tkachuk, Lomberg are coming in without a full off-season for training. It's gonna be a rough start.

But if we can hang around that 6-10 spot until mid-year, we could start climbing in the second half or solidify a playoff spot.

 

[Ghoste]

What do the forward lines look like at this point?

Verhaeghe/Barkov/Reinhart
Rodrigues/Bennett/Tkachuk
Loustarinen/Lundell/Cousins
Lomberg/Stenlund/Lorentz

 

[austropanther]

Verhaeghe/Barkov/Reinhart
Rodrigues/Bennett/Tkachuk
Loustarinen/Lundell/Cousins
Lomberg/Stenlund/Lorentz

That is the "worst" case scenario IMO that PoMo can always go back to or be the PO lineup.

Hoping for this, against all odds since PoMo hates rookies:

Denisenko (Verhaege,Samo)/Barkov/Rodrigues
Verhaege(Cousins)/Bennett/Tkachuk
Loustarinen/Lundell/Reinhart
Lomberg/Lorentz/Cousins(Stenlund)

I believe that PoMo will not tinker with the 2nd and 3rd line. No to Cousins on the 2nd. They have to get one of the kids going or have them share time over the season. Barky and Rod should be a great combo to give defensive stability and be creative/setup the skilled young guns.

The longer I think about it the more I believe Mikkola will more likely be a 3rd pairing player, no MStaal 2.0 next to Monty. Either Kuli, Mahura, OEL and Carlsson could see time there once Monty gets back.

 

[Chaos2k7]

I think a lot also depends on Boston. Last year they massively outperformed both general expectations and all the analytics (i.e. lots of puck luck). This coming season Bergeron/Krejci will be another year older or maybe not even on the team. So if they mean revert while those two guys decline, they could see a drop. Not saying they won't still be a good team, but it means 3rd in the Atlantic is up for grabs behind Toronto and Tampa.

I totally expect us to be borderline wildcard spot by November/December unless Bob/Knight play lights out. The defense to start the year is a bottom-10 defense just above the tanking teams. Forwards like Bennett, Luo, Tkachuk, Lomberg are coming in without a full off-season for training. It's gonna be a rough start.

But if we can hang around that 6-10 spot until mid-year, we could start climbing in the second half or solidify a playoff spot.

Plus no Hall, Bertuzzi, Orlov, Foligno, Nosek, or Reilly... maybe Bergeron and Krecji too.

Pretty big retooling in Boston this year.

 

[hoax15]

People who are high on Denisenko, why? Honestly asking because his AHL stats aren’t that impressive (-18 last season too) and he’s got 0 goals 7 assists in 26 NHL games.

 

[iam76]

People who are high on Denisenko, why? Honestly asking because his AHL stats aren’t that impressive (-18 last season too) and he’s got 0 goals 7 assists in 26 NHL games.

26 nhl games i missleading...

Kid hasn't been fully healthy. Kid gets 5 mins a game in nhl.

The best he looked was a sample size for 2-3 games on barkovs wing.. Dude could cycle and play with some grit and responsibility.

 

[pantherbot]

People who are high on Denisenko, why? Honestly asking because his AHL stats aren’t that impressive (-18 last season too) and he’s got 0 goals 7 assists in 26 NHL games.

Draft pedigree

 

[KW]

I think a lot also depends on Boston. Last year they massively outperformed both general expectations and all the analytics (i.e. lots of puck luck). This coming season Bergeron/Krejci will be another year older or maybe not even on the team. So if they mean revert while those two guys decline, they could see a drop. Not saying they won't still be a good team, but it means 3rd in the Atlantic is up for grabs behind Toronto and Tampa.

I totally expect us to be borderline wildcard spot by November/December unless Bob/Knight play lights out. The defense to start the year is a bottom-10 defense just above the tanking teams. Forwards like Bennett, Luo, Tkachuk, Lomberg are coming in without a full off-season for training. It's gonna be a rough start.

But if we can hang around that 6-10 spot until mid-year, we could start climbing in the second half or solidify a playoff spot.

Much of Canada was expecting and hoping the Panthers wouldn’t make playoffs so that they could gloat about Florida going from Pres Cup to missing the playoffs.

What will they say if Boston goes from best ever Pres Cup to missing playoffs… even Leafs fans will admit that’s a pretty low low. Even though of all fans they know best what low feels like, they do it every year.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Much of Canada was expecting and hoping the Panthers wouldn’t make playoffs so that they could gloat about Florida going from Pres Cup to missing the playoffs.

What will they say if Boston goes from best ever Pres Cup to missing playoffs… even Leafs fans will admit that’s a pretty low low. Even though of all fans they know best what low feels like, they do it every year.

Leafs Nation with their sportsnet/tsn pandering don't speak for the other fanbases in Canada.

The Leafs fans celebrate other teams failure to not feel so bad about their own shortcomings.

No need to even pay attention to that drivel.

Seeing another team do poorly is not some silver lining. At least not for me.

 

[austropanther]

People who are high on Denisenko, why? Honestly asking because his AHL stats aren’t that impressive (-18 last season too) and he’s got 0 goals 7 assists in 26 NHL games.

He has some interesting tools - board play, shot, effort - and as others pointed out was very unlucky injurywise.

Management sees something valuable in him, otherwise he would not have got a one-way NHL contract. That's why he are basically forced to include him in any kind of lineup games

 

[austropanther]

Carolina will be a favourite this year - don't like this one bit. It felt so great to sweep them - yes coach, it was a sweep, no matter what you say... Their D corps is just insane - it was already, now even more with the addition of Deangelo. They just need a healthy Svetchnikov

 

[KW]

Leafs Nation with their sportsnet/tsn pandering don't speak for the other fanbases in Canada.

The Leafs fans celebrate other teams failure to not feel so bad about their own shortcomings.

No need to even pay attention to that drivel.

Seeing another team do poorly is not some silver lining. At least not for me.

I meant it as a joke.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Carolina will be a favourite this year - don't like this one bit. It felt so great to sweep them - yes coach, it was a sweep, no matter what you say... Their D corps is just insane - it was already, now even more with the addition of Deangelo. They just need a healthy Svetchnikov

They'll be a favorite for years to come. Not only are they very strong on paper, they also have one of the best prospect pools in the league. Plus young guys like Jarvis and Kochetkov will keep getting better. It was great sweeping them but it'll probably be the only time it ever happens.