What The Hell Has Happened To The Florida Panthers?

[featherhawk]

He is. He's the only one trying to hold the team accountable right now through the media. He truly cares about the team. You don't know what you're talking about.

so is that why he continually gets suspended?

getting suspended for stupid, dangerous and wreckless actions are for the benefit of the team then...okay if that is what you believe, your entitled to your opinion

 

[HockeyVirus]

Panthers fans saying this is supposed to be an off year, then why do they no first rounder and only 5 picks in the draft? More importantly, if this was by design and they really wanted to go all in knowing they were giving up potentially a top 10 pick this year, then 2nd round of the playoffs where they didn't win a game is a complete failure and a misidentification of where his team was.

Aside from that, where do they get better from here? Sure they get some cap space opening up, but they also have Lundell, Reinhart, Bennett, and Montour due for new deals. Assuming they will be re-signed because they literally can't afford to lose the depth. Let's say they come out ahead there with the cap rising and the deals leave them some room.

They still will be reliant on over paying in UFA or having bad depth due to the lack of any decent prospect pool and draft picks. They need to add at least 3 top 4 dmen given their current ones are not good enough and/or will age out of the role in the next few years. They have Ekblad and that is it.. who is also a UFA in 2 more seasons.

So this is a team who went all in, destroyed their immediate future, won 0 games in the 2nd round, and thinks they can magically contend next year because they have a bit of cap space? Who are they signing next year who is fixing their D? the best UFA dmen are Klingberg, Dumba, and Orlov and a bunch of guys who help but don't fix problems. Non of these guys are fixing the Panthers blue line and would cost a premium due to UFA.

I don't see a path forward. IMO this isn't a down year, it's a GM trying to stay employed as long as he can before people figure it out. This is a team that won't be good enough to regularly make the playoffs and be too good to draft a player who is franchise changing for a very long time, until Barkov and Tkachuk age out. The Panthers are in for a decade of mediocrity

 

[Dread Clawz]

so is that why he continually gets suspended?

getting suspended for stupid, dangerous and wreckless actions are for the benefit of the team then...okay if that is what you believe, your entitled to your opinion

He apologized to the team for the last suspension. He said he is trying to cut down on extreme actions like that. And say what you will about him going after Hischier, at least it shows he cares. I bet you Barkov was happy with it.

 

[MattMartin]

Let me just say this. I would rather be hot near the end of the season and I wouldn't say they are D.O.A. just yet.

 

[Ratsreign]

You nailed it.

I noticed the difference immediately with Rick Bowness.

Bowness will give specific answers as to what the Jets do right and wrong.

Bowness is not afraid to call out vets or bench players who are underperforming.

Maurice weaves tales about "veterans being drivers" and waxes poetic on Rod Brind'Amour.

When Maurice talks he reminds me of Billy Flynn in Chicago.

Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle
Razzle dazzle 'em
Show 'em the first rate sorceror you are
Long as you keep 'em way off balance
How can they spot you've got no talents
Razzle Dazzle 'em
And they'll make you a star!

“Maurice weaves tales about "veterans being drivers" and waxes poetic on Eric Staal.”

updated that part for you.

 

[Turin]

They hired a dude to coach who literally walked away from his last team because his team completely stopped listening to him, despite him never holding any of the vets accountable at all while they destroyed the locker room and refused to play defense.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

haha, so you think he is a good locker room / moral boosting team guy... OKAY then...his on ice actions and off ice commentary, tell me otherwise

Again, what the devil are you talking about? Did you even read what I wrote? How did you deduce these conclusions from what I wrote to you? One thing is for sure: you don’t watch this hockey player or that team.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Panthers fans saying this is supposed to be an off year, then why do they no first rounder and only 5 picks in the draft? More importantly, if this was by design and they really wanted to go all in knowing they were giving up potentially a top 10 pick this year, then 2nd round of the playoffs where they didn't win a game is a complete failure and a misidentification of where his team was.

Aside from that, where do they get better from here? Sure they get some cap space opening up, but they also have Lundell, Reinhart, Bennett, and Montour due for new deals. Assuming they will be re-signed because they literally can't afford to lose the depth. Let's say they come out ahead there with the cap rising and the deals leave them some room.

They still will be reliant on over paying in UFA or having bad depth due to the lack of any decent prospect pool and draft picks. They need to add at least 3 top 4 dmen given their current ones are not good enough and/or will age out of the role in the next few years. They have Ekblad and that is it.. who is also a UFA in 2 more seasons.

So this is a team who went all in, destroyed their immediate future, won 0 games in the 2nd round, and thinks they can magically contend next year because they have a bit of cap space? Who are they signing next year who is fixing their D? the best UFA dmen are Klingberg, Dumba, and Orlov and a bunch of guys who help but don't fix problems. Non of these guys are fixing the Panthers blue line and would cost a premium due to UFA.

I don't see a path forward. IMO this isn't a down year, it's a GM trying to stay employed as long as he can before people figure it out. This is a team that won't be good enough to regularly make the playoffs and be too good to draft a player who is franchise changing for a very long time, until Barkov and Tkachuk age out. The Panthers are in for a decade of mediocrity

At least we made it past the first round A lot of people thought the Panthers were the favorites after the trade deadline, so knocking Zito for going for it is a bit of revisionist thinking.

They may overpay in UFA next summer, but they have 7.7M to spend on the blueline. They can get a #4 guy and a solid bottom pair guy with that. Forsling is also a top 3 D. And if you don't think so then you don't know what you're talking about. He has terrific analytics since joining the Panthers. He was the Panthers' best D last playoffs. Arguably in 2021 as well.

Who is available next summer? Orlov, Gavrikov, Graves, Mayfield, Dumba...a bunch of quality guys. I'm not saying they are going to change the face of the Panthers' blueline, but they will definitely help it. With a further solidifying of the blueline, continued progress by Knight, and a healthy forward corps, the Panthers should definitely be a playoff team next season.

I'd worry about your own Leafs, as well. This year is their best shot. You talk about a path forward? Tavares will be entering his mid-30's in a couple years, and Muzzin and Giordano will also age out of effectiveness very soon. Toronto will still be a good team, but I don't see a team there that can beat Tampa, Avs etc. in the playoffs. They are in no better position than the Panthers over the next several years. The team who will have the edge is the one who makes the right tweaks or gets lucky with a prospect making an impact.

 

[PaulD]

At least we made it past the first round A lot of people thought the Panthers were the favorites after the trade deadline, so knocking Zito for going for it is a bit of revisionist thinking.

They may overpay in UFA next summer, but they have 7.7M to spend on the blueline. They can get a #4 guy and a solid bottom pair guy with that. Forsling is also a top 3 D. And if you don't think so then you don't know what you're talking about. He has terrific analytics since joining the Panthers. He was the Panthers' best D last playoffs. Arguably in 2021 as well.

Who is available next summer? Orlov, Gavrikov, Graves, Mayfield, Dumba...a bunch of quality guys. I'm not saying they are going to change the face of the Panthers' blueline, but they will definitely help it. With a further solidifying of the blueline, continued progress by Knight, and a healthy forward corps, the Panthers should definitely be a playoff team next season.

I'd worry about your own Leafs, as well. This year is their best shot. You talk about a path forward? Tavares will be entering his mid-30's in a couple years, and Muzzin and Giordano will also age out of effectiveness very soon. Toronto will still be a good team, but I don't see a team there that can beat Tampa, Avs etc. in the playoffs. They are in no better position than the Panthers over the next several years. The team who will have the edge is the one who makes the right tweaks or gets lucky with a prospect making an impact.

Can't blame them for going for it........can blame them for how they did it.

Giroux couldn't even help his own team last year, wasn't on the first unit powerplay. Rearranging the top 6 and the powerplay just to accommodate his signing ?? Dumb. Hurt the bench too. Giroux then joins the 7th place Atlantic division Sens, and helps them get to 8th. Chariot ? Every hab fan and Jets fan will tell the Panthers over rated him
I loved the way the Panthers played up until acquiring those two players. They looked different, slower, and more predictable after that.
Now they add PoMo behind the bench??
Ha ! They will miss play offs.

 

[Ratsreign]

Can't blame them for going for it........can blame them for how they did it.

Giroux couldn't even help his own team last year, wasn't on the first unit powerplay. Rearranging the top 6 and the powerplay just to accommodate his signing ?? Dumb. Hurt the bench too. Giroux then joins the 7th place Atlantic division Sens, and helps them get to 8th. Chariot ? Every hab fan and Jets fan will tell the Panthers over rated him
I loved the way the Panthers played up until acquiring those two players. They looked different, slower, and more predictable after that.
Now they add PoMo behind the bench??
Ha ! They will miss play offs.

Chiarot doesn’t happen if Ekblad doesn’t get hurt. Rushed move by Zito was his worst. Looking worse by the game recently

 

[PaulD]

Chiarot doesn’t happen if Ekblad doesn’t get hurt. Rushed move by Zito was his worst. Looking worse by the game recently

When you have a top team all season long with good chemestry ......You don't screw with your core. You add deoth players only. Giroux was just as bad a move imo.

Sakic had the right idea. Adding depth players to a top team. Didn't try jam Giroux into his top six and already great powerplsy.

 

[Dread Clawz]

When you have a top team all season long with good chemestry ......You don't screw with your core. You add deoth players only. Giroux was just as bad a move imo.

Sakic had the right idea. Adding depth players to a top team. Didn't try jam Giroux into his top six and already great powerplsy.

Actually he did try...Giroux preferred to go to Florida over Colorado.

 

[waffledave]

I'll own up to it: after the Habs got Florida's 1st pick unprotected I performed a blood sacrifice to make it a lottery pick.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Can't blame them for going for it........can blame them for how they did it.

Giroux couldn't even help his own team last year, wasn't on the first unit powerplay. Rearranging the top 6 and the powerplay just to accommodate his signing ?? Dumb. Hurt the bench too. Giroux then joins the 7th place Atlantic division Sens, and helps them get to 8th. Chariot ? Every hab fan and Jets fan will tell the Panthers over rated him
I loved the way the Panthers played up until acquiring those two players. They looked different, slower, and more predictable after that.
Now they add PoMo behind the bench??
Ha ! They will miss play offs.

I wasn't originally a fan of us going after Giroux when the rumors started, and still don't think he gave us any kind of overpowering offensive advantage. He really did help in the faceoff dot though. He was an ace there in his short time with us. Seems like a good guy. It was just a bizarre transaction though because everyone and their mother knew it was just a pure rental move. I think he can still be very effective in the right role, can't really blame him for Ottawa's woes though. They still have holes, and the entire rest of the division got better(except for Florida). They also got hit by the injury bug again this season.
Chiarot was great in 2021. If that season or two was his peak and he's already regressing, he's had a very bizarre career.
I think the last 10-15 games of last season, the Panthers got too cocky. They barely faced any adversity all season, if any troubles did come up, they usually just outscored them. I think eventually they stopped working hard and thought the playoffs were gonna be easier than they were in reality. Unfortunately it came at the worst possible time of the season. Brunette wasn't really equipped to handle this. I don't think it was the deadline acquisitions. Giroux seemed to add a positive vibe to the room.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Would FLA be able to keep Huberdeau if they hadn't signed Bobrovsky?

Bobrovsky cap hit 10.0
Huberdeau 10.5

Clearly no.

 

[PaulD]

I wasn't originally a fan of us going after Giroux when the rumors started, and still don't think he gave us any kind of overpowering offensive advantage. He really did help in the faceoff dot though. He was an ace there in his short time with us. Seems like a good guy. It was just a bizarre transaction though because everyone and their mother knew it was just a pure rental move. I think he can still be very effective in the right role, can't really blame him for Ottawa's woes though. They still have holes, and the entire rest of the division got better(except for Florida). They also got hit by the injury bug again this season.
Chiarot was great in 2021. If that season or two was his peak and he's already regressing, he's had a very bizarre career.
I think the last 10-15 games of last season, the Panthers got too cocky. They barely faced any adversity all season, if any troubles did come up, they usually just outscored them. I think eventually they stopped working hard and thought the playoffs were gonna be easier than they were in reality. Unfortunately it came at the worst possible time of the season. Brunette wasn't really equipped to handle this. I don't think it was the deadline acquisitions. Giroux seemed to add a positive vibe to the room.

Agree to disagree .

Cheers

 

[Three On Zero]

Bobrovsky cap hit 10.0
Huberdeau 10.5

Clearly no.

Huberdeau wouldn’t get 10.5 in Florida

 

[PaulD]

Actually he did try...Giroux preferred to go to Florida over Colorado.

Yes he did state that.
But Sakic went for Lehkonen instead.
Girouxs basically stated the only tesm he wanted to go to was Florida.
He has nit improved a team he played for in years. Good face off guy though.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Bobrovsky cap hit 10.0
Huberdeau 10.5

Clearly no.

How on earth is that “clearly” statement? Especially considering his extension at 10.5 doesn’t kick in until next year. But even then, what an absurd absolute statement. You think Huberdeau wouldn’t have been okay with getting exactly what Barkov got?? Okay…

 

[Dread Clawz]

Yes he did state that.
But Sakic went for Lehkonen instead.
Girouxs basically stated the only tesm he wanted to go to was Florida.
He has nit improved a team he played for in years. Good face off guy though.

Well Lehkonen was the backup plan. It probably ended up working out better for Colorado though. Luck is one of the ingredients necessary to win the Cup and that's an example.

 

[PaulD]

Well Lehkonen was the backup plan. It probably ended up working out better for Colorado though. Luck is one of the ingredients necessary to win the Cup and that's an example.

It worked out better they didn't get Giroux fir sure.
Giroux was great in his prime. He is no here near thst now.
Florida looked better before Giroux with Vtrano and the team chemistry they had all year.
Top teams that try to add stars at the deadline , generally don't work out well.
Messes with chemistry.
I've always thought. First place teams add plumbers and depth .
Bubble teams add a star if the can.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

They badly miss Huberdeau.

 

[Frank Drebin]

How on earth is that “clearly” statement? Especially considering his extension at 10.5 doesn’t kick in until next year. But even then, what an absurd absolute statement. You think Huberdeau wouldn’t have been okay with getting exactly what Barkov got?? Okay…

Was joke.

Sarcasm

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Was joke.

Sarcasm

Hey don’t blame me. Florida is at the cap rn. There’s an HF international designator to establish this sarcasm, since that doesn’t read well in text. “”

 

[Frank Drebin]

Hey don’t blame me. Florida is at the cap rn. There’s an HF international designator to establish this sarcasm, since that doesn’t read well in text. “”

It was just a silly question that the poster asked.