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cire06

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  1. My Webpage Commentary: Panthers encore for Jovanovski? By Brian Biggane Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Sunday, April 09, 2006 Panthers fans should be keeping an eye on Vancouver this off-season, and not just because the NHL will stage its entry draft there June 27. Out of a playoff spot entering Saturday's game against Calgary and a disappointment on several fronts this season, the Canucks are facing decisions about several key players. What they decide on two of them, defenseman Ed Jovanovski and right winger Todd Bertuzzi, could affect the Panthers' future significantly. Florida majority owner Alan Cohen has made no secret of his admiration for Jovanovski, and General Manager Mike Keenan has said signing a "high-end defenseman" will top his to-do list this summer. Jovanovski will become an unrestricted free agent if unsigned by July 1. Jovanovski's agent, Pat Morris, said he has had "no overtures" as yet from Canucks GM Dave Nonis. "He's told me that once the season is over he will make a pitch to keep Ed in Vancouver," Morris said. "His statement to me was they would try in earnest for a week, and if it doesn't happen, then everyone takes their chances. I would anticipate July 1 is going to come pretty quickly." Jovanovski, who told a Vancouver reporter last week that he has been told the Canucks will make every effort to sign him, would fit perfectly in South Florida. The Panthers made him the No. 1 pick in the 1994 draft and he played here until 1999, when he went to Vancouver in the Pavel Bure deal. His wife Kirsten is from Boca Raton, where the couple has a residence. Having matured into a three-time All-Star, Jovanovski, who turns 30 in June, would complement Jay Bouwmeester and could direct Florida's power play. While the salary cap will jump to somewhere between $43 million and $46 million next season, it's questionable how much financial freedom the Canucks will have. Players they need to re-sign include Henrik and Daniel Sedin, both of whom are a year away from unrestricted free agency; Anson Carter, who scored 31 goals playing alongside the Sedin twins this season; and Alex Auld, who made a paltry $513,000 as the team's No. 1 goaltender. Jovanovski is making $3.99 million this season and can expect to command more than $5 million in a long-term deal. Out since Feb. 1 because of abdominal surgery, he has been missed by a Vancouver team that thrives not only on his two-way play but also his intensity. Fifth in the West a month ago, Vancouver entered the weekend 10-14 since his departure, falling to ninth. The Panthers will have other free-agent options if Jovanovski is unavailable, perhaps Ottawa's Zdeno Chara and, on a lesser scale, Minnesota's Filip Kuba, Buffalo's Jay McKee and Tampa Bay's Pavel Kubina. Most insiders feel Vancouver can keep Jovanovski only by trading Bertuzzi and his $5 million salary. If that happens, Florida might once again wind up in the mix. Keenan acquired Bertuzzi and defenseman Bryan McCabe while serving as Canucks GM in 1998, and the 6-foot-3, 245-pound right winger is the Keenan prototype: big, strong, physical and nasty. Bertuzzi's production has fallen off, from 36 goals in 2001-02 and 46 in 2002-03 to 17 in 2003-04 and 23 this season. But the combination of his problems stemming from the Steve Moore incident in March 2004 and the fishbowl atmosphere in Vancouver appear to have had a cumulative effect on his attitude and his game. Insiders expect him to be traded, with Nonis seeking a quality young player (Nathan Horton? Rostislav Olesz?) and a No. 1 draft choice in return. It's a price Keenan might be willing to pay. Put him in a venue where hockey isn't so important, many believe, where he can go out to dinner without being noticed, and the 31-year-old could regain his scoring touch. And with only one year before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, it's the kind of gamble one might expect Keenan to make.
  2. ''We go through the selection process with them, and there are conflicts we have to work around,'' Panthers executive Michael Yormark said. ``But we're in the hunt, and it would be nice if these games were being televised.'' This is a businessman. He'd rather have you buy a ticket. I don't think there's anything coincidental about this arrangement.
  3. An Article from thhttp://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06088/677659-61.stm A Pittsburgh site.
  4. cire06 posted a post in a topic in Sports
    They bitch because its true. And Denis Potvin does not like it when the game is not played right. You're right. There have been some seriously bad calls and there's nothing wrong in pointing that out. Jokinen gets called for goalie interference when he's clearly pushed into Gerber. Jokinen went nuts. Staal got called for the same thing and he didn't even make contact with Luongo. The videotape doesn't lie. I'm no Canes fan, but what's wrong is WRONG. There's too much zeal in these refs. They're too busy finesse-ing even the most subtle stuff while real crimes go unnoticed. They're dragging down the action and momentum of games with marginal-to-outrageous penalty calls. :thumbdown
  5. cire06 posted a post in a topic in Sports
    :banghead Tough loss....We played an excellent game tonight. If not for RL's bad stick work, things might have turned out different. He did an excellent job otherwise. I'm not gonna blame Luongo, though. The 3 missed breakaway chances did us in. It's unforgivable to not cash in on at least one. The glove save on Sim really hurt.
  6. If the Panthers can get by the Canes on Friday night, I'd expect a near sell-out at home for the Bolts. The buzz is getting around. This is a very different team from the one that started the season. During an intermission on ESPN, Melrose said, 'Florida is the hottest team in the East right now." The Canes will bring their best Friday night. Those back to back losses against the Panthers should be a good motivator. As long as the Panthers play a disciplined game and chase down every puck, we can get away with another 2 points. I think this game on Friday night will be the real measure of this team. The confidence we take from yet another win against the Canes could serve as the catalyst that puts us in the playoffs. Tampa doesn't look as imposing anymore. Having Roberts back in the line-up should really make the difference. He looks good as new with no noticable alteration in his style of play. I believe he'll be the difference for us from here out.
  7. cire06 posted a post in a topic in Sports
    I won't dismiss the Penguins. They're talented enough to beat any team on any given night. But if the Panthers can get these next 2 wins, especially a huge test in Carolina, I'll be really impressed. This team is finally showing some consistency and inspiration....By the way, this is my first post here. I'm glad I found you. I hope to be a good addition here if you'll have me. Thanks. GO PANTHERS!!