May 10, 200719 yr http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=207141&hubname=nhl Scott Cullen 5/9/2007 12:06:00 PM Another season of slight improvement wasn't enough to get the Florida Panthers into the postseason. Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Panthers might do this summer to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2000. The Roberto Luongo-Todd Bertuzzi deal blew up in the Panthers' face last year, with Luongo earning a Hart Trophy nomination and Bertuzzi playing only seven games before undergoing back surgery and getting traded to Detroit. Even so, the Panthers' young talent started to prove that they could get it done at the NHL level and that provides reason for optimism. Related Info * NHL Off-Season Game Plan Archive Jay Bouwmeester and Nathan Horton, in particular, are living up to their lofty draft positions (Bouwmeester third overall in 2002, Horton third overall in 2003) and are on the cusp of stardom. While the Panthers don't want another off-season of dramatic change, they will need to be active in order to build the right kind of team around their young talent. Adding a couple of veteran free agents -- ideally younger veterans -- would help the Panthers continue their ascent. "I see a lot of the young guys taking that next step, taking on responsibility," Martin Gelinas told the Miami Herald at season's end. "They were challenged this year, and they took it on." Now that the young players have responded to those challenges, it's time for the front office to back them up by adding a quality goaltender and some solid veteran forwards to put the Panthers back in the playoff hunt. GM/COACH Jacques Martin Returning Forwards Player TSN.ca Rating Salary Olli Jokinen 88.93 $5.25M Ville Peltonen 70.22 $1.1M David Booth 67.18 $625K Rostislav Olesz 66.57 $984K Chris Gratton 66.09 $1.5M Gregory Campbell 56.33 $525K Free Agent Forwards Player TSN.ca Rating Class Nathan Horton 79.05 RFA Jozef Stumpel 73.16 UFA Stephen Weiss 70.79 RFA Martin Gelinas 70.09 UFA Juraj Kolnik 65.89 RFA Top Prospects: Michael Frolik, Kenndal McArdle, Anthony Stewart, Shawn Matthias Florida is starting to get results from some of their young talent up front, and it will be imperative that the organization stay on top of matters to ensure that they bring back restricted free agents like Nathan Horton and Stephen Weiss, who are both coming into their own as bona fide NHLers. With those two joining unheralded superstar Olli Jokinen, improving youngster Rostislav Olesz and two-way vet Ville Peltonen, the Panthers have a decent core of talent to build around. However, they still need more. With veterans Jozef Stumpel and Martin Gelinas heading for unrestricted free agency, Florida could be in the market for at least a couple of top six forwards to help round out the scoring lines. The Panthers have a wide range of possibilities if they are looking for scoring wingers to join the fray. Mike Comrie, Ladislav Nagy, Scott Hartnell, Dainius Zubrus, Taylor Pyatt, Todd White, Nikolai Antropov and Kyle Calder should all have good years ahead of them so they can grow with the Panthers' current stable of young forwards. Bringing in a couple of them to play among the top six forwards would put the Panthers in position to make a legitimate playoff push next season. While Chris Gratton hasn't necessarily lived up to his billing over the course of his career, he seems to have settled in nicely as a reliable third-line player who adds size, grit and experience. Juraj Kolnik and David Booth are both decent as well. Kolnik offers a little more offensively, though he may not be worth a million dollar salary. Booth works hard, but needs to score more if he's going to rise up the depth chart. With so few forwards under contract for next season -- Gregory Campbell is the only other returnee -- there is potential for significant roster turnover, even in the depth forward spots. Some veteran checkers that might fit? Marcus Nilson, Dean McAmmond, Michael Peca, J.P. Vigier and Mark Smith are all veteran checkers that would definitely help. Heck, if the rest of the additions are relatively young, maybe Jacques Martin would take a shot at Montreal's Radek Bonk, who he obviously knows well from his days in Ottawa. Returning Defencemen Player TSN.ca Rating Salary Jay Bouwmeester 83.68 $2.25M Ruslan Salei 69.15 $3.03M Mike Van Ryn 68.85 $3.2M Branislav Mezei 63.91 $825K Free Agent Defencemen Player TSN.ca Rating Class Bryan Allen 72.27 RFA Alexei Semenov 67.80 RFA Steve Montador 65.49 RFA Top Prospects: Cory Murphy, Noah Welch, Drew Bagnall, Martin Lojek Florida's defence is coming along, and may not require any major additions if Noah Welch, acquired in the Gary Roberts trade, is able to stick in a regular role next season. Jay Bouwmeester is on his way to stardom and had a tremendous season in 2006-2007. Ruslan Salei was a team-worst minus-13, but is still a top-four calibre blueliner. Mike Van Ryn didn't progress as much as anticipated last season, but his mobility is a definite asset and he's just entering his prime. After a two-month adjustment period, Bryan Allen really played well as a physical defensive presence. After posting a minus-11 through the end of November, Allen was plus-18 over the rest of the season, making him a solid part of the top four. Branislav Mezei has good size and, when he can stay healthy, he's okay on the third pairing. Steve Montador is tough, but limited, so he's best as a number six or seven defenceman. Alexei Semenov played well when injuries forced his recall from the minors, so he and Welch also figure to be in the competition for third pair jobs. A wildcard for the Panthers blueline could be Cory Murphy, the 29 year-old defenceman who was playing in Finland. He's just 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, but Murphy had 50 points in 45 games for HIFK Helsinki and signed a two-year deal after the season. Murphy is playing for Canada at the World Championships (where he has five points in six games) and should be counted on to help the Panthers' power play next season. If everyone is healthy then, the Panthers might even consider dealing one of these defencemen if it would help in another area of need. Free Agent Goaltenders Player TSN.ca Rating Class Craig Anderson 83.40 RFA Ed Belfour 67.63 UFA Alex Auld 49.60 RFA Top Prospects: Tyler Plante, David Shantz After dealing away Roberto Luongo, the Panthers have a glaring need in goal. Ed Belfour performed admirably, but his arrest following the season may be enough impetus to bid the 42 year-old adieu. Alex Auld didn't play very well after coming over from Vancouver, and a knee injury derailed him later in the season. He could return in a backup role next season, but the Panthers will need to look for a bona fide starter. Unrestricted free agents Nicklas Backstrom and Jean-Sebastien Giguere would both be of interest to the Panthers (and a dozen other teams), with Backstrom probably the Panthers' first choice. Failing that kind of marquee signing, Florida could also look to acquire a starter through trade. Ottawa's Martin Gerber might be a fit, though it might be tough for Jacques Martin to swing a deal with his former franchise. If the Wild re-sign Backstrom, Manny Fernandez would be another possibility. San Jose's Vesa Toskala, Columbus' Pascal Leclaire or Tampa Bay's Marc Denis are some other goaltenders that might also be available. DRAFT 10th - Angelo Esposito, Keaton Ellerby, Logan Couture, Colton Gillies The Panthers also could have Detroit's first-round pick, if the Wings reach the Cup final. FREE AGENCY The Panthers have approximately $20-million committed to salaries for next season. Needs: Two top six forwards, two checking forwards, Starting goaltender TRADE MARKET Van Ryn, Mezei, Montador, Semenov Scott Cullen can be reached at scullen@tsn.ca
May 10, 200719 yr Very good write up. In fact, I'm going to predict now that Michael Frolik makes the team next year. He's just too good of an offensive talent to keep him down for too long, especially with Stumpel most likely leaving and a good chance of Gelinas being gone to retirement or Calgary as well.
May 10, 200719 yr Cheer for Detroit to make the finals. If they make it then the pick in the bertuzzi trade becomes a first rounder.
May 10, 200719 yr Very good write up. In fact, I'm going to predict now that Michael Frolik makes the team next year. He's just too good of an offensive talent to keep him down for too long, especially with Stumpel most likely leaving and a good chance of Gelinas being gone to retirement or Calgary as well. Indeed. Frolik's puck handling skills are ridiculous. He'll be a big time scorer for the Panthers in the future.
May 10, 200719 yr They're gonna look at moving Olli for a significant haul If that is true, we better get a top flight young Goalie(among other things) in return.
May 11, 200719 yr Author I rather sign one of the two top potential goalies out there in FA with the money we were paying bertuzzi We need to resign weiss and horton too of course, plus add 2 forwards I think. Also if detriot resigns Bertuzzi we get a 2nd also so perhaps we can get a 1st and 2nd from them
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.