Category Archives: Panthers
MacKinnon’s Hat Trick Leads Halifax Over Portland
If you were among the disappointed when the Florida Panthers lost the NHL Draft Lottery and the chance to draft Seth Jones first overall a couple of weeks ago, then the clips below should make you feel a whole lot better. Saturday night, Nathan MacKinnon, expected to be taken by the Panthers second overall in next month’s entry draft, and the Halifax Mooseheads faced off against Jones’ Portland Winterhawks in the Memorial Cup tournament with MacKinnon stealing the spotlight with a second period hat trick in a 7-4 win. To make the hat trick even more impressive, MacKinnon scored three different ways: at even strength, on the power play and short-handed. He’ll be quite the pick for the Panthers if the Colorado Avalanche do indeed take Jones first overall. The 2013 NHL Entry Draft will take place on June 30th in Newark, New Jersey.
If you missed it, NHL Network will be airing the game Sunday Morning at 11am EST. MacKinnon and the Mooseheads will be back in action later on Sunday against the Saskatoon Blades, which will be shown Monday on NHL Network at 1pm EST.
Enjoy Panthers fans!
Goal Number One:
Goal Number Two:
And Goal Number Three:
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Panther Report: 2013 IIHF World Championship
With the preliminary round winding down and the quarter finals set to begin this Thursday, the action is just starting to heat up at the 2013 IIHF World Championship. With each team already having competed in at least 6 games, Team Canada and Team Russia have risen to the top of their respective groups. Although no Panthers’ skater has grabbed any headlines throughout the tournament, there have still been some exceptional performances worthy of noting.
Below, I have listed the current statistics for each Panther player represented at the World Championship as well as adding a brief comment on their play.
Brian Campbell (Canada)
GP: 7
G: 0
A:2
Note: As he was for the majority of the season in Florida, defenseman Brian Campbell has been a workhouse for Team Canada so far this tournament. Through 7 games played, Campbell is 2nd on the team in total TOI with 140:23 minutes played. Also, Campbell’s +7 rating is good enough for the best +/- rating on the entire Canadian roster.
What Should The Florida Panthers Do With Shawn Matthias?
Now that we know the draft status for the Florida Panthers (second overall) in the upcoming draft this summer, the Panthers can begin planning their future. Some of it immediate, and some of it long term. As Dale Tallon continues to follow his blue print of building a consistent playoff contender, there are some questions regarding certain players on this Panthers roster that must be answered. One of the most glaring decisions has to deal with the status of restricted free agent Shawn Matthias.
Matthias was originally drafted in the second round, 47th overall in 2006 by the Detroit Red Wings as he was playing for the Belleville Bulls in the OHL. Take a look at his pre draft scouting report from RedWingscentral.com to get an idea of what the consensus was at that time. The characteristics that likely attracted the Detroit brass was his size, skating ability, and his tenacious forchecking. He was also described as a hard worker. All attributes that would make most any player being looked at as a potential middle six forward. The negatives in the report however were that he didn’t always play to his size, and that he may not have the softest hands around. Still, Matthias was viewed as a solid prospect in the Red Wings organization, and solid enough to be taken in the second round. Detroit has a history of finding “diamonds in the rough” and they obviously felt that Matthias had the potential to be another gem.
Matthias spent three seasons with Bellville, and each one was better than his last, and when the Florida Panthers were in the process of trading forward Todd Bertuzzi, then general manager Jacques Martin wanted Matthias as part of the deal, which also included two conditional draft picks. It was believed that eventually Matthias could be a second line center with Florida as long as his development continued. After being acquired Matthias spend time between his Belleville team, the Roschester Americans and the Florida Panthers before finally sticking to the roster for a full season in 2011-2011. Much of his ice time prior to this past season was spent on the bottom two lines, and killing penalties as his rugged style of play warranted him those opportunities while he continued to develop his game, which needed some consistency.
Florida Panthers’ 2013 Player Grades: Forwards
With the disappointing 2012-2013 season on its’ way to being understandably forgotten by both fans and players alike, we must take one final moment to begrudgingly relive the events of this year as I hand out my end of the season player grades. Although the Panthers were only able to muster a pedestrian 15-27-6 record – good enough for last in the entire NHL – there were still a few players that can look back on this season with pride.
While many players will be receiving grades that would merit summer school, there are a few skaters with bodies of work good enough to be hung up on the refrigerator. For this portion of my player grades I will be looking at the Panthers’ battered and unpredictable forwards.
In a season in which the addition of Jonathan Huberdeau was supposed to aid an already improving Panthers’ offense, a plague of injuries and inconsistent play kept the team’s scoring attack in the gutter for the majority of the year. Much like their defense, the Panthers’ offense finished dead last in the entire NHL – scoring just 2.27 goals per game on average.
However, even though their offense as a whole was less than stellar, there were still a few players who lived up to or near their expectations. Considering the amount of players that had brief stints with the Panthers’ this season, I have limited my grades to forwards that competed in at least 20 games this season.
Vincent Trocheck Named OHL Player of The Year
Considering the amount of quality prospects that the Florida Panthers currently have in their system, it can be very hard for one skater to stand out among the talented masses. However, that has not been the case for Panthers’ prospect Vincent Trocheck who is making headlines and piling up the hardware after an outstanding season in the Ontario Hockey League.
Already the recipient of Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy for being the OHL”s top-scorer, Trocheck will have to make even more room on his mantle as it was announced today that he has been chosen as the OHL’s most outstanding player. Trocheck finished the 2012-2013 season with a staggering 109 points (50G 59A) in 63 games split between the Saginaw Spirit and Plymouth Whalers. Amazingly, Trocheck becomes the 2nd consecutive player within the Panthers’ organization to win the Red Tilson Trophy. Last season, goalie prospect Michael Houser (free agent signed by Florida on July 10, 2012) was awarded the trophy for his outstanding play for London Knights.
Jonathan Huberdeau Named Calder Finalist
In what will most likely be the team’s’ only chance at some hardware this year, the NHL announced today that Florida Panthers C Jonathan Huberdeau has been named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy award along with Montreal Canadiens RW Brendan Gallagher and Chicago Blackhawks LW Brandon Saad. For those who are unfamiliar, the Calder Trophy is given out every season to the player who is deemed most proficient in his first year of competition.
In a season in which the Panthers could only score a meager 2.27 goals per game on average, Huberdeau rose above the muck and did his best to spark the team’s offense every night. In 48 games this season, 19-year-old Huberdeau finished tied for the rookie scoring title with an admirable 31 points (14G 17A). In addition to his impressive point total, Huberdeau also placed first among rookie forwards averaging 16:55 TOI/per game and ranked third among rookies with 112 total shots on goal.
After being selected 3rd overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Huberdeau most definitely lived up to the hype that had been building up since his exceptional performance at Panthers’ training camp prior to the 2011-2012 season. Although both Gallagher and Saad had seasons worthy of recognition, it’s hard to say that anyone did more with less than Huberdeau. While Gallagher and Saad got to play alongside established NHL veterans, Huberdeau often found himself surrounded by other rookies such as Drew Shore. Given these circumstances, to call Huberdeau’s season a success would be an understatement.
In a statement released by the team, Florida Panthers’ General Manager Dale Tallon spoke very highly of Huberdeau and his accomplishments.
“Jonathan played very well for our club during his rookie season and is most deserving of this honor,” said Tallon. “He is a young, skilled and dynamic player who was matched up against the opposing team’s best players on a nightly basis. Jonathan handled himself with professionalism and class throughout the season and we are very proud that he has received this recognition.”
While all three candidates are worthy of this award, deciding on the winner will basically come down to how a player’s “value” is viewed. Should it be given to a player who fit in well with an already established team, or rather a player who had to rise above the mediocrity of his surroundings? This question will surely be at the forefront of a heated debate until the winner is announced during the upcoming Stanley Cup final.
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Nick Bjugstad Shines In World Championship Debut
HELSINKI, Finland - After an early scare, team USA rallied to defeat Austria in their opening round matchup of the IIHF World Championship by a final score of 5-3. Although Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson was heralded as the hero of game 1, Panthers’ forward Nick Bjugstad’s contributions to the victory were almost as important.
In just 10:39 of ice time, Bjugstad tallied 2 assists and made himself very noticeable in his limited minutes. In fact, Bjugstad’s beautiful cross-ice pass to Aaron Palushaj set up what would prove to be the eventual game winning goal.
With USA set to take on Latvia on Sunday, Bjugstad will look to improve on his already impressive game 1 performance. Considering Latvian goaltenders Maris Jucers and Edgars Masalskis gave up a combined 6 goals in their first 2 games, Bjugstad will have a good chance to notch his first goal of the tournament.
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Florida Panthers’ 2013 Player Grades: Goaltending
Jose Theodore – Wikimedia Commons (Michael Miller)
With the disappointing 2012-2013 season on its’ way to being understandably forgotten by both fans and players alike, we must take one final moment to begrudgingly relive the events of this year as I hand out my end of the season player grades. Although the Panthers were only able to muster a pedestrian 15-27-6 record – good enough for last in the entire NHL – there were still a few players that can look back on this season with pride.
While many players will be receiving grades that would merit summer school, there are a few skaters with bodies of work good enough to be hung up on the refrigerator. For this portion of my player grades I will be looking at the Panthers’ often criticized goaltending unit.
Playing behind an inadequate defense, the goaltending trio of Jose Theodore, Scott Clemmensen, and Jacob Markstrom failed to stifle opponent’s scoring attacks in most games this season. In fact, the trio’s 3.54 goals allowed per game on average was the worst in the entire NHL. While none of the three netminders were able to push through the blanket of mediocrity that covered the majority of the Panthers’ season, some did perform better than others.
Florida Panthers’ 2013 Player Grades: Defense
Erik Gudbranson.
Photo Source: Michael Miller/ Wikipedia Commons
With the disappointing 2012-2013 season on its’ way to being understandably forgotten by both fans and players alike, we must take one final moment to begrudgingly relive the events of this year as I hand out my end of the season player grades. Although the Panthers were only able to muster a pedestrian 15-27-6 record – good enough for last in the entire NHL – there were still a few players that can look back on this season with pride.
While many players will be receiving grades that would merit summer school, there are a few skaters with bodies of work good enough to be hung up on the refrigerator. Considering the amount of call-ups and short lived NHL appearances by skaters due to frequent Panther injuries this season, I have decided to grade only players who competed in at least 20 games this season.
For this report card I will be taking a look at the Panthers’ ill-fated defensive unit. After seeing some improvement last season, the Panthers’ defense took a big step backward as they finished the season last in NHL in goals allowed per game (3.54). Frequent mental lapses and an inability to clear dangerous pucks were just two of the numerous problems that defined the team’s defensive struggles this season. Considering just how bad the Panthers’ defense looked almost every game, you will be hard pressed to find too many good grades below.
Panthers Will Pick 2nd In 2013 NHL Entry Draft
Just days after the end of their extremely disappointing 2012-2013 season, the Florida Panthers took their first big step towards next season as they were awarded the 2nd overall pick in the newly revamped NHL Draft Lottery.
Considering the Panthers had a 25% chance of winning the first overall pick, it is sad to see the team miss out on the excitement that comes with having the first overall selection, but it does not mean they won’t still have a chance to select a potential future star player. Now that the draft order is in place, the Panthers will have just under two months to decide what to do with their highly coveted selection.
With Portland Winterhawks’ defenseman Seth Jones almost guaranteed to go first overall to the Colorado Avalanche, the Panthers will turn their attention to forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Aleksander Barkov. Considering they have a strong need for a top-line scoring center, the team could lean towards selecting Halifax Mooseheads‘ forward Nathan MacKinnon.
The 2013 NHL Entry Draft will take place on June 30th from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In an interesting turn of events, this year’s draft will have all 7 rounds on the same day for the first time since 2006. Stay tuned to Panther Parkway throughout the summer as we keep you updated on all of the Panthers’ draft options leading up to the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
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Jameson Cooper
David Lasseter
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