Are the Florida Panthers preparing for a Stanley Cup run in 2016-17 after an aggressive offseason?
Says who hockey teams in the south aren’t relevant? The Florida Panthers emerge from this offseason as its biggest winner. No team spent more money in the offseason than the Panthers. After a shift in their front office, the Panthers have locked up key players and assembled a new-look blue line.
Such changes would be the norm for a team sick of being mediocre. But that isn’t the case with the Florida Panthers who won the Atlantic Division in 2015-16. Their moves have been aggressive and follow a “win now” mentality. That’s a huge change from the Panthers that most fans are used to.
Offseason Review
Here is a quick review of everything that the Florida Panthers have done this offseason.
Additions: D Keith Yandle (Rangers), D Jason Demers (Stars), C Jared McCann (Canucks), G Reto Berra (Avalanche), D Mark Pysyk (Sabres), G James Reimer (Sharks), C/F Colton Sceviour (Stars), F Jonathan Marchessault (Lightning)
Losses: D Erik Gudbranson (Canucks), F Rocco Grimaldi (Avalanche), D Dmitry Kulikov (Sabres), F Jiri Hudler (Stars), f Teddy Purcell (Kings), F Quinton Howard (Jets), D Brian Campbell (Blackhawks), G Al Montoya (Canadiens), F Lawson Crouse (Coyotes), C Dave Bolland (Coyotes)
Retained: F Jaromir Jagr, D Aaron Ekblad*, C Vincent Trocheck, F Reilly Smith*, C/F Derek McKenzie, F Jonathan Huberdeau*
*contract does not begin until after 2016-17 season
Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Panthers could have as many as eight new players in their starting lineup. Florida spent most of their money improving their blue line. Keith Yandle gives them a power play point man, which fills a huge need from last season. Jason Demers is one of the most underrated puck movers in the NHL and should be a valuable asset for the Panthers.
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Mark Pysyk is an interesting project who put up impressive puck possession numbers in Buffalo. Adam Pardy could provide defensive depth, which is something teams never appreciate until they need it. They join Ekblad, Michael Matheson, Jakub Kindl, and Alex Petrovic to form what could be an excellent blue line.
The James Reimer signing is likely a direct cause of Roberto Luongo’s injury that hampered him in the playoffs. Luongo has been so good for so long, it’s hard to remember that he’s 37 years old. He has given time the slip, but it will eventually catch up to him. Look for the Panthers to give Luongo more rest with Reimer around. It should be interesting to see who the Panthers protect in the expansion draft next summer.
Florida committed a lot of money to extending their forwards and easily got market value for them. Now the Panthers face the challenge of consistently finding bargains to complement them. They have potentially found some good ones in Sceviour and Marchessault.
Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Player Spotlight: Aleksander Barkov
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov might be the most underrated player in the NHL. That shouldn’t be true for long because Barkov could be set to improve upon his breakout 2015-16 season.
Barkov’s 2015-16 season likely didn’t get attention because injuries cost him 16 games. However, in 66 games, Barkov set career highs with 28 goals, 31 assists, and 59 points. He became the Panthers true number one center, playing in all situations while averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game.
There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the future of Barkov. One of them is that he is just 21 years old. Even though he isn’t done developing, he nearly got a point per game last season. With consistent line mates and excellent puck movers behind him, Barkov could be primed to trumpet his arrival into the NHL’s elite within the next few seasons. The Florida Panthers are a trendy Stanley Cup pick and Barkov is a huge reason why.
2016-17 Outlook
It’s hard to find a huge flaw when you look at the Panthers’ roster on paper. Sure, they could use more elite forwards, but those don’t grow on trees. The Panthers lack elite forwards, but they have a well-balanced lineup with seven returning forwards scoring at least 10 goals last season. They are one of the very few teams who can say that they have three forward lines capable of scoring goals.
Their success will be determined by an overhauled blue line. It’s definitely better on paper, but it could take some time for all the new pieces to gel. Once the Panthers find their ideal pairings, they should be good to go.
The dynamic between Luongo and Reimer is an important one. Reimer is an ideal goalie for a tandem, while Luongo is old enough that a tandem could benefit him as well. Year one could be a learning season for Reimer, as he prepares to hopefully take over Luongo in the future. Reimer could also serve as a way for the Panthers to make sure they keep a valuable forward or defenseman that they can’t protect in the expansion draft.
Hockey is a very unpredictable and often cruel sport. But it’s hard to see the Panthers not winning the Atlantic Division this season. They have everything necessary to be legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
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