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Panthers in position to make some deals at NHL Draft
SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers vast improvement is reflected in where they'll be picking at the 2015 NHL Draft.
A year removed from selecting defenseman Aaron Ekblad with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, the Panthers, by way of a 25-point improvement in the standings, will pick 11th overall at this weekend's draft at BB&T Center in Sunrise.
No longer handcuffed by necessity into simply taking the best player available, Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said he plans to instead address areas of need with the majority of Florida's nine selections and is more than likely to target an offensively-gifted winger in the first round.
"If you're picking one through five or whatever, you might take the best player," Tallon said during his pre-draft press conference on June 18. "We took the best player last year, but we might look at what our needs are. Our depth chart is deep up the middle. And when you look at our future as far as the back end is concerned, it's terrific.
"There are a lot of different, good, young players in this draft that fit our needs, so we'll see what happens. If something shakes up and there's a startling pick in the first 10, that opens up more possibilities for us. But we're willing to do anything to make our team better. And right now if you look at our depth chart, speed and scoring are two things that we really would like to have."
That being said, Tallon also admitted that he was open to the possibility of trading the 11th pick for an established scorer if the right deal came along and expects conversations to heat up as draft day approaches.
"You never know," Tallon said with his best poker face. "Conversations are starting to heat up here now. People are looking to see what their cap situations are, where they're headed and what they have to do to stay under the cap.
"It's starting to heat up as far as 'what are you going to do with that pick? Would you give us that pick for this player'. That's just going to get more intense here in the next two weeks. We're listening to all options to make our team better."
In addition to their pick in the first round, the Panthers will also select twice in the third, once in the fourth, twice in the fifth, once in the sixth and twice in the seventh. With so many picks to play with, Tallon expects to be very active on draft day and fans shouldn't be surprised if a move, be it major or minor, is made.
"I like to think outside the box, so you never know what we're going to do," Tallon said. "It's a fun part of the job, draft day, the things that can and will go on that you might not have control over. But I like to think outside the box and I like to take some risk, so it'll be interesting to see what happens. I like to be active at that table if we have to make deals or not. That's the fun part for me. The draft is an exciting time."
FIVE TO WATCH
RW Timo Meier, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL): If the Panthers are looking for a consistent scoring threat with NHL-ready size, then Meier is their man. At 6-foot-1 and 209 pounds, the 18-year-old winger recorded a team-high 44 goals -- including 23 on the power play -- in 61 games for the Mooseheads last season. He has a powerful left-handed shot and would benefit nicely from Aleksander Barkov's pass-first mentality.
C/LW Pavel Zacha, Sarnia Sting (OHL): Like his idol and current Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr, Zacha excels at shielding opposing defenders from the puck and has one of the highest offensive ceilings among draft-eligible players. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, the 18-year-old center notched 16 goals and 34 points in 37 games for the Sting last season despite missing numerous games due to both injuries and suspensions. He's a high-risk, high-reward type of player, but someone the Panthers would definitely considering taking a chance on if he's still on the board when they make their selection.
RW Mikko Rantanen, TPS Turku (SM-liiga): No prospect expected to come off the board within the first round of this weekend's draft has more experience playing against professionals than Rantanen, meaning his journey to the NHL will likely be a quick one. At 6-foot-4 and 211 pounds, the 18-year-old power forward has the size that Tallon covets and his playmaking ability would pair nicely with center Nick Bjugstad's offensive skillset. If the Panthers want a player that could potentially be playing top-six minutes for them in 2016-17, then Rantanen is their guy.
"My goal is to train so hard that I'll be ready to fight for a place in an (NHL) lineup," Rantanen said. "I'll do everything I can to get there. I've played two years against men and I think it's helped me."
C Kyle Connor, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL): A well-rounded forward who lacks any glaring weaknesses in his game, Connor has top-line potential yet seems to be flying under the radar at this year's draft. At 6-foot-1 and 183 pounds, the 18-year-old center registered 34 goals and 80 points in 56 games for the Phantoms last season and is committed to play at the University of Michigan next season. He possesses a unique blend of speed and grit and projects to be a dynamic two-way player in the NHL. That being said, after recently being spurned by Michigan alum Zach Hyman, the Panthers may be hesitant to spend their first-round pick on a college-bound player.
LW Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL): A big-bodied winger that can produce in all three zones, Crouse is one player currently projected to go within first six or seven picks that could potentially fall outside of the top 10. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, the 18-year-old winger notched a team-high 29 goals and 51 points in 56 games for the Fronenacs last season, but lacks a certain 'wow' factor that most teams are looking for. That being said, he still projects to be a quality NHL player and it'd be hard for the Panthers to pass up such a surefire prospect if he falls to them at No. 11.
"Anything can happen," Crouse said. "It's the draft for a reason and it just takes one team to like you. We're just here doing our best and hoping to get up on stage quite early."
BEST-CASE SCENARIO
If the Panthers do hold onto their first-round selection, an ideal scenario would involve Rantanen falling to the Panthers at No. 11. Since he is not affiliated with a CHL team and not from North America, Rantanen has the unique opportunity to begin next season with Florida's American Hockey League affiliate, the Portland Pirates, and, if all goes well, could potentially assume a top-six role with the Panthers by 2016-17.
"I think that they are interested," Rantanen said of the Panthers. "It'll be nice to see what happens tomorrow."
You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.
