SUNRISE, Fla. — Kids, the franchise is now yours.
The Florida Panthers are widely recognized as having one of the deepest, most talented pipelines of prospects. With Florida's roster decimated by injuries, patiently waiting for its youth to develop is no longer a luxury.
"A starting goalie, three of your top four defenseman, four of your top nine forwards out of the lineup is straining your farm system," general manager Dale Tallon said. "You don't want to force them in, but you have to."
Florida aimed to ease rookie Jonathan Huberdeau into his NHL career. He already leads Florida in goals with 11 and ranks second among teammates in points with 16. Drew Shore, called up to fill in for an injured Stephen Weiss earlier this season, now centers the team's top line.
On defense, sophomore Erik Gudbranson is averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game. Colby Robak, having appeared in fewer than a dozen NHL games, continues to see his ice time increase and has earned time on the team's power play.
And with No. 1 netminder Jose Theodore out for approximately six weeks with a groin injury, Jacob Markstrom has been thrust into the starting role.
"I've sent enough players up from the minors over my American League career," Coach Kevin Dineen said. "You look for that enthusiasm, that initial jump that guys can give us. The players we have here understand what our situation is now. I think they're the right guys to find that step that's going to send us in the right direction."
What's most ironic about the timing is that it comes as the ties to Florida's distant and occasionally tumultuous past have disappeared from the locker room. Captain Ed Jovanovski, the Panthers' top pick in 1994, has missed more than a month with a knee injury. Weiss, Florida's longest-tenured player, will undergo wrist surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
In the game that might be circled as the one of transition for Florida, the Cats skated to a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets with the team's youth contributing across the board. Huberdeau tallied on a penalty shot, Robak and Gudbranson picked up assists, Shore shared the team lead in takeaways and Markstrom allowed a single goal on 31 shots.
Of course, there are also the lows of inexperience as was evidenced by the team's 7-1 beatdown at the hands of the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Markstrom allowed two goals on two shots before Dineen yanked him a little more than three minutes into the contest. Huberdeau, Shore, Robak and Gudbranson all had their share of missed coverages on defense.
"It's a process," Tomas Kopecky said. "They're learning and it's a great experience for them."
At the end of the 2011-12 season, Tallon admitted winning a division championship exceeded the team's expectations. But his five-year plan in developing the Panthers into a contender involved a transition to youth. In building the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks, it was not until his third year at the helm that Tallon brought eventual superstars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane into the fold.
So while the Panthers' success may have been ahead of schedule, Tallon's plan is on-target.
Still, the Cats' GM has not given up on his team making the playoffs. He indicated he has been talking with other general managers, trying to find help. But it's clear the asking price around the league has been too expensive for Tallon's taste.
"We're not going to mortgage our future just to get a Band-Aid right now," Tallon said.
Even the 21-year-old Gudbranson, who joked he sounds like an "old guy," has an idea of the prospects other general mangers may be salivating over. He rattled off a list of names: Nick Bjugstad, Vincent Trochek, Quinton Howden and Alex Petrovic.
"I think it's starting now and it's going to be here very soon," Gudbranson said of the team's transition to youth. "It all goes back to how excited guys are to be here. The core guys Dale has picked over the past few years. Those guys are on the doorstep of making this team and making a difference. To have that competitiveness and have those guys in the system and pushing for a spot is certainly good."
Weiss is tentatively scheduled to have surgery on his right wrist Tuesday for an issue that has bothered him for a year. Dr. Thomas Graham will perform the operation at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
Florida's leader in games played, Weiss is expected to begin rehab about one month after the operation and could be shooting pucks in approximately two months. Doctors indicated the repair should bring him back to 100 percent.
The Panthers center said he would have played with soreness as long as he could remain competitive and considered surgery a "last resort."
"It's affecting the way I am playing. I am not helping the team, playing the way I am out there, 50-60 percent," Weiss said. "When you hurt the team, it becomes time to make a decision and get this thing done. It just so happens it's the last year of my deal and that's the crappy part for sure."
An unrestricted free agent in July, Weiss acknowledged he may have played his last game as a Panther.
"If that is the case, it kind of burns at me that this is the way I could be going out," Weiss said. "If it is the last game, it's the last game. I hope everyone understands why I made this decision. It has been a good ride."
Weiss, who is just one of 23 current players to have played a minimum of 10 years all with the team that drafted him, said he is open to re-signing with Florida. The Panthers have to want him back, though.
"It would be awesome to finish my career here," Weiss said. "I'll deal with the contract stuff when it all comes about, when I get healthy."
Shawn Matthias' spectacular goal against the Jets accomplished another: making it onto the Top 10 plays on SportsCenter.
The Panthers winger registered the eventual game-winning goal with an inside-outside move against Winnipeg defenseman Mark Stuart, then fired the puck into the top, far corner.
"My buddies are going to see it on SportsCenter," Matthias said when asked of his thoughts after scoring.
Sure enough, Matthias' move earned him top billing on Tuesday night's highlight package.
When Markstrom's equipment did not arrive in time for Sunday's contest against Carolina, the Panthers were forced to sign goaltending coach Robb Tallas to a personal tryout. Tallas, wearing No. 1, took shots during pre-game warmups and served as the team's backup for most of the first period.
"I had some old gear here, but I didn't have skates or some other stuff." Markstrom said. "Tallas is a good goalie, so I had no problem seeing him out there."
Tallas, a 13-year veteran, entered the contest one game shy of 100 NHL appearances. Unfortunately, league rules stipulate a goaltender must set foot on the ice in order to be credited with a game played.
— Jonathan Rheault made his NHL debut Tuesday against the Jets. On his first shift, the winger crashed the net, looking for his first goal. "I wasn't necessarily nervous, I was ready," Rheault said. "I've been playing a long time and I've known I can play at this level." Rheault became the fifth Panther to make his NHL debut this season, behind Huberdeau, Shore, Howden and Mike Caruso.
— Huberdeau became the first Panther in team history to score two penalty shot goals in one season. Pavel Bure and David Booth both had opportunities in previous seasons, but were unable to achieve the feat. Bure went 0-for-2 in 2001-02. Booth was 1-for-2 in 2008-09 and 2010-11. Huberdeau is just the second player since 1988 to record two penalty shot goals in his rookie season. The other was Columbus Blue Jackets' forward David Vyborny, who did so in 2000-01.
— One had to have the sense Florida's team doctors and trainers were going to be busy for a while when Tallon addressed the media during the team's morning skate Tuesday. Before the GM gave an update on seven players out due to injury, Tallon said, "I don't know if I can remember them all."
Florida will begin a three-game home stand Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. The Panthers will host the Montreal Canadiens Sunday and intrastate rival Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Florida then will head to Boston for a one-game road trip on Thursday.
