Monday Caterwaul - Panthers GameDay Open Forum
by Donny Rivette on Mar 29, 2010 12:14 PM EDT
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Welcome to Cats' Blackout Week: wherein we - the Illustrious Twelve - must hunt for live video feeds in order to catch a single moment of action in three of the next five games, including tonight at home against the Predators.
It appears just about everyone who cares has resigned themselves to the stark reality that Florida will again miss the postseason, with none of the flash and madness of last season's statistical miss. The process of which has since been altered, of course. Smile wide!
Many comments here at The Box of late have reflected what Fox Sports Florida's Frank Forte candidly wrote of recently:
"As a fan, with the playoffs all but a mathematical impossibility given the Panthers (have) shown no evidence they are capable of putting together a significant winning streak, do you hope the team loses to enhance their draft possibilities?"
SportsClubStats suggests the Cats are cooked unless a record of no less than 6-1-1 over their final eight is achieved, allowing for a 1.1% shot at the 8th seed. Eyeballing those dreadful numbers, Forte's question is well beyond valid.
No Florida fan worth his collection of sagging rubber rats wants the team to lose; there's the overhyped "pride" thing at work, and all. Kinda tired of playing the role of spoiler, however, year after year.
But would your heart break if Carolina and Toronto just happened to win more games than the Panthers cobble together to close out the year? Perhaps that's the way to look at it without coming off as traitorous or even worse.
With the postseason now a pipe dream, it's in the best interest for the future of this franchise to secure the highest possible draft lottery selection, whether to pick or trade. Everything else is secondary.
Live Game Forum tonight at 7pm.
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I have no problem saying that I hope the Panthers tank the rest of the season. For what reason other than making the playoffs would I want them to win?
Here’s the deal. Every year, the Panthers always put together their only wining stretch above 3 games at this point in the year. Everyone gets excited, “Oh, just wait till next year. They really turned the corner.” Playoff misses, whether tied for 8th or 14th, are still misses. I would rather have the team have a chance at the first pick then see them win a few meaningless games with a bunch of players that wont be wearing Panthers jerseys next year anyways
The season is over, there’s no such thing as pride at this point when everyone in the league knows you’re not a contender.
I think the Panthers have given us glimpses of greatness, and I don’t think they’re too far off from becoming a great team. A highly touted draft pick might be just what the doctor ordered, plus a few nips and tucks here and there to be rid of the excess fat on the club.
I wouldn’t say greatness. I would say that we have seen positive things this year, but not greatness.
A number one draft pick is only going to help if he is playing with linemates that can make him better. Right now, we don’t have that.
A few offseason moves can accomplish that by acquiring a number one center, and getting a goal scoring winger. Something we have been lacking for quite sometime.
Building around Horton and Weiss is not the answer/way to do it.
Trimming some of the dead wood is also necessary. Kreps, Campbell don’t need to be resigned. If you can move Reinprecht and Stillman, then by all means do it.
While I don’t want to see Vokoun go, packing him with a draft pick or two and or Olesz is one way to somehow get improvement. If we keep Vokoun and don’t sign him to an extension, then his value will be significantly less as we go into the season.
If the Flyers tank in the playoffs, look there as goaltending is a major issue for them, even if Emery comes back next year.
We would then have to consider bringing up Markstrom to share the duties with Clemmensen, unless there’s a free agent out there. Only guy I can think of is Marty Biron. he has experience and can handle 50 games or so.
Problem is I don’t feel confident in the management of this franchise to pull this off. We need someone who has the hutzpah to make these deals.
The Panthers need to clean house in their management office. Fire Sexton and JM’s old pals that are still around. Fire the heads of the scouting department, and fire Rochester’s coaching staff. The Panthers need big changes at the top to translate to the players. We can only hope that this happens prior to the draft.
Rochester’s actually making the playoffs this season… despite Florida taking a different player or 2 every week throughout the season. Hell, some games the AHL call ups played better than the regulars. I’m not sure firing them is part of any sort of solution…
I’m also not sure you want to fire Sexton at this point. He seems to have the confidence of the new owners, and so far I like what he’s done with regard to Leopold and Seidenberg. He’s gotten us assets to deal with, let’s see what he can pull off.
If the owners are smart and I have no reason to say that they aren’t, a full and complete evaluation of the team is needed immediately following the season’s end.
Getting draft pciks for Leo and Siedenberg wasn’t all that hard. Any of us on this board could have done that.
I don’t feel that Sexton is the guy to turn this franchise into a winner. He’s too cautious and talks from both sides of his mouth. First we’re blowing this up, then we’re happy with most of the roster. Which is it?
I say go for Yzerman as GM and let him run the show! We’d have instant credibility.
by The Rat Trick on Mar 29, 2010 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions
How many chances does Sexton get? He replaced two speedy and solid goal scorers, Zednick and Peltonen with Reinprecht and Moore? He was involved in the non trade of Bouwmeester last year. Don’t forget the signing of Koistenen too!
He was involved in the nontrade of Vokoun this year. I see a pattern developing….
A Koisitnen mention. Hard to refute that one.
by Donny Rivette on Mar 29, 2010 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, Rochester is in the playoff hunt. But Rochester has had problems developing players. The coaching staff is dependent on too many veterans. I worry about all these top picks that the Panthers are going to have and who is behind developing them. Don’t forget that Rochester was in first place at the beginning of the season and spiraled downward to a 7th spot for the playoffs. There are only two to three Panther draft picks with 10+ goals…
Rusty Olesz
300th NHL game tonight.
In celebration of the accomplishment, let’s all envision a low backhander the moment he hits the ice.
Da Preds...
Who’s this Belak guy?? (I kid)
by OldDave on Mar 29, 2010 7:11 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
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