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So how'd the Florida Panthers do at the deadline ?

Goes without saying the league-wide excitement quotient ended on a considerably lower note once the afternoon wrapped than in previous years.

The Panthers did indeed make a couple of moves, one which garnered its fair share of attention, and another that fell on understandably deaf ears.

Star-divide

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg - long speculated to be a prime target for clubs seeking blueline depth - and Ohio State's Matt Bartkowski (7th round, 2008) were shipped to the Boston Bruins in exchange for winger Byron Bitz, veteran AHL forward Craig Weller, and a 2010 second round pick (from Tampa Bay).

The loss of Seidenberg, who has family in the South Florida area, was forseen early in the day when defenseman Keaton Ellerby was recalled from Rochester, and could potentially be re-signed by the organization this summer. He has proven to be a popular and effective member of the club in his short time with the Panthers, and should be a valuable addition to a Boston club clinging to playoff hopes.

Bitz should step immediately into the Florida forward lineup, reportedly wearing #12 (finally!). Weller presumably is off to the Amerks.

The Panthers have now gained two 2nd-round draft picks (one from the Jordan Leopold deal) for this year's draft in the past three days.

The Cats then went into stealth-mode on a second transaction, this time with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who apparently couldn't find a player on their roster not named Nash who was worthy of holding onto.

2007 4th round pick Matt Rust (currently with the Michigan Wolverines) was dealt to the Jackets for part-time NHLer - and pending UFA - Mathieu Roy. This one can't be more than a temporary "filler" acquisition for Rochester.

GM Randy Sexton on today's moves, via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

"I like a lot of our team. I’m not happy with where we are and I’m not happy with some of our players, but this is not, ‘Let’s load them up with dynamite and blow everything up. We’ve got some good players here. We’ve got guys that are bonafide, legit NHL players. This is about improving what we have on top of that foundation. I could have traded some of our great core players if I wanted to, but that would be foolhardy."

There is more from Sexton, by the way, so keeping it all in context is mighty important.

From where I sit, this was a semi-successful day, from the angle of the Panthers getting some decent assets for a departing unrestricted free agent. Lots more could have been done, of course, but as the GM stated, anything less than full value for Florida's current crop of players - love them or hate them - is simply not acceptable. Today's result only ups the ante on Panthers management to perform in a big way at the draft in June.

Poll
Randy Sexton's first deadline:
Winner...made the most out of a bad situation without being gutted
24 votes
Loser...so much more could have been done - at any price
26 votes
Undecided...this is an admitted multi-step process
23 votes

73 votes | Poll has closed

Comment 11 comments  |  0 recs  | 

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did anyone watch the sexton interview on TFP… this guy just makes me angry he goes against everything he said in the letter

by peterbiz09 on Mar 3, 2010 5:19 PM EST reply actions  

Then again, it was Siegel and Viner who did the letter, yes?

by Donny Rivette on Mar 3, 2010 5:34 PM EST up reply actions  

Can’t wait to sit down in a couple hours and really look things over.

I think today was a sign that the Panthers have a whole bunch of players that no one else wants.

by keithwozniak on Mar 3, 2010 6:34 PM EST reply actions  

Just to clarify my opinion...

…I don’t wish them to lose, and of course a late-season surge would be extraordinary; only that I’ve personally come to grips with the very probable reality of another early tee time in April.

That being the case, I do not see the logic in dealing from a position of weakness by management, i.e. getting less than market value simply to trade for players who cannot help the team win today, this week, or this season. Rushing into deals is not the prudent move. Take the proper time to get the homework done. In my mind, that means a splash at the draft.

If Sexton felt he was being railroaded by other clubs between the alleged pressures of the deadline and The Letter, then by all means he made the right decision by not giving away assets.

My $0.02.

by Donny Rivette on Mar 3, 2010 6:44 PM EST reply actions  

this is dead on

No point making trades just to make trades. The good teams always get value out of deals.

by BudGHG on Mar 3, 2010 9:40 PM EST up reply actions  

so, does this put us in the running for Taylor Hall? If not by getting the pick, atleast packaging our 1st rounder (possibly 2-5) and maybe half of our dozen 2nd rounders that we traded for.

by milhouse on Mar 3, 2010 6:45 PM EST reply actions  

Guys/gals you all know I’m a fan and want nothing but success for us. But today, the letter, and Sextons tirade all look pretty stupid right now. Also from what I’ve read so did his presser from today.

Things have not changed and as a matter of fact they are now worse. Indeed we have players that no one wants and contracts we can’t get rid of. JM ruined this team.

Now Sexton likes the players? Why? Did they improve during the Olympic break?

Sorry but this franchise needs a lot of work.

Stu, if you’re reading this I’ll take the job of GM. Promise I can’t do any worse but I won’t be afraid to make a deal either! There is no good reason why we didn’t do better today!
Management said this team would look different. Bitz? Who’s Mat Roy?

Stop kidding us.
We know better.

by The Rat Trick on Mar 3, 2010 6:49 PM EST via mobile reply actions  

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25 - 17 - 11

Won 1

Southeast Standings

GP W L OTL PT
Florida 53 25 17 11 61
Washington 54 28 21 5 61
Winnipeg 56 26 24 6 58
Tampa Bay 53 23 24 6 52
Carolina 55 20 25 10 50

(updated 2.10.2012 at 3:26 AM EST)

Florida Panthers Roster

# Pos. DOB W H
Krys Barch 21 RW 3/26/1980 237 6-1
Sean Bergenheim 20 LW 2/8/1984 200 5-11
Matt Bradley 22 RW 6/13/1978 201 6-3
Brian Campbell 51 D 5/23/1979 189 6-0
Scott Clemmensen 30 G 7/23/1977 203 6-3
Keaton Ellerby 4 D 11/5/1988 220 6-4
Tomas Fleischmann 14 RW 5/16/1984 192 6-1
Jason Garrison 52 D 11/13/1984 216 6-2
Marcel Goc 57 C 8/24/1983 202 6-1
Erik Gudbranson 44 D 1/7/1992 195 6-4
Ed Jovanovski 55 D 6/26/1976 221 6-3
Tomas Kopecky 82 RW 2/5/1982 203 6-3
Dmitry Kulikov 7 D 10/29/1990 196 6-1
John Madden 10 C 5/4/1973 190 5-11
Jacob Markstrom 25 G 1/31/1990 178 6-3
Shawn Matthias 18 C 2/19/1988 216 6-4
Mikael Samuelsson 26 RW 12/23/1976 218 6-2
Mike Santorelli 13 C 12/14/1985 190 6-0
Jack Skille 12 RW 5/19/1987 215 6-1
Tyson Strachan 23 D 10/30/1984 215 6-2
Marco Sturm 16 LW 9/8/1978 194 6-0
Jose Theodore 60 G 9/13/1976 185 5-11
Scottie Upshall 19 RW 10/7/1983 200 6-0
Kris Versteeg 32 RW 5/13/1986 182 5-10
Mike Weaver 43 D 5/2/1978 186 5-9
Stephen Weiss 9 C 4/3/1983 193 5-11

Florida Panthers Injuries

Probable

Player Injury Type Injury Date
Jose Theodore knee 02/09/2012

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player Injury Type Injury Date
Ed Jovanovski hand 01/17/2012
Marco Sturm knee 02/02/2012
Scottie Upshall sports-hernia 01/25/2012
Jack Skille shoulder 01/24/2012
Dmitry Kulikov knee 01/22/2012
Jacob Markstrom knee 01/08/2012

Managing Editor/Founder

Dr_lbc_small Donny Rivette

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72488_1648302053590_1418112790_1689932_3489331_n_small Alexander Calloway