Panthers sign Bill Thomas; will play Tuesday
by Chris S Roberts on Dec 19, 2011 11:02 PM EST
in Florida Panthers Transactions
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With injuries coming in waves for the Florida Panthers and San Antonio call-ups not exactly impressing in their short stints in the big leagues, the Panthers have reportedly signed Bill Thomas to fill in a spot on the lower lines. 28 year old Thomas has seen time in Sunrise before, he served as the go-to guy for injury call-ups last season with the Panthers playing in 24 games across the span of the season. With injuries suddenly becoming a problem again (Jack Skille was injured vs. Calgary and Sean Bergenheim went down last game) Thomas will find himself in that position yet again for what could be a few months as players slowly return to the lineup. More on Thomas after the jump.
So why exactly does this seemingly minor movement command your attention? On the surface it may seem to be just a regular AHL recall except for the fact Thomas wasn't under contract with the Panthers, but harken back to the horrors of last season for this bright spot. Not only did Thomas generate a bit of offense(4G/3A, not bad for a career AHLer) but more importantly; he was a defensively solid, dependable player that then coach Peter DeBoer could use for 10 minutes of ice time each game. Bill Thomas isn't Kearns, Cullen or even Krys Barch for that matter; Thomas won't end up riding the pine for all but three minutes (see Greg Rallo) but will be cycled like any regular member of the fourth line. Thomas certainly isn't always noticeable in every game but he plays well enough as to not be invisible, which is really all you can ask for from a call-up. In essence, having Thomas in the lineup won't require Dineen to skate other players extra to pick up the slack, Thomas has shown he can hold his own quite well before.
I was legitimately bummed out after the free agency period to see the Panthers hadn't resigned Bill Thomas, but the foresight of San Antonio GM Mike Santos to keep this guy for the AHL affiliate made this deal a reality. The hope is that Thomas will fit in nicely (something other call-ups this year haven't) and hold a spot with the team until returning players force him back to San Antonio.
Thomas has 9G/8A for the third highest points total on the Rampage. No details have been released on the contract, but we're probably not looking at Christian Ehrhoff numbers. Tim Kennedy has also been recalled from San Antonio and is slated to play Tuesday.
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Always a good move to add Dollar Bill.
Seriously, Bill Thomas and Mike Zigomanis are two of the least-appreciated 4th-line utility men in the past 10 years. Thomas can take faceoffs, kill penalties, and isn’t out of place trying to fill the net with limited ice time.
For league minimum, he’s exactly what you hope to get.
DUE TO THE LENGTH OF NHL HOCKEY
SKATE ELECTRIC WILL NOT BE SEEN
He had some terrific moments with the Cats a year ago. One of the Bright Lights.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Dec 19, 2011 11:39 PM EST up reply actions
Happy to see a dependable journeyman coming in.
I wonder why our SA young players aren’t having impact play to stay at the NHL level? If your called up I’d figure you’d put your best efforts out there to impress and make the team’s decision to send you back a rough one. Always mystified me.
Seeing Red since 1994.
young players aren’t having impact play to stay at the NHL level
Just a guess: They’re being injected – blindly – into a very firm set of strategies on a first-place club. New to everyone in the organization. Again, a guess.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Dec 19, 2011 11:38 PM EST up reply actions
I hate to knock on Daddy and Kennedy, but the FLA organization really doesn’t have ‘that guy’ their itching to bring up from the AHL. SA is still kinda in the dark ages when it comes to our prospect pool, it’ll get better as the days go on
I’m putting here for reflection later on in the season…. #14 Tomas [Fleischmann] is getting a 40G season. FLASH COUNT: 12G/18A
by RPC on Sep 17, 2011 5:20 PM MDT
Find me on Twidduh And look at my Marmots
by Chris S Roberts on Dec 19, 2011 11:54 PM EST up reply actions
Neither of those you mentioned should take it as a “knock”. Both are prime candidates for callup at different points, but who can honestly argue against them projecting as career non-NHLers?
That may be a bit harsh (Kennedy is riding the line based upon solid effort while Dadonov, still relatively young, has deserved nothing more than he’s received so far) but you’re right Chris…no true blue-chippers outside of Robak, and he’s a defenseman. Who’s turned on by Repik’s performance?
The organization’s gold is in juniors, the NCAA, and (a very few) across the pond.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Dec 20, 2011 12:29 AM EST up reply actions
The drafts have been weak in general since Keenan and Martin had taken over. Keenan has a history of takin guys who don’t amount to anything more than career first liners, especially his first rounders. And Martin was always riding the benefit of coaching a great team in Ottawa. If he did anything in Ottawa, he choked off their offense, which all these years later, people see now.
by MrOmnipotent on Dec 20, 2011 8:51 AM EST up reply actions
lol, yeah, or third liners. Been awake for close to 24 hours with work. Didn’t even catch it when proof reading.
by MrOmnipotent on Dec 20, 2011 9:01 AM EST up reply actions
Part of me wants to go back and look at Keenan and Martin’s drafts with the Panthers but I don’t feel like making myself sick to the stomach.
by Todd Little on Dec 20, 2011 9:09 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Kennedy is a good player, but still needs to work on not getting knocked off the puck. I don’t think he’s top six material but he still has the potential to be a bottom line center who can chip in some goals once he builds up his defensive game a bit.
Dadonov is a bit of an enigma. He’s been good at times, invisible or bad at others. Repik has just never been very good at the NHL level. Though I thought he looked promising in camp this year, he didn’t play at that level when he was called up.
"Shut up, Pierre!" -Everyone
Litter Box Cats - Your Panthers Colossus.
A player we know well here in the desert.
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
Liked him a lot in his time here last year.
Litter Box Cats - Your tarp-free Florida Panthers Colossus
by Donny Rivette on Dec 19, 2011 11:45 PM EST up reply actions
I liked the flashes I saw from him back in the Gretzky days. Not a lot of players I could say that about back then.
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
Kinda fitting he’ll be playing tomorrow against his old club
I’m putting here for reflection later on in the season…. #14 Tomas [Fleischmann] is getting a 40G season. FLASH COUNT: 12G/18A
by RPC on Sep 17, 2011 5:20 PM MDT
Find me on Twidduh And look at my Marmots
by Chris S Roberts on Dec 19, 2011 11:55 PM EST up reply actions
true men don't kill coyotes or do they
Speaking of the Coyotes, did any new news could out of the recent league meetings regarding their staying or going that I might of missed. The realignment seemed to overshadow everything else that went on there.
Puck Daddy has an interesting bit about the worst hockey decisions of 2011. He has a bit on some of the lopsided trades from 2011 such as the Penner to L.A. trade as well as the Varlamov to the Avalanche. I think he missed a huge one though by not including the Olesz for Campbell swap.
Hockey is a business, only we fans love it as a game.
Olesz for Campbell wasn’t a bad move for the Blackhawks. Sure, they didn’t get anything for a guy who’s really boosted the Panthers, but they’re not a team in trouble, Leddy and Keith are doing nicely producing points from the blueline, and that cap space will be invaluable for them in a few years as Campbell ages and becomes less moveable. Kane and Toews need to be resigned the year before Campbell does and Seabrook has to be resigned the same year. Florida may have won “more,” in terms of how big of an impact Campbell’s had here and how little of one Olesz has had there, but I don’t see this as a loss for Chicago. They’re the only team other than the Panthers with three or more players in the top thirty in scoring and they’ve got four, three of whom are ahead of Versteeg and Weiss. The fact is, they don’t need Campbell and we do.
That was a cap move by the B-Hawks both teams are winners in that trade.
by Todd Little on Dec 20, 2011 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
Dale needs to make a trade. Our team needs to get more talented as the season goes on, not less (by injury)
There’s still time. Two months to the trade deadline.
"Shut up, Pierre!" -Everyone
Litter Box Cats - Your Panthers Colossus.
by John Beatty on Dec 20, 2011 10:05 AM EST up reply actions
as long as it is not for semin, i am all about a trade
by stopdropandbreathe on Dec 20, 2011 11:36 AM EST up reply actions
No trades need to be made. Its clearly evident there is not much talent down in San Antonio and the Panthers are in need of top line talent. They can’t afford to trade their top prospects, and the others won’t bring a top six forward. Panthers need to play the waiver wire game.
by MrOmnipotent on Dec 20, 2011 2:47 PM EST up reply actions
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