It's not exactly a state secret that [Roberto Luongo] wants to go to Florida and in a perfect world, the Canucks would send him there. There's a bit of a stalemate now, as the Panthers feel Vancouver is asking too much and the Canucks feel Florida is squeezing too hard. One of the issues is prospects. Florida, which has done a great job stocking the system, is understandably unwilling to move Jacob Markstrom, Erik Gudbranson or Jonathan Huberdeau. An educated guess is that Vancouver has inquired about the "next level" of talented youth, like a Nick Bjugstad or Quinton Howden. Don't think Florida likes that, either. So, between that and the fact the Canucks don't want to take bad salary in return, things aren't really moving at this time.

[The potential for a league lockout/strike in 2012-13] sits in the back of your head. Obviously, it's speculation on what's going to happen with the NHL season. You don't really know what's going to happen. The AHL is a really good league as well. ... There's going to be some changes money-wise and all that. I just felt like for my future I can develop here and really gain my confidence and become a better player.

[...] Semin’s critics aren’t just found in North America. Matsegora noted in his AllHockey.ru piece that "Overseas, they rightly believe that he is too weak-willed a player who often loses the motivation to play. And he loses it at the most inopportune moments." Matsegora added that former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau regularly tried to motivate Semin, only to have the winger "shrink from criticism on the bench, so (Boudreau) had to leave without having achieved from Semin at least some noticeable fire in his eyes." Boudreau often spoke of Semin’s potential, believing the young winger had more promise than even Alex Ovechkin.

[Goaltender Michael] Houser, 19, was in Coral Springs, Fla., for the Panthers’ summer development camp July 2 to July 6. He is currently declining media requests as his agent, Paul Capizzano of MFIVE Sports, continues to work out contractual details with Florida management. After NHLers Jose Theodore, Scott Clemmensen, and Jacob Markstrom, the Panthers goaltending depth chart is thin, which will help Houser turn pro immediately, [London Knights goalie coach Bill] Dark says.

In general, you never want — how should I say this? — to rely on one player to really be the spokesperson, the face of your franchise. That said, we're in a very competitive marketplace and star power sells. At the end of the day, people want to come out and see superstars.

Renaud P Lavoie ‏@RenLavoieRDS Panthers signs Andre Deveaux 1 year / $700 000 NHL, $160 000 AHL Perhaps you remember him.

It’s up to him [to leave school and go pro]. Whatever he decides to do. If he wants to turn pro and fight for a roster spot, we’ll go forward. If he wants to go back to school then we’ll let him do that. We never tell kids to play in junior or to leave school. Let the kids do what they want to do. They’ll tell you when they are ready.

Oh, [the Panthers are] not about to deal away any of their prized prospects for a goalie who has become a punching bag in Vancouver. The abuse via social media has turned pretty nasty, remarkably so considering Luongo carried the Canucks to a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals just over 12 months ago. Nor is there any hurry for the Panthers to work a deal with the Canucks, to whom Mike Keenan shipped Luongo in a fit of ego six years ago.

Florida Panthers ‏@FlaPanthers RED ALERT: #FlaPanthers have agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with RW Jon Rheault - @jwrheault - http://ow.ly/bWIlO #NHLTrades Rheault scored 16G/17A through 47 games for the Abbottsford Heat.

@GeorgeRichards: ‪#FlaPanthers‬ have officially bought out forward Matt Bradley...put on unconditional waivers on Thursday