Litter Box Cats, a Florida Panthers community

After Jovo and Scottie, the calls just started coming in. Players started calling us.

Red is our color, [it] is a Panthers color. It's not light blue, baby blue or all these other silly colors. They have nothing to do with us. We were successful in red and will be again.'

Panthers assistant general manager Mike Santos said Wednesday that the delay in signing center Shawn Matthias comes down to something simple: "He and his agent can't wrap their heads around us not offering a one-way deal.''

Santos said that the restricted free agent is getting a two-way deal and that's it. Matthias is competing with the likes of Ryan Carter, Tim Kennedy and Evgeny Dadonov for a spot. Therefore, "I can't give him a one-way,'' Santos said. "I have to leave spots open for competition.''

"(Hockey) has to be your life. You can't be half in. You have to go for it."

This is a long-term project. There’s 10 years of mismanagement that we’re trying to turn around, hopefully in 3-4 years. If it means risking a playoff spot this year, we’re going to do it.

"For all our screwing up, we're six points back with a game in hand. We still have a chance."