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LBC’s All-Time Florida Panthers Roster Countdown: 22-21

Welcome back to the Florida Panthers roster countdown, Chapter LXXVIII. For full disclosure on how the list was made, click here.

Yesterday, we recapped early era Panthers center Stu Barnes (191 games, 49 goals, 72 assists) as well as right winger Ray Sheppard (190 games, 61 goals, 60 assists). Today, we’ll go over two more ex-Panthers, a defenseman from Smith Falls, Ontario, and a very recent ex-Panther from Vancouver.

To go on with the show, click below.

22. Terry Carkner

Carkner was a 6’3″ defenseman from Smith Falls, Ontario when selected in the first round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers, with the 14th overall pick. Before turning pro, he spent three seasons with the OHL Peterborough Petes (184 games, 30 goals, 100 assists).

In 1986-87, Carkner split the season between the Rangers (52 games, two goals, 13 assists), and their AHL affiliate, the New Haven Nighthawks (12 games, two goals, six assists). The Rangers traded him to the Quebec Nordiques with Jeff Jackson for John Ogrodnick and David Shaw on September 30.

After one season with Quebec (63 games, three goals, 24 assists), Carkner went on to play for the Philadelphia Flyers (376 games, 29 goals, 103 assists) and the Detroit Red Wings (88 games, two goals, eight assists). He joined the Panthers prior to the 1995-96 season as a free agent signing.

In Carkner’s first season with the Panthers, he ranked second on the team with a plus-10 rating. He scored three goals on 42 shots and pitched in 10 assists, finishing the season with 80 penalty minutes in 73 contests. He added four assists through 22 playoff matches. He had a season high two assists in a 3-0 win over the Hartford Whalers on October 21.

1996-97 would see Carkner make 14 assists through 70 Panthers games, including two assists on December 1 in a 4-2 victory over the Red Wings. He went scoreless in 38 shots on goal, finished the season at minus-4, and earned 96 penalty minutes. In five postseason matches that season he went scoreless with a minus-3 rating.

In 1997-98, Carkner scored one goal on 34 shots, a game winner in a 4-3 decision over the New York Rangers on December 12. He registered seven assists on the campaign with a plus-6 rating and 63 penalty minutes. He made a season high two assists on November 26 as the Panthers destroyed the Boston Bruins, 10-5.

Carkner vs Janssens Jan 21, 1998 (via hockeyfightsdotcom)

Carkner averaged 18:14 through 62 contests in his final season as a Panther. He put up a season high two points with a goal and an assist on December 28 in a 5-1 win over the New York Islanders. In total, he scored two goals on 25 shots, along with nine assists, 54 PIM, and an even rating. He retired following the season, and later coached the Villanova IceCats in collegiate hockey, in 2004-05.

All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 279 games, six goals, 40 assists, 46 points, plus-12 rating, 293 PIM, 15.8 APS.

21. Jason Garrison

Garrison is a 6’2″ defenseman from White Rock, British Columbia. Undrafted, he chose to attend the University of Minnesota at Duluth for three seasons beginning in 2005-06 (87 games, nine goals, 20 assists). He signed a two year entry level contract with the Panthers on April 2, 2008.

In 2008-09, Garrison played in one NHL game with the Panthers, logging 11:57 of ice time on October 25 in a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues. He played most of the season with Florida’s then-AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans (75 games, eight goals, 27 assists).

2009-10 would see Garrison spend substantial portions of the season with both clubs. He scored three goals and 16 assists in 38 AHL contests, and also played in 39 games for the Panthers. On March 3, he scored his first career NHL goal, along with an assist for a season high two points in a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored two goals on 24 shots along with six assists. He led the team with a plus-5 rating, averaging 15:08 per game.

Garrison joined the Panthers full time in 2010-11 after signing a 2-year/$1,350,000 contract. On March 12, he scored a goal and an assist as the Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3. He scored five goals on 116 shots, pitching in 13 assists. With 22:18 ATOI over 73 games, he finished second in ice time to pairing mate Dennis Wideman.

2011-12 would see Garrison enjoy a pretty good season. Out of 168 shots on goal, he potted 16 of them (a new Panthers record for blue-liners). He also made 17 assists. His goal total and 33 total points were both good for fifth best on the team. He also improved his ATOI to 23:43 through 77 games, second on the team only to NHL leader Brian Campbell’s 26:18 per game. Garrison added a goal and two assists in four playoff games against the Devils, succumbing to a lower body injury in game four. Check out Garrison’s laser rocket cannon, with all 16 goals this past season in the video below.

All 16 of Jason Garrison’s goals 2011/12 NHL season (via GotMilktank)

On July 1, 2012, Garrison struck out for greener pastures, joining several other ex-Panthers with the Vancouver Canucks to the tune of 6 years/$27,600,000.

All-Time Statline: Four seasons, 190 games, 23 goals, 36 assists, 59 points, plus-9 rating, 81 PIM, 16.1 APS.

Well, that’s it for the bottom 269 players. Make sure to keep tuning in as we turn into the homestretch tomorrow with another Panther who left for Vancouver last season in our first entry in the top 20 Florida Panthers. Leave some comments, vote in the poll, and listen tomorrow night as we talk shop in the long-delayed and much anticipated third episode of LitterBoxChats.

What kind of numbers will Garrison see over at Panthers west?

Not much without Campbell to set him up, less than six goals 6
Garrison peaked last season, but should be good for 6-10 every year from here on out 35
There are assets on the Canucks that can easily help G52 score 11-15 goals 15
Garrison’s career year was mostly due to his invincible slapshot, I expect him to continue to put up 16 or more goals 3

Talking Points