As has been shouted from regional rooftops innumerable times in recent days, Panthers center Stephen Weiss is set to become the Cats’ all-time leader in games-played with the franchise Thursday evening at home against Minnesota. The mark of 614 games will surpass current Dallas forward Radek Dvorak, adding to a continually growing list of achievements with Florida begun way back at the tail end of the 2001-02 season (Pierre Dagenais, anyone?):
- Fifth in goals (137), 5 behind Boston’s Nathan Horton (4th)
- First in assists (237)
- Second in points (374), 45 behind Calgary’s Olli Jokinen (1st)
- Third in power play goals (46), 19 behind Jokinen (2nd)
- Sixth in shorthanded goals (4), 1 behind Horton & Viktor Kozlov (5th)
- Fourth in game-winning goals (21), 1 behind Scott Mellanby (3rd)
- Second in overtime goals (5), 5 behind Jokinen (1st)
- Fourth in shots on goal (1,176), 1 (yes, one) behind Kozlov (3rd)
Fabulous numbers given the rosters he’s been tied into through the years, and truly deserving of whatever honors the club decides to bestow upon him apart from what is already in the record book. Not only has he played every game of his career in Panther Red (and white, navy & powder blue) but he’s one of those rare cases – in modern times – of not only conquering the franchise-leader mark but having been drafted by the same organization…in the team’s hometown of Sunrise, no less. Make no mistake: dude is connected to South Florida.
Any good stories about #9 worth sharing from the past eleven years? Let’s hear ’em.