"Second line center" becoming familiar refrain for Panthers' Reinprecht

We've all jumped on the assumption that newly-acquired Steve Reinprecht will without question be Florida's number two center on the depth chart for 2009-10. Everyone who's anyone in the organization has trumpeted this assertion since the moment news of the deal went down late last week. The assumed first-liner, Stephen Weiss, is reasonably safe in his present position as the Top Cat, right?

Panthers president Michael Yormark has now inserted his take on the newest forward:

I hope all of our fans liked our move for center Steve Reinprecht on Friday. He is a Peter DeBoer type of guy and has all of the characteristics of a Panther player -  character, grit and speed.

Wait for it, wait...

He should fit in nicely on our second line and will be a great asset in the locker room.

Wind up ye ole W4E Conspiracy Box: is it me or are there vast numbers of Florida reps coming out of the woodwork to proclaim - again and again - that Reinprecht will be the second-line center?

How does anyone yet know whether the chemistry will be electric between Steve and, well, whomever comprises that now-storied yet fictional second-line? Who's to say he couldn't mix it up better on the first? Pointless to debate it now, this early in the offseason, but still...

The larger question appears to be why so many team officials have stated this over and over? Gonna throw out a hypothetical here: The long-promised terminator-type capital-letter Number One Center will be acquired this week. Not a soul has mentioned Weiss' name since the Reinprecht deal was consummated. Where is he in all of this? Weiss is many things - including Florida's leading scorer last year - but he is not a number-one who puts fear into his opponents. Second and third lines? Absolutely. Is he a Henrik Sedin or Mike Cammalleri? Not now. And the Panthers know it.

Of course we're just having fun here, but one can't help but think something may be afloat.