A Quiet Deadline after All in South Florida?
The Florida Panthers kept their collective heads above water by winning last night’s game in Atlanta. The Thrashers are a tricky team to play and have done well as of late. The Cats again started slow, and in the end it took two game tying goals from rookie Michael Frolik and mesmerizing set-up pass from Karlis Skrastins to get them playing some good hockey. Atlanta then staged a late comeback in the third and made for a couple of nervous minutes before the buzzer relieved the dangling visitor’s nerves.
It is a time of dread and apprehension for most players and fans as the trade deadline approaches and several Panthers players have seen their names out there in the rumor mill. The call-up of Keaton Ellerby and disciplining of Nick Boynton also added some fuel to the flames already burning around the heels of Jay Bouwmeester.
Will Jay Bouwmeester stay in South Florida for the remainder of the season or be traded later on today?
But with the deadline finally upon us all, here are my last minute predictions for the Florida Panthers and our involvement: It may very well be a quiet trade deadline after all.
I base this guess on what Head Coach Peter DeBoer said prior to the Atlanta game when asked about the Panthers current situation and the pending trade deadline: "Jacques (Martin, Panther GM) realizes we’ve got a good group in here, we’ve got some chemistry. Unless he feels he can improve the team substantially, I think he’s going to keep that in mind going into the deadline."
Hence it seems unlikely the General Manager would go against his Head Coach’s wishes and make big changes to the chemistry of the team. Jacques has previously said he’d be willing to do that if it was in the clubs best interest, but then again, the best interest of this club is to make the playoffs and making big changes could severely hamper those goals.
Many hockey experts also seem to be of the opinion that the franchise would do best in keeping Jay Bouwmeester for the playoff race and then trade his rights at the upcoming draft. This seems like the most probable outcome right now. Jay-Bo will see out his contract here in South Florida, unless there is some GM out there that is ready to mortgage his entire franchise in getting Bouwmeester. And that’s pretty much what it would take.
Jacques Martin has said that the Cats don’t just want draft picks or prospects; they want a top six forward and a top four defenseman – in addition to some mouthwatering prospects and picks. Now that’s a hefty price! And I don’t think anyone will be willing to pay that price right now with a tight salary cap and few movements in the transfer market as a whole over the season.
Yet, who knows what’s really going to happen? That’s the thrill of this day and why I, and many with me, are anxiously waiting for some news to start trickling in….
As for other movements, apart from the Bouwmeester saga, I think Nick Boynton is in danger of being traded. But then again, it all depends on what kind of disciplinary breach he really made. If it was of a severe enough magnitude; he could be traded. The call-up of defenseman Keaton Ellerby from the AHL sure makes you wonder anyway – what’s going on!?
What does the future hold for Florida defenseman Nick Boynton?
What the Panthers do need and are probably going to go aggressively in search of; is a top six forward. The recent injuries to the front line have shown Florida are vulnerable here and would need at least one reinforcement in this compartment. I feel pretty confident Jacques will pick up such a player, but if it will be the top centerman we so badly crave is a different question completely. It may be too much to ask to be able to get a star centerman and the Panthers lack perhaps the right high profile prospect for such a deal; unless of course Bo is available after all….
Anyway, we’ll soon see what our General Manager has in store for this club and it will be an exhilarating day to watch the action unfold. Some nervous movements are sure to follow!
