Roblogg’s Panthers Portal

After an initial flurry of signings in the early days of July, it has been chiefly quiet days in South Florida. Head Coach Peter DeBoer seems to be comfortable with the players at his disposal and feels confident that they can continue to develop and challenge for a playoff spot this upcoming campaign.

Overlooked among the paper speculations, names and numbers of the colorful free agent signings, is what happens behind the scenes; how everyone, from the front office to the staff to the players – all prepare themselves for the new season ahead.

Here I will uncover how the Panthers are using a new groundbreaking technology in its bid to constantly improve. And, according to both players and studies made, this new technology can actually make a huge difference to their on-ice performance and give the Panthers an edge on the opposition.

To find out exactly what this new technology is all about and how it came to involve the Florida Panthers, we need to first travel north of the border, as is often the case in hockey, to the roots of the sport.

From Vision to Realization

In Kingston, Ontario, we can find the home of Blackstone Sports and its co-founders Murray and Steve Wilson. A father-son team, who ten years ago took the first step in realizing a modest vision of being No.1 within their field. They took the step over the precipice and set out from nothing to realize their dreams. Well, maybe it wasn’t that modest, but today it seems like they are well on their way of doing what they set out to do – with a double digit growth over the past decade.

It was an “exciting journey” as the co-founder of Blackstone Sports, Steve Wilson, put it. Working with engineers, this father-son team had to create a brand name and try to come up with something that would give them an edge in their field. And the field in question? Skate sharpening!

It is a subject that Steve knows most there is to know about. Having started working in his father’s hardware store at the age of twelve – sharpening skates of course (this is Canada after all!) – later this came to pay for his college studies and has been a pivotal part of his life ever since.

And from the abovementioned humble beginnings in Chatham, Ontario, the profession of his choice would eventually take him to Southern Florida; where a Panthers equipment manager and veteran player would soon come to play a big role in the spreading of a new groundbreaking technology that Blackstone Sports had developed – called the Flat Bottom V.

The Flat Bottom V Technology

In their quest to optimize an old system of skate sharpening that had been largely unchanged during the previous century, Steve Wilson and his engineers came up with the ‘spinner system’ which dresses the sharpening wheel differently – than the traditional single diamond system. It creates a different shape that allows for “a more consistent and more efficient way to dress the wheel” as Florida Panthers Head Equipment Manager Chris Scoppetto clarifies.

The Flat Bottom V technology came from working with this spinner system and the engineers eventually guided the process toward what would become the Flat Bottom V (FBV) shape. “The Flat Bottom V allows the wheel to be shaped in a new way, allowing the skater to have the best of both worlds. Traditionally if you had a deep hollow you would have more bite for agility but less glide because you were digging into the ice,” Scoppetto goes on to explain.

In other words, with the traditional system of skate sharpening; a player had to choose between agility on the ice or speed. With the FBV technology that is no longer the case.
The below pictures can illustrate this difference:

Comparing the FBV technology with that innovative breakthrough with hockey sticks; namely the graphite composite hockey stick, is not wide of the mark. Difference here is that FBV skates are not likely to shatter whenever a Panthers player is trying to clear the puck from deep within their zone…

The Prototype Sensation that got Stillman on Rails

Panthers Assistant Equipment Manager Chris Moody had been using the spinner system for the dressing of the sharpening wheel even before Scoppetto arrived from Detroit – and now the two Chris’s work closely side-by-side. So, the Cats had early on, an established working relationship with Blackstone Sports and, in 2008 when this new FBV technology was still on the prototype stage, Steve Wilson was in South Florida on a routine visit. He brought with him the Flat Bottom V prototype, and as it happened, veteran winger Cory Stillman was in the dressing room at the time and was asked if he wanted to try something new. “He did, and he loved it!” Steve recollects. “He wouldn’t let me leave with it!”

Indeed, so enamored was Stillman by the FBV technology that Steve had to leave the prototype behind. Chris Scoppetto explains why the player felt such a difference in his own recollection of the event:

“Cory Stillman was on an inch and a half hollow which is almost flat (no edges). He tried the Flat Bottom V and skated like he was on rails. He did not have to slow down while turning/stopping/ or going into the corners. Other guys began to try the Flat Bottom V and remarked how they were less fatigued because they were not sinking deep into the ice. Because it was a ProtoType Spinner, Steve was not sure he could leave it with us. Stillman liked it so much (as well as a handful of other players), we were able to keep the ProtoType in Florida”.

By the end of the 2008/9 season, Stillman was not alone in using the Flat Bottom V. Among the Panthers team were: Nathan Horton, Ville Peltonen, Rostislav Olesz, Anthony Stewart, Bryan McCabe, Nick Boynton, Keith Ballard, David Booth, Michael Frolik, Kamil Kreps, Richard Zednik, Nick Tarnasky, Radek Dvorak and all three Coaches – using the FBV.

“Like dominos, more players tried the new Flat Bottom V and more switched to it.  This was uncommon because at the NHL level players usually are not open to drastic changes,” says Scoppetto.

“Thanks for Adding 3 More Years to my Career”

Since then the technology was introduced upon the market, it is now spreading rapidly word-by-mouth among hockey athletes. Steve tells me that they currently have six to seven weeks of backorders – due to the heavy demand. And so, whilst being first in the NHL to embrace it, the Panthers will no longer have this technology to themselves and will hence perhaps lose some of that initial edge on the competition – before soon – although they’ll no doubt continue to spearhead the technology in the National Hockey League.

Studies undergoing at the University of Ottawa have confirmed that the FBV “blew competitors out of the water” as Steve puts it, in their tests – adding as much as 5-6% of speed (whilst additional agility is more difficult to quantify). The players certainly feel the difference and some have even thanked Steve for “adding 3 more years to my career!”

In a time of salary cap crunches and long contracts, that certainly is not a bad compliment to this new technology and something everyone can gain from. Not least hockey fans; as a faster more exciting brand of hockey is suddenly possible, in the wake of this great skate sharpening innovation.

Leap of Faith

So what else is on the horizon for Steve Wilson and Blackstone Sports?

They are at the moment trying to keep up with the demand and backorders on the Flat Bottom V, but are also looking at how to use and adapt the technology to other ice skating sports; such as figure skating and speed skating. No doubt the technology could turn out to be an as great innovation here as it is currently proving itself within the hockey world.

About his experience with the Panthers, Steve says he “feels great to be a part of the Florida Panthers” who he feels he has “a great working relationship with and holds in high regards”. He also says that Florida’s Head Equipment Manager Chris Scoppetto and Assistant Equipment Manager Chris Moody “took a leap of faith” when utilizing the new FBV technology.

And hence, some of the credit for the rapid spread of this new technology must go to the Florida Panthers, and in particular aforementioned Chris’s, and not least veteran winger Cory Stillman – who is now officially on rails – thanks to the FBV and Blackstone Sports.

The hockey community seems to have gone in to its customary summer hibernation and there is precious little to report. Apart, that is, from the rather tedious Phoenix Coyotes and its bankruptcy hearing – and of course the breif excursion in to crime by young Chicago Blackhawks sniper Patrick Kane. The latter may possibly even have been overblown by a hockey media in desperate search of headlines.

All this leaves us with is a couple of minor moves of Panthers interest and one non-mover previously linked with the Cats, a new Cap coach, and of course the Canes – blowing some wind…

To begin with former Florida goaltender Ed Belfour was hired by the St. Louis Blues organization to work as a goalie consultant in their AHL affiliate Peoria Rivermen. After Tomas Vokoun was brought in to the Panthers in the summer of 2007, Belfour was deemed expendable and he then spent the following season in Sweden, playing for the second tier team Leksand Stars. Like with all former Cats I wish him well in Peoria and hope goalie coaching will be something he enjoys. Being one of the goalies with most wins in the NHL certainly gives him the required experience for the job.

On a sidenote the Washington Capitals also turned to a former goalie legend and offered Arthurs Irbe the goalie coach position with the organization. The Caps could surely do with a good goalie coach if they are ever to progress as far in the playoffs as Tsar Alex’s ego undoubtedly expects them to be. However, a coach can only do so much, and Washington needs a goaltender that can match their ambition with the required talents. Whether Semen Varlamov has what it takes, remains yet to be seen.

Over on the West Coast of Florida, the Tampa Bay Lightning has been busy as usual and also in the habitual ownership turmoil. Amidst all this GM Brian Lawton is attempting to put together a decent team by getting rid of some key players. Typical Lightning logic the skeptic may say. Former Cat Vaclav Prospal was unceremoniously bought out of his massive three year remaining contract and dumped upon the free agent market. This whilst Ville Peltonen’s former tormenter Evgeny Artuykhin was traded to Ducks yesterday, in another cost-cutting measure. Undoubtedly the giant Russian will fit like, well, a duck in water with Anaheim’s tough-guy image.

Apparently all these salary dumps out of the blue are leading somewhere. The Tampa Bay Lightning is, according to most trade rumors, first in line to sign star winger Alex Tanguay. The Panthers had previously been in that position, but contrary to some Internet reports – no deal was ever agreed. Tanguay remains a free agent, and like I stated here when the reports were coming in hot and heavy, Alex will be in no rush to sign a deal. He’ll be anxious to make sure the pay-cut he is likely forced to take – won’t be all too sizeable. The longer he waits – the more likely someone is to get desperate. Something which wouldn’t wholly be out of character with the Bolts.

And on the low scale of money-grabbing schemes we find, not too sursprisingly, the Carolina Hurricanes; suing a local hip-hop artist for violating the Hurricanes’ trademark. Apparently they liked the song initially and had no problem playing it in the arena, but when it appeared the artist might get some money from the song – the Canes duly sued him. Apparently they want their share of the booty too…

Sometimes no news can be good news. In this case it depends on your take of the proposed take-over of the Florida Panthers by an investment consortium. Good thing, bad thing? No one really knows. Will it even happen? No one knows. Certainly, if anyone does know; they are keeping a tight lid on things.

Apparently the rumors of the franchises sale were just that – rumors. At least for now, that is. It doesn’t mean the deal is dead in the water, merely that more time is needed. However, the fact that it has taken so long in the first place, makes the deal less likely you would think. If it had been a straightforward investment takeover it would have been done by now. Makes you wonder what exactly is going on, doesn’t it?

Perhaps the whole Phoenix situation is also playing a part in the delays?

After all, potential buyers might be interested to know whether they can move the franchise without the full blessings of the NHL in the future. Indeed, if the Coyotes are relocated it could set a dangerous future precedence for hockey fans in South Florida. The Panthers are not the hottest name, on an already crowded local sports market, and there are other hockey areas crying for a team of their own.

Better then with an owner, Alan Cohen, that you already know?

Perhaps, but then again new owners could provide a greater impetus to succeed, to plow money in to the roster and go all out in search of on-ice success; which could very well (if sustained and significant enough) rejuvenate the franchise and endear it to more sports fans in the region. There is some untapped potential here, that’s for sure.

Again – no news so far; just speculation. And we’ll probably have to sit in the silence for some while; whilst little newsdroplets trickle out one at a time. Nothing looks, unlike what the Herald may have claimed earlier, imminent at this time in space anyway.

Meanwhile, LW Ville Peltonen, has gone over to the KHL to play for Belorussian outfit Dynamo Minsk. The team ended dead last in the league last season, but have now decided to invest heavily in to the playing squad. Ville is one in a line of foreign signings that will try and help the capital club find some success. And good luck to him!

The Miami Herald’s sportswriter, George Richards, has stoked the flames of speculation in his On Frozen Pond blog by claiming that the Florida Panthers may be on the verge of changing ownership:

“The NHL’s Board of Governors is meeting in Chicago this week with the sale of the Panthers from the Alan Cohen ownership group to the SPAC apparently on the agenda.”

Apparently that would mean it would indeed be on the agenda today, Wednesday, although the Phoenix Coyotes situation is likely to top the bill of discussions. The paper could not confirm these rumors so it remains as yet unknown if indeed an accord to sell the franchise has been struck or not – between Cohen’s ownership group and the SPAC, led by Andrew Murstein.

If indeed these rumors are correct it is possible that the Panthers have new owners by sundown tonight. However, both sides have been shrouding any potential negotiations in the utmost of secrecy; and so far very little has slipped out about the proposed deal. Hence we will just have to patiently wait and see…

On the lookout for a new GM?

One thing that a new ownership could come to have an immediate impact on is the appointment of a new Florida General Manager, according to that same report in the Herald:

“Murstein is reportedly close to former New York Rangers/Islanders GM Neil Smith, who [...] is one of a handful of finalists for the job as it stands today. The other finalists for the GM job: Sexton, Doug Reisbrough, Doug MacLean and Jeff Gorton.”

This goes against Mr. Richards earlier predictions the same day; betting that current inter-rim and Assistant GM Randy Sexton would get the job. Randy has of course been handling affairs ever since former GM Jacques Martin skipped the ship in early June, and it must be said, Sexton was left with a real mess to try and clean up after his former boss. Considering this, it would surely be terribly unfair if someone else stepped in and took over the ship – now that Sexton finally managed to get it back on an even keel again.

Personally I’m all for letting Randy Sexton continuing as Panthers General Manager; he has surely earned the right to give it a go. Having made all the tough off-season decisions – he deserves the chance to see where it leads. Give him a one-year deal and see how things look at the end of the campaign, then decide if outside help is needed to fill the position or not, that’s my five cents in the discussion. What’s your opinion in this matter?

Sexton himself remains philosophical about the current GM situation and the deals he’s made this off-season for the Panthers: “I’m pleased with what we have done,” he said to the Miami Herald. ”For me, it’s straight ahead, lots to do every day. I’m trying to make the team better, the organization better. The GM stuff will sort itself out.”

Panthers new Russian connections

It seems that Randy’s hands have been tied by the proposed sale, tight money-ropes and coach Peter DeBoer’s expressed wish to not make too many changes: ”We talked about a few deals, and he (DeBoer) encouraged me not to make them. He thinks there is more here, more upside,” Sexton revealed to Richards. The latter then goes on to predict the same Panthers line-up that I predicted here, several weeks ago, in my article “Do the Panthers Have What It Takes to Compete?”

Finally, Randy Sexton also said that he’s currently trying to sign this year’s top pick D Dmitry Kulikov before training camp. The Russian player has a KHL contract but has a buy-out trigger that the player himself can activate if he pays the money stipulated in that clause.

As for the other Russian question, the one I’ve reported here about LW Evgeni Dadonov, Sexton reveals the stance of the Florida Panthers is that Dadonov’s KHL contract “has expired” and that the protracted deal will be concluded before next season:

”He will be with the organization. It may take him a little while to adjust to the North American pro game, but he has very good hockey sense. Elite hockey sense. He’s not big, but crafty and clever. He has terrific potential. We all know there will be injuries. If he’s playing well [in Rochester], he’ll get up for some games.”

As I reported last Friday, Evgeni Dadonov’s KHL club Traktor Chelyabinsk will be seeking compensation from the Panthers if the proposed deal to sign the winger goes through. The latest to come out from Russia is that the club indeed consider that the player has signed with them and are seeking help from the KHL to defend their contractual rights.

The coach, Andrei Nazaros, said on the Russian site Sovsport.ru that Chelyabinsk will want compensation money from the Florida Panthers; so they can sign a new player in Dadonov’s place. He say’s that they don’t want anything extravagant or too hefty – just a modest $500.000 dollars…

“Traktor spends 12 years developing its students like Dadonov and bringing them to the first team,” Nazarov also said. “And then some cunning guys from North America simply steal our players.”

The man obviously has a point, especially if Dadonov indeed has a valid contract with the Russian team. How the Panthers organization responds to this latest development remains to be seen, as of yet no word has come out of the organization in response.

If Evgeni is signed, he’ll be plying his trade with the Rochester Americans this coming season.

The pending signing of the Russian right wing talent Evgeni Dadonov (Panthers 3rd Round, #71 overall, select in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft) has been mooted for quite some time now. However, no official word has come to indicate it’s a done deal – from the Panthers camp that is. Dadonov’s Russian KHL club, Traktor Chelyabinsk, on the other side – have gone public with their complaints about the Cats snapping up their precious talent. Does the name Jiri Hudler pop up in anyone’s mind at this stage?

Well, it seems possible that this is a similar situation anyway. The Russian club claims that Dadonov signed a two-year deal with them in the spring, whilst Evgeni’s camp apparently denies this. The coach of the Chelyabinsk club, Andrei Nazarov, has stated that the KHL side won’t let go of the talented forward without a fight.

The route they’ll take is the opposite one of the Detroit Red Wings in the Hudler case; the club is planning to speak to the KHL to formally oppose the transfer – as NHL has already done in the other case. They also claim that they’ll produce the contract, which Evgeni allegedly signed in the spring, and put their case before a court of law – here in Florida – to argue their case.

Whether they indeed have a case or not – I suppose we’ll all find out soon enough…?  

It’s a tricky situation and frankly very hard to tell where the truth lies. This could turn out to be an affair that drags on for a while and likely new pieces of information will become available along the way, but for now, nothing is for certain – and we’ll have to keep an eye out for future developments…

The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet is reporting that the Florida Panthers are giving up on signing star winger Alex Tanguay. The paper claims that Canadian press now believe it’s a race between the Phoenix Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lightning to sign the experienced forward.

I have been unable to either confirm or reject these latest rumors that the Cats have given up on Tanguay. The interest of Tampa Bay Lightning and Phoenix Coyotes however has been widely reported. The deal between those two teams, which brought Radim Vrbata to Phoenix for Fedoruk and Hale, does give our western neighbors the necessary cap space to pursue a player of Tanguay’s caliber.

It would no doubt be a real blow to Panthers fans if these rumors came true – and Alex Tanguay were to join Tampa Bay instead of us. Take this latest information for what it is though, speculation, but as soon as anything more substantial comes along I’ll let you know…

On a sidenote, the same paper – this time using Russian sources, claims that winger Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atlanta Thrashers; is going to sign a new multi-year contract. The deal, if these sources are correct, will give him the maximum amount possible (20% of the teams total wages against the cap) and make him the best paid player in the NHL, earning an estimated $11.36 million a year!

Not bad for a player plying his trade on one of the worst teams in the league…

LW Tanner Glass signed today with the Vancouver Canucks, together with two other players. Glass played a few games with the Florida Panthers over the last two seasons, but saw most action with the farm affiliate in Rochester.

Indeed, the 25-year old spent most the 2008-09 season with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, playing 44 games and recording four goals, nine assists and 100 penalty minutes. The six-foot, 196-pound Regina, Saskatchewan native played three games with the Panthers, collecting seven penalty minutes. He was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers with their 265th overall pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Although the details are not clear, it is likely to be a two-way contract for the power-forward. Whilst inter-rim GM Randy Sexton earlier said to be interested in re-signing Glass, it is possible the signings of several free agent forwards already, may have crowded him out of a place with the organization. Hopefully the gritty winger will be given a chance with the Canucks, seeing as he’s a very likeable fella that we wish all the best in his future endeavors.

Another former Panther, 33-year old D Rhett Warrener, is currently out of work and has so far not been offered any new deal with an NHL team. He spent last season with the Calgary Flames and played in only 31 games for the Alberta club.

The lack of interest has surprised Rhett: "You’re kind of out there floating around. There’s nothing concrete about anything. Spinning your tires a little bit, I guess you could say".

If he does not find a new club this off-season, he may be ready to end his career, although his priority is still to find a new team in the NHL: "Because I’m a dumb athlete I don’t know if I’d ever rule out playing," he said to the Calgary Herald. "I imagine if someone came and offered me a contract, I’d have to consider it."

Elsewhere, it seems that a couple of the free agent signings by the Panthers were not made without plenty of competition from other teams…

Defenseman Jordan Leopold, who the Panthers gained the rights to negotiate with at the draft from Calgary – but was unable to sign before free agency opened, had at least one other option that is likely to have been hard to turn down for him. The former Minnesota University blueliner had an offer on the table from the Minnesota Wild, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. It was a serious attempt to get the player to join the organization, but in the end Leopold opted instead to join the Cats on a one-year deal.

So, why did Jordan reject Wild for the Panthers?

Because apparently Florida have offered him a greater role in their team for this upcoming season, than Minnesota were willing to do, and so Leopold chose greater ice-time above the overtures from the Wild.

Canadian center Jamie Johnson meanwhile, had already signed for another team – when the Panthers made their interest in him known. Having spent last season with TPS Åbo, of Finland, he then signed a deal with Swedish second tier side Leksand. He was signed as their new star centerman, but when the Cats made their interest known he was able to leave months before even playing a game for his new side. This because in his contract with Leksand he had the option of signing with an NHL club before the 15th of July.

The 27-year old subsequently triggered his get-out clause and signed a one-year deal with the Panthers; although it remains unlikely he’ll be seeing too much action in Florida. More than likely he’s been signed to play with the Rochester Americans affiliate – in the AHL instead…

Despite rumors to the opposite effect, circulating the Internet yesterday, star winger Alex Tanguay has not signed with the Panthers. It doesn’t mean he won’t, but like I reported here a few days ago; Alex will likely take his time to review several offers from a plethora of interested teams and then make an informed decision.

After declining numbers in recent years, mainly due to injury woes, he will need to jump start his career with his next team. That makes his decision an important one, not just for his future career, but also, it could mean he’d be willing to spurn some dollar signs in return for a perfect fit.

Whether or not the Florida Panthers could provide that remains uncertain. Certainly they are one of the interested parties, and inter-rim GM Randy Sexton also states that the club indeed have money to spend on a good player/addition to the squad (such as Tanguay, we would presume): “We’ve got dollars,” Sexton said on the Panthers website. “We don’t have unlimited dollars. I don’t think anyone does these days…There’s dollars available if we need them.”

He further goes on to say: “We’re having ongoing discussions with agents and players. We’re being selective to find the right fit to fill the right need at the right price. We the like the chemistry of our team and have to be sensitive to that. I think there’s going to be a fairly good-sized pool of people still around. We also want to provide a spot for some of our younger players.”

One can gather from this statement that the Cats indeed aren’t finished in the marketplace, and there are several good signings to be made (check out this list from the NHL website to see which ones are yet to find a new home), but it is likely the Panthers may only make one/two at most/ additions to the projected roster. The other signings are likely to be aimed at the Rochester Americans; who need an overhaul after last season’s dreadful performance in the AHL.

Meanwhile, one Eastern Conference team that was active today was the New Jersey Devils. They snapped up former Panther Cory Murphy on a 2-year, two-way contract. The details have not been released, but his salary will obviously depend on whether he can make the Devils team or if he’ll spend the season in the AHL. Murphy is a skillful and quick, yet small blueliner that can contribute on the power-play. He was picked up by the Tampa Bay Lightning on re-entry waivers last season, as the Panthers had plenty of depth in defense and didn’t need his services.

I always felt it was a bad deal for the Cats to lose him to the Bolts on re-entry waivers (hence being stuck with half his wages) and a slap in the face for the Amerks – who could have needed his experience on that level. However, it was a chance for Murph to re-ignite his career in the NHL. And now the Devils, who are well known to pick up fringe players and then mold them in to stars, have reached out toward him and wish him the best in Jersey.

Hopefully the Panthers won’t be left to rue this move in the future. We’ll see I guess….