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Posts Tagged ‘Alex Tanguay’

Alley Cats add Coach and Lower Prices, while ex-Cats move on

July 9th, 2009 1 comment

The Florida Panthers organisation has announced dropped prices in many sections, whilst keeping concession prices level with last year. Considering the low profile the club has been keeping in the marketplace though, question is if this price-drop is enough to convince many fans to return and purchase new season tickets. There is a real concearn that the team will not be competetive next season amongst many Panthers faithful – and as was expressed here in a previous article.

In addition the Miami Herald has reported that the Florida Panthers have found a new strength and conditioning coach to replace "Andy O’Brien, who resigned earlier this summer to become the director of high performance at the Edge School in Calgary, Alberta". Craig Slaunwhite will now take the position and he joins from Toronto where he worked as a personal trainer; and among his clients list a few members of the Panthers.

Meanwhile, a couple of former Cats have been on the move to pastures new of late. Goalie Alex Auld was traded from the Senators to the Dallas Stars in return for a 6th round pick in the 2010 draft. The Stars were in need of a back-up goalie to Marty Turko. With the Senators last season, Alex Auld managed a 16-18-1 record with a .911 save percentage and a 2.48 GAA. He has an overall career record of 74-75-25, a .905 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average.

Nick Boynton has also found a new club. The Fourth Period are reporting on Twitter that his agent confirmed that Nick has signed a 1 year $1.5 million deal with Anaheim Ducks; who have been in search of defensive reinforcements since losing Beauchemin and Pronger this off-season.

This deal also follows hot in the heels of the signing of veteran Finnish ace Saku Koivu yesterday and should go some way in re-building the Ducks for this up-coming campaign. There has not been any official confirmation as of yet, but is expected to come soon…. Update! It is now official….

Inter-rim GM Randy Sexton has said that F Ville Peltonen is likely to return to Europe. Rumors have him signing for a team in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, it is possible that the Panthers are trying to sign former Montreal F Alex Tanguay. Sexton wouldn’t be drawn on which players he’s looking to add, but it would seem like one of the few remaining top players in the market may have a South Floridian offer to consider – at least if one is to believe some of the rumors out there. This could actually be a very interesting signing for the Cats if it ever materialises… fingers crossed!

Categories: Florida Panthers Team or Player Info, News & Speculation, NHL Trades & Rumors Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No Time for Losers

March 25th, 2009 1 comment

Coming off a terrible homestand, losing four of five games, the Florida Panthers are taking to the road. Tonight they will suit up in Buffalo and tomorrow it’s in Philadelphia; before a quick swing west takes the Cats to Dallas on Saturday before returning home. A tough schedule by any standard or time of year. In midst of a hectic, battling, playoff race – it’s do or die time. Win a couple and return to South Florida with renewed hope — or start planning the summer vacation.

To be fair the Panthers are very lucky to still be in the playoff chase. After the post-trade deadline run of defeats and goalscoring woes; the Cats are fortunate to only be two points out of the alluring Stanley Cup playoffs. Montreal have gifted us a lifeline by being even worse; losing five games in row, but yesterday they finally got their act together and beat Atlanta 6-3 (while the NY Rangers won yet again).

The misfiring Habs stars – Kovalev, Koivu and Tanguay – were pieced together on the first line and the goals duly started trickling in behind the visiting goaltender Kari Lehtonen. Alex Tanguay got five points on the night and hope was reignited amongst the centennial celebrators.

It seems the funeral eulogies of hockey’s old boy were somewhat premature. With the Canadiens now seemingly back on track, the pressure to perform is mounting on the Cats.

Florida will need to win, probably, a couple of more games than Montreal down the stretch and seeing as both teams have a mere 9 games left to play – it will be easier said than done. In fact, at this point in time, you’d have to be a brave man indeed or a blinded optimist to predict the Panthers making the playoffs this year. Yes, hope is the last to desert the true fan, but it doesn’t look good by any standard right now.

True. The Panthers have played well in their last two games, versus Columbus and Carolina, and their efforts were more deserving of four points than the one received. But the hard truth is that nearly is not good enough, neither is a very good effort or a point of tepid solace from crunch games against fellow playoff hopefuls. There is no time for losers at this time of year, no matter how well they play when losing, this is professional sports and no consolation prizes will be handed out to the teams that don’t make the post-season.

The aim was clearly to make the playoffs this year and evidently nothing else is good enough. Or why is it we kept Bouwmeester when we could have strengthened the franchise for the future? It was to win now! And it’s time to start producing…

The Cats need to keep this in mind when entering the ice in Buffalo tonight. There are no excuses. Just win. And then win again. And again. That’s what will get the playoff circus to South Florida; not mere good efforts, which are commendable, but clearly not good enough in the end. It’s crunch time and we need results, not words of false hope.

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