Roblogg’s Panthers Portal

The Florida Panthers need to realize the urgency that surrounds them upon their trip to Pennsylvania.

Having been outscored 11-2 in the opening period of the previous seven games played, it is time to start competing from the first drop of the puck.

The Panthers do not enjoy any glaring opulence of skill or physical superiority over opposing teams, and thus, need to rely on good old fashioned hard work to be competitive.

Somehow the players don’t seem to have digested this nugget of wisdom quite yet.

This was blatantly obvious in the dreadful 2-5 defeat against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday at the Bank Atlantic Center…

Complacency again reared its ugly head in that first period, and as always, the consequences were dire.

The Coaching staff, lead by head coach Peter DeBoer, tried to get the message across by pulling goalie Scott Clemmensen after a mere two minutes of play, but with no visible effect.

Since that abomination of a period, the staff has again made the point in training drills by having the players crowding the so called “dirty-areas” of the ice; along the corners, crease and goalie line.

Now that’s where you need to be to compete!

The players will have a chance to show that they got the message loud and clear by making it a game against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions tonight. Not the easiest place to be triumphant, but the players should nevertheless be able to spot this game as a possible season changing contest.

Imagine going to Pittsburgh and challenging the Penguins up and down the ice and grinding out a result. What could possibly be a better way to reignite Florida’s season…?

As long as the Cats show their claws and aren’t beaten beforehand, this could be a more competitive game than most would imagine.

The key will of course be the start of the game. Whilst the Panthers have been sleepwalking through these first periods of the games so far, the Penguins on the other hand have been looking focused.

In their previous game, Pittsburgh beat St. Louis 5-1 to record an impressive 8-1-0 start to the season. In that first period they outshot the Blues 22-3; which makes those 20 minutes of action all the more important for the Cats—to have as their mental and pregame focal point.

Get off to a good start and with a pinch of confidence returning: anything can happen!

Win or lose, the Panthers need to show they are no pushovers as against the Sabres. And then, perhaps, they can take whatever they get out of the game and take it to Philadelphia tomorrow and stuff it to their hosts once more.

Having beaten the Flyers recently 4-2 at home, the Cats are in for a less friendly opponent this time around as Pronger & c/o lace-up in front of a fanatical crowd at the Wachovia Center.

The Philadelphia Flyers has just come off a scheduling quirk that had them playing only their second game in twelve days yesterday—the previous one being the game against the Panthers in Sunrise.

In that match last night the Flyers recorded a 4-3 win against the Boston Bruins. This shootout victory effectively ended their three game losing skid in what was essentially an appetizer for the coming Winter Classic.

For the home-side, it was particularly the fringe players that raised their game against the Bruins. Both the fourth forward line and third defensive pairing caused all sorts of problems for the visitors.

The Panthers must beware that Philly will come at you with everything and everyone they have. This brings me to my final point: squad depth.

Coach DeBoer has not yet revealed his cards as to who will be in goal. Both Scott Clemmensen and Tomas Vokoun were unimpressive in the recent beating by Buffalo.

But, being the No.1, Vokoun would be expected to be given the task of trying to stop the Penguins’ imposing array of firepower tonight. However, whatever performance Tomas melds together in The Steel City, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Clemmensen back in goal for the Flyers game; seeing as he won the previous matchup.

Elsewhere, question marks surround defenseman Bryan Allen. Can his delicate knee handle two such high-intensity games in a row?

If not, expect to see Jason Garrison to be called up from Rochester for the match in Philly.

Also, we can almost certainly expect DeBoer to try and juggle a few people around in the lines to get some feet moving and perhaps some goal scoring chemistry clicking.

Apart from these possible changes, we can only hope that these two games won’t cause the injury bug to appear in the Florida camp—as it subsequently has amongst other teams in the league that have already felt the congestive grind of the schedule.

Playing two such tough head-to-head games will undoubtedly put the Panthers firmly in the chomp of the crunch. The strength-levels within the team will be tested to the limit. And at such a critical point of this early season; the Panthers must prevail and bring something with them back home to South Florida from The Keystone State.

I don’t want to imagine a 2-7-0 start to the season. If that does happen however, then it is truly time to hit the panic button…

It will thus be a critical trip for Florida and a real test of its players; their strength in character and the team’s will to win.

Can the Panthers find that inner fortitude to bring them through these trying times with flying colors, or, will they again buckle under pressure?

With Less than two minutes on the clock, versus the Sabres, goalie Scott Clemmensen had already been put to the sword twice and was now reeled back-in, by Coach Peter DeBoer, for the early hook.

Tomas Vokoun fared little better in that first period, in fact, he fared a little worse…

Three more goals from a Buffalo team vigorously crashing the net, one of which was a Vokoun own goal (!), and the Florida hosts looked decidedly more like kittens than the more ferocious Panther.

And yes, the stats lie. Not the scoreline mind you. But rather the other stats that would make the uninitiated think that Florida may have dominated this game.

That couldn’t be further from the shocking truth: The Panthers didn’t show up for this game and was dismantled from the very first drop of the puck.

The only reason the Cats could perhaps fool the avid stat-tracker is that Sabres cooled off considerably after that 5-1 first period drubbing. They looked like they were out for a routine practice session and threw the Panthers a late bone of conciliation.

And so the game fizzled out in a 5-2 comprehensive victory for the visitors.

Not what the fans that had turned up had expected exactly. Not least after that impressive win over the Flyers on Friday; which ignited a little hope with the beleaguered hockey fans of South Florida.

The comment of my better half really sums up what many-a-fan was thinking when watching the game: “I waited anxiously for four days, and this is what we get!?”

It truly was a disgraceful performance from the Panthers.

As a fan, it is hard not to get overly emotional after such an appalling first period effort from the Cats. Yes, we’ve seen this before, but even though the Panthers haven’t been one of the better teams since its early heyday; they have nonetheless been a team hard to break down for most opponents in recent years.

Not so – this time around – it seems.

Beaten 4-0 by Chicago, 7-2 by Carolina and now 5-2 versus Buffalo… And had the latter not let up on the gas after the first period, it might as well have ended 15-3…

Ok, enough wallowing in misery. I amply did that last night; hence my sore head this morning.

All the same, the Panthers are now 2 wins and 5 losses into the season and look as fragile as a crackled Ming-dynasty vase.

It is clear that a determined opponent can dismantle this Florida team at will.

The two wins were both against teams (Chicago and Philadelphia) that had bad nights in those respective games. They were both rusty coming to those contests and the Cats could eventually scratch out the victories: but not without a lot of effort mind you.

So, what is lacking in this Florida team?

Well, Richard Zednik for one, Karlis Skrastins for another; and that’s not even mentioning Jay Bouwmeester…

Richard Zednik may have been an enigmatic skater at times and distressingly irregular; but when he scored, it was goals that went against the flow of the game. It was not merely beautiful goals, but momentum changing goals that could, and often did, flip a game on its head.

There is no Zednik on this year’s roster. No one to unlock an opposing team that has the Cats cornered on the ropes; gasping for air.

There has of yet not emerged a Karlis Skrastins on the team either. An ironman defender that sacrifices his body at every occasion and that always plays his heart out. And in so doing; inspires others to follow suit.

Jay Bouwmeester was of course irreplaceable. His puck-moving ability was a continuous source of “get out of jail for free cards” in seasons past.

In addition, he regularly closed down the opposing star players, clocked up minutes like no one else and was key on specialty teams. I miss Bo.

Nonetheless, he is gone and so we must do without him. It was not a choice of the organization; if the individual doesn’t want to stay – there is little else to do about it. The losses of Zednik and Skrastins on the other hand were deliberate moves of the organization.

“Scoring by committee” has become the mantra and a flashy winger like Zednik doesn’t fit into such a narrow box. He must utilize his wings to be effective. Thus, it was no surprise he left either.

As for Skrastins; it was a numbers game.

He wanted a two-year contract whilst the Panthers were only willing to dish out one-year deals. That was a real shame. Shortsightedness was allowed to guide the organization and hence we should probably have been expecting a 2 wins for 5 losses fallout…

Also, as I’ve earlier detailed in the “Life after Jay-Bo” article, the Panthers desperately lack size and grit in the defensive zone.

The risk of such a tactical line-up is that the Cats can easily become hemmed-in, within their own defensive zone and be thrown back against the boards for sustained periods of time.

We have thus far seen this scenario been played out, again and again, in the early going.

This is a wake-up call and the management must respond!

Get the players fired up; not just for one game in a blue moon, but for each and every contest. Also, GM Randy Sexton must start considering his trade options, and if possible, bring in a tall, strong, stay-at-home defenseman to help out poor Bryan Allen in that task.

That would be a good start. Then in the future we could perhaps look for offensive help as well. Scoring by this current committee is obviously not enough.

A goal scoring winger and a big No.1 center-forward would be the choice in a perfect world. But that’s not likely to happen anytime soon with salary restrictions and a distinctive lack of trade bait within the organization.

These are gloomy days for Panther’s fans: once again.

But the poor start is yet reversible.

If the team starts clicking from the first drop of the puck, and if management realizes that further reinforcements are needed, if success is required; this kitten can still grow into a menacing Panther.

Despite rumors of the opposite, the Florida Panthers are not yet done and dusted from the playoff map. The win over the Flyers put to an end a four game losing streak, and as the performances are slowly improving; a ray of hope is reemerging in South Florida.

That however doesn’t deter trade murmurs from buzzing around the Panthers camp like voluptuous vultures. Nathan Horton is the latest and oft recurring target.

Nevertheless, I think these rumors are largely based on faulty assumptions. I’ll go on to explain why in a moment, but first a quick elucidation of the Florida Panthers and its methods may be in order to initiate unacquainted reader…

Florida’s Road Map to Success

The Philadelphia victory, 4-2, was a hard fought win for the Panthers group, a road map if you will, for Florida to follow in their quest for success.

The Florida felines’ team is not the most gifted in the league, in fact, no one star performer has emerged; scoring has come from the collective team effort and the stats clearly show this fact:

Michael Frolik and Stephen Weiss top the point chart with 2 goals and 2 assists each in the opening six games. Three players; Radek Dvorak, Steven Reinprecht, and Dmitry Kulikov, have notched up three points. Six players have two, and of the players that have appeared in more than one game; only Gregory Campbell has yet to snatch a point.

While this says much about the Panthers need for combined scoring, it also highlights the clubs call for greater point production all around.

Each and every one of the current players are required to step up their game and chip in with hard fought goals if the Cats are to have any chance whatsoever.

In the second and third period on Friday, after a stern telling off from the coach, the players managed to do just that and the end result was a much needed win versus the Flyers.

Now the Floridians will have to keep up the pressure in every game, not just once in a blue moon.

Indeed, consistency was the issue throughout all of last season, or rather: the lack thereof. And this time around the Panthers have probably even less room for inconsistency…

Not least after the uninspiring 2-4 start to the campaign.

People outside of South Florida that aren’t necessarily acquainted with the Cats’ brand of hockey sometimes misunderstand the pillars that the team is built around.

Again; there is no star player to lean against for scoring. That is the job and responsibility of the entire team: the defenders as much as the forwards. Hence why we constantly see Panthers’ blueliners pinch-in at the offensive zone and jump into scoring areas at every opportunity.

Coach Peter DeBoer believes in the collective effort. Yet everybody must pull in the same direction for this tactic to be successful, everyone is looked upon to put in sterling, grinding shifts, for the cause. DeBoer will act swiftly if someone is not pulling their load.

Sometimes, fairly and unfairly, Nathan Horton has been pinpointed as one that doesn’t give 100% exertion into all games. However, worth noting is that Peter DeBoer seems to hold Horton’s endeavors in high regard.

Nathan didn’t start the season in the best of fashion, but in the last two games his, and the teams play overall, has made a remarkable upturn.

Why Horton Will Stay Put

Horton, a 24 year old 6-foot-2, 229 pound right winger, has only two goals so far into the campaign. However, those came in the two previous games and his play is showing clear signs of improvement.

Yet, the most frustrating part of Nathan’s hockey repertoire, in a Florida fans’ perspective, is his inconsistency. He can win games for the Panthers one day and then be virtually invisible the next. In this light his performances seems to follow the same path as the team as a whole over the last few seasons.

So, to hear Nathan Horton’s name already popping up in trade rumors is not surprising, and yet, probably based on the misunderstanding that he is supposed to be a prolific goal scorer and little else on the team.

Two goals in six games is thus reason enough for some to start the rumor that the Panthers are actively shopping Horton.

However, that rationale is based on a foundation that is not currently employed by the Panthers and its head coach Peter DeBoer. In Pete’s tactic Nathan is a two-way player that is looked equally upon as a defensively responsible and offensively predatory player.

He is not a pure offensive force (as he perhaps once was seen as).

What this does to Nathan’s stats is obvious: less goals scored and points on the board. This could clearly be seen last year as well when Horton was employed in the center. After having notched up 62 points in the two previous campaigns; he only got 45 points in 67 games played in 2008/09.

No one doubts the skill and potential possessed by the former 3rd overall pick from 2003.

What perhaps is lacking sometimes, and that brings Panthers fans to the brink of insanity, is his apparent lack of certain mental aspects of the game, such as a healthy dose of determination and resilience; to accompany those silky skills of his.

If Horton can adapt to coach Peter DeBoer tactics, and required two-way play, I think this can be highly beneficial to Nathan’s progress as a player. If he adds the mental wherewithal to his arsenal, he could become a lethal player yet, in the NHL.

Further, there have been no signs from DeBoer that he is specifically unhappy about Horton’s play; that has been directed more to the team as a whole. And there are no signs that Pete is giving up on Nathan.

Neither are there signs that the new General Manager Randy Sexton is contemplating trading Horton. Indeed, he has stated that the young Panthers players that have become the core of the team also constitute the long term backbone of his plans.

Nathan would surely be seen one of those core players.

When confronted by the Horton rumors from a Sun-Sentinel reporter, Sexton told him that “there is no shred of truth to the report, that it was absolutely made up and that he hasn’t contacted teams, nor have any contacted him, about trading Horton”.

I, for one, have no reason to disbelieve him.

This rumor sounds like a pure fabrication, apparently from the good lads of the Ottawa Sun brainstorming department.

Its basis, Horton’s lack of points, is based on misconceptions of the Panthers style of play and tactics. A poor study of character when it comes to head Coach Peter DeBoer, General Manager Randy Sexton, as well as a confusion of the long term strategy of this club.

Nathan Horton will remain a Panther, for the time being anyway.

To add to the list, Nathan is in his third year of a six year, $4 million per season, contract. Such a contract is not easy to move in a Salary Cap world. Most teams would be expecting to get more than Horton’s 45 points (last season) for that kind of money. They would also be obliged to give up some serious assets in order to tempt the Florida management.

Overall these hurdles are simply to big too overcome. But, does that mean Horton won’t be traded this season?

No, it does not. A trade could possibly happen later in the season, if the Panthers fail with their endeavor of putting up a decent challenge for the playoffs.

While Florida would probably prefer to move some of their veterans in that case of events, it is not impossible that management might consider moving Horton if they are unhappy with his performances at that point; especially as Nathan has a no-movement clause kicking in next July 1st.

That however, amounts to a grand subtotal of: Copious quantities of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.

As Panthers fans, we may or may not wish to see Horton traded, but I think we all understand that he won’t be going anywhere at the moment anyway…

For the time being we’ll have to hope he can dig deep, ignore the rumors, and continue to improve his play. However, he is not alone in that respect; all Panthers players will need to do the same, not least tomorrow; when the Buffalo Sabres come to town.

Coach DeBoer has opted to go with the same team that won against Philadelphia last Friday. That means Scott Clemmensen will continue in goal instead of Tomas Vokoun.

The Sabres on the other hand have started the season impressively and it is up to the Cats to take the game to the visitors and squeeze out another victory.

We need those points accumulating rapidly to keep that early playoff-push on course and catch up with the teams above us in the standings, with Buffalo being one of those teams.

To be honest I doubted we’d be here – with three games left and having a, not great, but good shot at the playoffs – yet here we are and tonight is one of those nights where things could essentially, although not mathematically, be decided.

Deciding – it would almost certainly be if the Panthers lost and the NY Rangers beat Montreal in the ‘Garden’. However, if we win – we’re still in it. But what a game to win! Away to Philadelphia… One of the toughest, literally, home teams in the league. Yes, we beat them there on March 26th, so its definitely possible, but will lightning really strike twice?

As this the final week began yesterday, some good news came to Florida’s aid as Montreal dropped a 2-1 lead and lost at home to Ottawa 2-3, in no small part thanks to Dany Heatley; who scored twice to turn the game on its head. The Habs looked all but set to claim a playoff berth, but with injuries to key defenders Andrei Markov and Mathieu Schneider, their powerplay has fallen like a house of cards (having previously scored 50% of the teams goals in its recent resurgence). Considering this, despite having a three point advantage on both Rangers and Panthers, the Canadiens have every right to be worried and looking over their collective shoulders.

Another piece of good Floridian news, was that Buffalo also lost at home. Perhaps more of an expected defeat as they hosted the Detroit Red Wings; who have won 16 out of the last 18 games versus the Sabres. No change to that woeful statistic as the Wings came away with a 4-1 win on the night. Detroit seemed to be in a constant powerplay as they utilized an unusual tactic by placing a player in front of goalie Ryan Miller at all times when attacking – whether 5on5 or on the powerplay. Odd, but effective it seemed as the Sabres scrambled for an answer to the unwanted offensive presence of Detroit’s power-forwards on the edge of the crease.

So, with Buffalo effectively out of the race, it’s now a three horse sprint. Florida competes with the NY Rangers and the limping, yet leading, Montreal Canadiens. It should be a thrilling rush of emotion and hockey desperation down this stretch!

And in the playoff chasing, last week of regular season, possibly no night will be of more importance than tonight.

Montreal travel to New York for a crucial head-to-head battle with the Rangers. Panthers’ fans will be hoping that this contest will finish a two point game and not a three point affair. But, whoever comes out on-top of that fight; Florida still need to take care of their own business – first and foremost. A point will be of absolute necessity, and most likely – unless Rangers lose – nothing but a victory will suffice in such a tight race. Not an easy task, but it should be enough motivation for the Cats to bring their A-game to the rink.

Shame only that the game isn’t aired on local television… but for those that have NHL Center Ice – at least you’ll have an exciting game to look forward to….

Lastly, a little note about the Florida Panthers being in the limelight as of late.

Our plight and search for some post-season action has not gone unnoticed around the hockey world. I’ve seen several articles – ranging from Canada to Sweden – that focus on the Panthers and our hunt for a playoff spot. Most articles focus on our nine years on the outside looking in, the inconsistency of the teams’ play this year and coach DeBoer’s optimistic statements that the club will make the playoffs. Meanwhile, Keith Ballard’s hipmongous-check of Evgeni Malkin is catching headlines and burning up at YouTube (see it below in previous post!)

The Panthers have become a bit of the “forgotten team” outside of South Florida, heck, even in South Florida; and suddenly people are realizing we have a hockey team here – that actually has a chance of achieving something. And more than one eyebrow is being raised, both on this and the opposite side of the North Atlantic, let me tell you!

Nonetheless, the undertone is still a bit condescending and it seems few really believe we have what it takes. With our record, one can’t help but being a bit skeptic too. We the fans, know better than any outsiders ever will, the constant crushed hopes and disillusionment that goes with the package of being a Panthers fan; and probably none is more skeptic of our chances than we, right?

Anyway, at the end of the day, all we can do is hope for a miracle – that somehow we’ll make the post-season. And tonight I’ll be holding my thumbs for a victory in Philly. Oh how sweet that would be….