Roblogg’s Panthers Portal

A lot of questions were up in the air for the Panthers and its fans, going in to yesterday’s trade deadline. Would Bouwmeester go? What would happen to Boynton after his breach of discipline? Did Keaton Ellerby’s call-up have any greater implications – than being an extra back-up? Would Florida be able to acquire a first line centerman or a top six forward to bolster the offense?

As things turned out, and as I predicted, all was quiet on the deadline front. Well, not completely quiet, because the Cats did make a deal with the Bolts for D Steve Eminger; whilst giving up Noah Welch and a 3rd Round Pick. It was also rumored, and almost seen as a done deal, that Ottawa forward Chris Neil had been acquired by the Panthers. However, no conformation ever came and later it was made known that Chris was staying in Ottawa.

On the home front, Ellerby was promptly sent packing, back to Rochester in the AHL, without getting a game under his belt. Coach Pete DeBoer had a ‘clearing the air’ conversation with D Nick Boynton and the disciplinary issues are now resolved. Rostislav Olesz is set to start training with the team again after his surgery and could be ready to play again in a couple of weeks.

The big news on trade deadline day was however, the no-movement of Jay Bouwmeester. General Manager Jacques Martin had made it clear he would only be moved if the Panthers received something substantial in return to help the team in the playoff race; and clearly that never materialized. There were some heart-in-mouth moments when it looked like Jay might be traded to either Vancouver or Philadelphia, but reports have it they baulked at what the Cats were asking for in return (for what essentially is a rental player).

The biggest fish in the transfer deadline pond was Jay Bouwmeester. He will now stay in South Florida, at least until the summer, and try to get the Panthers over the playoff hump.

So with Bo staying, Boynton back in the fold, and Ellerby sent packing; the surprise move of the day was undoubtedly that the Cats put their fangs in the Tampa Bay Lightning defender Steve Eminger – whilst giving up both D Noah Welch and a high draft pick (3rd Rnd). It sure makes you wonder where exactly Eminger is expected to fit in to the Panthers’ already very solid back six??

Maybe Jassen Cullimore will see less ice time come this spring? Or a policy of rotation among the second and third line of defense will come in to fruition? It will nonetheless be interesting to see what plans Coach DeBoer has for Eminger once he settles in to the team.

Undoubtedly it is great to have depth in the roster when entering the playoff stretch, and Eminger is a more established defender than Welch (who, on a different note, I always thought did a good job when called upon). Head Coach Peter DeBoer also coached Steve in Kitchener in the OHL and knows him well from there.

It resounds as a move of insurance; getting a good seventh D for the playoff race, potential playoffs, and also someone that can step in next year if Bo – and any of the other pending UFA’s on the D leave for pastures new – come summertime. He’s a potential top 4 defender that can eat up crucial ice time and go forward with good puck moving abilities; and those kinds of players sure don’t grow on trees!

This season Steve was a team leading 25 point defenseman in Tampa and has had a bit of a break-out season on the West coast after some slightly unsatisfactory years in the NHL (he was drafted 12th overall in the 2002 draft by Washington). He could also, potentially, aid the Cats faltering power-play; as he brings speed and a right shot in to the equation, perhaps stepping in for Boynton?

Looks overall as a good deal for the Panthers! We address both current issues and future considerations with this trade. The big news however, was that Jay Bouwmeester will stay with the team and hopefully help us finally get over the hump and in to the playoffs.

GM Jacques Martin also said he still retains the hope of convincing Bo to stay at the end of the season. That may very well be a pipe-dream, but overall I think this was good news for the club going forward. The teams positive chemistry remains intact and we get some depth in defense. It’s just a shame we couldn’t get our hands on a top centerman as well…

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!

A Fourth Period article reported yesterday that the Florida Panthers is receiving a lot of interest from Philadelphia about Jay Bouwmeester. According to the same report, citing the Ottawa Sun, the Flyers would be willing to trade top-prospect James van Riemsdyk and veteran left winger Scott Hartnell for Bo. Hartnell has a no-movement clause and would need to accept the deal first.

As discussed, in the previous article about potential Panthers trade deadline wheeling-and-dealings, the Philadelphia Flyers is perhaps the team most desperate team for a defender of Bouwmeester’s caliber and could be willing to part with premier players and prospects for his service. Scott Hartnell is rumored as being shopped by the Flyers – in order to free up the necessary cap space to accommodate a top defender with a sizeable contract. Hartnell’s no-movement clause may scupper any such plans nonetheless and he needs to agree on any deal involving him.

The Florida Panthers would be expected to be very interested in a top-prospect of van Riemsdyk’s quality, but have three solid left wingers already in Booth, Stillman and Peltonen; it is consequently unlikely the Cats will want Scott Hartnell as part of any deal.

If the Flyers could package a replacement defender, a top six center forward or right winger together with van Riemsdyk; Florida could perhaps be more inclined to have a long hard look at any such deal.

Yet, Bouwmeester’s importance to the Panthers team is undeniable and GM Jacques Martin is not looking to rush any decision and will want to keep Jay’s services for as long as humanly possible. With a very tough schedule coming up and top-opposition pending at the Bank Atlantic Center; Florida will need Bo more than ever.

As a consequence, Jacques Martin will more than likely keep his cool and wait closer to the deadline before seriously looking at the deals being presented to him. With so many teams currently interested in Jay Bouwmeester; the offers are also likely to increase as the trade deadline moves closer and teams get more desperate. Philadelphia is perhaps the most probable destination at this moment in time, if a new contract can’t be agreed upon, but much will undoubtedly change in the coming weeks. Don’t hold your breath quite yet.

The talk of the town in Toronto is Jay Bouwmeester and his contract. No news there. No news either that it is in his native Canada that the pundits sharpen their pencils every time Bo comes around. Last it was the trip to Toronto and the media seemed more interested in Jay’s contract status than the game at hand or its result. Perhaps understandable – when your own club is not making any positive headlines on the ice.

The starved Maple Leafs fans are grasping for any twig of hope, dreaming of draft picks and the summers dip in to the free agent market. Top on everyone’s tongue is of course the lip-smacking possibility of getting Bo to come to Toronto this summer if/and when/ his much talked about contract is set to expire.

Florida’s General Manager Jacques Martin and Head Coach Peter DeBoer had many questions to answer in the numerous interviews. Not many of those questions touched on any other topic than the Bouwmeester saga. Jay himself is, as we know, the ultimate poker player with his tightlipped demeanor and won’t give anything away.

So, grasping for something even resembling newsworthy scoops – the pundits reach for straws and come up with: “As Florida Panthers general manager Jacques Martin watched his team at the morning skate yesterday, he continually chewed on his nails” [Quote from the Toronto Sun]. All manicurists beware! Horror *shock* what does this all mean!?

Well, according to the Toronto Suns columnist Steve Buffery it means that Jacques Martin is likely to be damned whether he does, or doesn’t, trade Bouwmeester just before a lucrative and rare playoff appearance for the Panthers. Further they think the Florida franchise is in jeopardy if we don’t make the playoffs this year; and that it is virtually a question of life and death for Martin and Panthers owner Alan Cohen.

Only in Canada, and to be more specific, only in Toronto – does a pending free agent take on such proportions. And from where is it we continuously hear this talk about the South Florida franchise being ready to crumble any minute anyway?

Yes, we get it! People north of the border don’t like the fact that its national sport has been exported to warmer climates, such as Florida – where it doesn’t get the same headlines or overall appreciation, and if most people up there had their own way we would never have come in to existence in the first place.

But *newsflash* we did, and here we are, overcoming unimaginable opposition and many years of extreme adversity – pushing for that elusive playoff spot.

It is unlikely our support will wither away any further because of missing this year’s playoff, if that indeed were to be the case, once again. With so many seasons of mediocrity it is fair to presume only the hardcore Panthers fans are still making that regular trek to the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise. Most of us will be back next season even if we stumble at the end this one. We’ll ingest this latest setback, as we have swallowed all the previous ones, and still (with or without Bouwmeester) be safe in the belief that our day will come. And when it does, it will all be so much sweeter – because of the tremendous trials and tribulations we’ve had to go through along the way.

Whether or not Jay Bouwmeester turns out to be another speed bump along the way or a thoroughbred adding tremendous pull to the Panther engine room, remains to be seen. Personally, while everyone remains tightlipped on the situation, I will remain reassured that Jacques knows what he’s doing. So far there has been little reason to suspect otherwise. The blockbuster trade involving Olli Jokinen, the McCabe swap and recent draft picks have been pure inspiration from his part – and reason enough to stay positive.

Fact is, we have a remarkable duo in GM Jacques Martin and coach Pete DeBoer. I have every confidence in their combined ability to turn this franchise around; so far they have been nothing but impressive and I don’t think they’ve really got the credit they deserve.

We can and should be critical at times, no one is perfect, but must also recognize that in the big picture they deserve a lot of praise for their work up until this point in time. I don’t think this goes unrecognized from the management either. Even if it is a worst case scenario; we don’t make the playoffs and lose Bouwmeester for free in the summer, even then, this franchise should not need to be in jeopardy and neither should the GM’s or Head Coach’s respective jobs.

What we do need is stability and long-term vision, as well as creativity in reaching out to those South Florida demographics that has yet not embraced Hockey. Lastly, but of utmost importance; we need to have a bit of patience. It takes time to get out of the hole that we’ve been in. And unlike in Canada – where life revolves around the sport – fact is we should actually be able to afford that rarest of luxuries.

Whatever happens to Bouwmeester – new contract or free agency, trade or no trade – we need to, and I believe we will, stick with our GM and Head Coach through thick and thin. They are both immensely qualified, ambitious and yet realistic enough to get results in this league. Whether things happen this year, next year, or the year after that – the foundation is solid with these two guys at the helm and Florida will move forward if we place our confidence and trust in their able hands.