'16 Panthers off-season log (past articles)

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'16 Panthers off-season log (past articles)

Post by Panther »

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"If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is a team with a plan now." General Manager Buckley presumptuously said about his own team. Though in context it seemed a lot less egotistical. He was answering a question during a presser with Patrick Marleau where a reporter asked, "How do you justify the massive turnover in the dressing room?"

The 'turnover' the reporter referred to, simply:

Out: 13 players
Lubomir Visnovsky > Released
Patrice Cormier > Released
Drew Shore > Released (signed in PHI)
Justin Williams > Released
Whoever the backup was > Released
Griffin Reinhart > Traded
Brock Nelson > Traded
Greg Nemisz > Bought out
Mike Ribiero > Bought out
Trevor Daley > Bought out
Brandon Archibald > Bought out
Maxim Berezin > Free Buy out
Galeyev > Minors

In: 12
Tim Bozon > Callup
Haydn Fleury > Callup
Michael Houser > Re-signed, callup
Alex Grant > Signed 4 years
Patrick Marleau > Signed 1 year
Brooks Laich > Signed 1 year
Jarret Stoll > Signed 1 year (with signing coke bonus)
Matt Smaby > Signed 1 year
Bickell > Signed 1 year
Marc Staal > Trade
Greg McKegg > Trade
Matthew Spencer > Trade (AHL)
+1 FA signing we cannot confirm at this time

Returning: 3
Ales Hemsky > 1 year
Nicholas Baptiste > 2 years
Colby Robak > 5 years (AHHH!)

That's a LOT of movement between the last game of the season and training camp. Of course Buckley shot the seemingly loaded question down with sarcastic self-evident answer. Or, responding to a logical fallacy with a logical fallacy to prove its absurdity. Which in and of itself is a logical fallacy... I guess not all battles are meant to be won, and this reporter may think twice about asking another clever question.

Snide aside, If there is one thing to say about Buckley's tenure thus-far, it's that the team has definitely improved on the blue-line. Going from a group of Granberg, Robak, Reinhart, McNally, Berezin, Daley and Vishnovsky
to Granberg, Robak, Marc Staal, Alex Grant, Matt Smaby, McNally, and Haydn Fleury. It will be comforting to know Gibson won't be left out to dry because our defense will actually be able to defense.

On forward it's not as clear as skeptics raise questions. Certainly, some of the changes can backfire. Like losing PK player-puck magnet Drew Shore for middling two-way forwards Stoll and Laich. Dropping +70-point producer Justin Williams for older Marleau, though a superstar, untested in this system. Swapping game-changing open-ice hitter Reinhart for Penalty-killing suave in Staal. But for a team that finished so low for so long, any change would be better than rehashing the same game plan.

Patrick Marleau was the most coveted quote of the new wave of Cats. The most interesting of which came from the question, "At your point in your career, why Florida? Why now?" In other words, you're old, this team is young. Why not sign with a contender? To which he responded, "Why not?" Seeming to buy himself some time to respond appropriately and followed with...
Florida has a talented mixed group in need of some experience and they believe I can give them some leadership and extra offense and I'm taking a chance on a generally young group of talented players I believe can do better than they've shown in the past. I've been around the league, sometimes to early to the party, sometimes too late. I think it's time to think ahead of the corner. Maybe we don't win it this year. But can't know 'til we try, right?
There really is a whole lot more to cover and we'll be getting to them in the coming months before the season starts up with this exciting turn of events in Florida.
Last edited by Panther on Thu Aug 11, 2016 7:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 2016-17 Panthers

Post by SharksGM »

Just bring Dallas Eakins on board and you'll have no more turnover trouble.
Panther

Re: 2016-17 Panthers

Post by Panther »

Lmao! Brilliant
Panther

Re: 2016-17 Panthers

Post by Panther »

OVERHAUL
ImageImageImage
It's out with the bad-boys of yesterday and in with the good-lookin' grinders of tomorrow. Let's compare and get to know the three new faces on Florida's third line. (that's not easy to say)

Before we talk about the new arrivals, we should send off the old departures properly. The old grind-line, let's call them "Cerberus," consisted of a three-headed monster of Drew Shore, Greg Nemisz, and Patrice Cormier. All three possessed an intense physical game but in an effort to change the culture immediately in Florida (and to cut cap), management let top penalty-killing center Drew Shore walk to free agency with Patrice Cormier close behind without so much as a qualifying offer. And though Nemisz was signed through the next two years, he was bought out at $1,000,000 against the cap hit.

Last year the hounds of Hades accounted for 9.86% of the cap. They combined for 488 hits, 361 takeaways, 128 PIMs, and a whopping 38 points in 232 games. But they also would have cost $7,900,000 to retain (or 11.29%).

The new guys? $5,500,000 against the cap. Or 7.86%. With retainment of Nemisz and Archibald (the fourth stooge), it totals $7,830,000, around .09% below what it would have cost to retain the quasi-intimidating, stubby-legged dog.

So essentially what has happened is that they replaced the old crew for the same price. So what's the difference?

Jarret Stoll
Perhaps most painfully, the Panthers lost penalty-killing winger Drew Shore. Unfortunately the cost to keep him was rumored to be around $3.4 million, management found that to be a bit lucrative. Fortunately, the most costly of the three is also a notable penalty killing center, and at about a million hypothetical monies less.
Drew [Shore] is an incredible penalty-killer. He works hard and plays his space well, better than most guys. Not many guys can force a play on the kill and he's one of them. Obviously I'm not going to try to be him out there but I'm going to do my best to do my job every night. Wherever I'm needed to be though, whether that's the penalty kill or throwing pucks at nets, that's what I'm here for.
With Jarret, Florida improves tenfold on the draw, downgrade on penalty-killing some, but improve in the scoring department.

Brooks Laich
The most exciting addition, in my opinion, is this guy. Another all-around forward, but he's got a lethal shot. There is no direct comparison for "Brooksie," but perhaps that's for the best. Swap, say, Nemisz's physical and shooting skills, and you got an idea of the difference between what was and what will be. Like Nemisz, Laich will be an option on the PK but doesn't look like he'll be starting there. If Laich can find a chemistry on that line, he should be able to match his production pace last year of 35 points, at least twice what Nemisz/Cormier got. Since 2009, Laich's highest point total was on pace for 50 three years ago in Montreal.
It will be weird getting used to the climate here but I'm eager to get started. Lot of young guys on this team. I know I was looked at also as a leadership role coming in. I'm not sure what to expect really. I know Ales Hemsky's a good guy, great player. And guys like Granlund and Granberg and Brickley are tremendously skilled too. But that's all I know man! Hopefully things click and we get some chemistry.
In Laich, the Panthers gain another mobile scoring weapon that can be inserted anywhere in the lineup at the expense of having a vengeful pylon. He's also fiance of Julianne Hough. Which for some reason is important enough to mention everywhere he goes.

Bryan Bickell
For a moment I wasn't actually sure they had replaced Patrice Cormier. Bleach his hair, add two inches and about ten pounds and BAM! He'll take a paycut. Seriously though, salary seems to be his only real difference over Cormier. Okay that may be harsh. Cormier handled the puck like a grenade. I think the logic here was if they could replace the physical presence while limiting turnovers, why wouldn't they? That said, now on his 5th team in three years, Bickell will likely receive the lowest TOI on the projected roster.
I can hear you, you know. I'm standing right here...
Bryan Bickell should be a less liable Patrice Cormier.

Summary
-Physical
-Fighting
-Age (got older)
-Penalty Kill
-Overall defense
+Penalties
+Versatility
+Offense
+Mobility
+Faceoffs
+Experience

More interviews and things to come.
Last edited by Panther on Wed Aug 10, 2016 3:08 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Panther

Re: 2016-17 Panthers

Post by Panther »

Yuck. Gotta write off this dust. I'm rusty.
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