News Article: Burnside: 5 reasons these could be the best Panthers ever

[pb1300]

Burnside ESPN article

Pretty much sums up what we have been defending for so long. This is a GOOD NHL team. Some people here say that we arent contenders, but I believe we are contenders. Some say Tallon shouldnt go all in for a player that might get us over the top. I say, why not? Im not trying to sell the future, but this team is built for the playoffs, and we know that once you get in, anything can happen. I believe that if the opportunity presents itself, and Tallon needs to jump on it. This isnt the 11-12 Panthers, or the 07 Thrashers, we are seeing the rise of one of the new powerhouses in the NHL.

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[EstConf96*]

Burnside ESPN article

Pretty much sums up what we have been defending for so long. This is a GOOD NHL team. Some people here say that we arent contenders, but I believe we are contenders. Some say Tallon shouldnt go all in for a player that might get us over the top. I say, why not? Im not trying to sell the future, but this team is built for the playoffs, and we know that once you get in, anything can happen. I believe that if the opportunity presents itself, and Tallon needs to jump on it. This isnt the 11-12 Panthers, or the 07 Thrashers, we are seeing the rise of one of the new powerhouses in the NHL.

Pretty much sounds exactly like you are trying to sell the future. However i agree that this team is for real unlike other Panthers teams the last 16 years. I will however not go hyperbole until 1. Playoff spot secured 2. Advancing to the 2nd round of playoffs.

 

[Gentle Man]

I dont see why we dont go for it.

Our core and cornerstones are young yes, but 4 players that we need, not help, but need for us to win are aging and possibly leaving in jagr, Luongo, Mitchell, and Soup.

We are a dangerous pp away from being legitimate threats. Whoever it is we need to make that happen, we need him, and I say we need him now

 

[EstConf96*]

I dont see why we dont go for it.

Our core and cornerstones are young yes, but 4 players that we need, not help, but need for us to win are aging and possibly leaving in jagr, Luongo, Mitchell, and Soup.

We are a dangerous pp away from being legitimate threats. Whoever it is we need to make that happen, we need him, and I say we need him now

We havent won a playoffseries since 1996. I for one do not think we are ready to contend. In 2-3 years we should be however. This team has yet to make it's first playoffseries.

 

[PanthersHockey1]

I dont see why we dont go for it.

Our core and cornerstones are young yes, but 4 players that we need, not help, but need for us to win are aging and possibly leaving in jagr, Luongo, Mitchell, and Soup.

We are a dangerous pp away from being legitimate threats. Whoever it is we need to make that happen, we need him, and I say we need him now

Byfuglien

 

[Gentle Man]

We havent won a playoffseries since 1996. I for one do not think we are ready to contend. In 2-3 years we should be however. This team has yet to make it's first playoffseries.

In 2 to 3 years you have to have a replacement for Mitchell Campbell Luongo, and probably Jagr.

Our goaltending will not be as good as it is now or after Luongo leaves, and I am confident in saying that

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Yeah, I saw that article. It's just part of the changing landscape as far as the way people view them from the outside, that happens around a team like the Panthers when they turn a corner (so far).

 

[EstConf96*]

In 2 to 3 years you have to have a replacement for Mitchell Campbell Luongo, and probably Jagr.

Our goaltending will not be as good as it is now or after Luongo leaves, and I am confident in saying that

Jagr we always new about (Turning 44 this year lol). Mitchell not that good. Campell is a complimentary player at this point. Only real threat is the leaving or decline of Luongo. However for the first time i really trust Tallon to take care of these things.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

No immediate need for changes besides the 40g scorer
Only nice-to-have's with supposed humps and tops.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

In 2 to 3 years you have to have a replacement for Mitchell Campbell Luongo, and probably Jagr.

Our goaltending will not be as good as it is now or after Luongo leaves, and I am confident in saying that

Jagr would be the toughest to replace IMO. Goaltenders have been proven over time to be easier to slot in and do the job on cup contenders (Crawford, Osgood). And Mitchell...I hope you're joking.
So all in all, those veterans are key, but they are not enough reason to accelerate your push for a cup. They are not our window for a cup, that's just....no.
Our core is young, that's who our cup window (if we have one), is going to be built around.

 

[EstConf96*]

Jagr would be the toughest to replace IMO. Goaltenders have been proven over time to be easier to slot in and do the job on cup contenders (Crawford, Osgood). And Mitchell...I hope you're joking.
So all in all, those veterans are key, but they are not enough reason to accelerate your push for a cup. They are not our window for a cup, that's just....no.

Can you give me atleast 4 more exampels. Should be easy if it's true. I for one do not think it's easy to get another goalie like Luongo.

 

[Gentle Man]

Jagr would be the toughest to replace IMO. Goaltenders have been proven over time to be easier to slot in and do the job on cup contenders (Crawford, Osgood). And Mitchell...I hope you're joking.
So all in all, those veterans are key, but they are not enough reason to accelerate your push for a cup. They are not our window for a cup, that's just....no.

I'm not joking about Mitchell.

A rested and Healthy Mitchell will be needed for a cup run, should they go for it this year.

The guy is a terrific PKer, defenseman, and leader.

Dont underestimate a Mitchell, he was a big reason the kings missed last year. He wasnt so easily replaced.

 

[EstConf96*]

I'm not joking about Mitchell.

A rested and Healthy Mitchell will be needed for a cup run, should they go for it this year.

The guy is a terrific PKer, defenseman, and leader.

Dont underestimate a Mitchell, he was a big reason the kings missed last year. He wasnt so easily replaced.

Off the ice Mitchell has all-star value. On the ice he is a 3rd-4th defensemen.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Can you give me atleast 4 more exampels. Should be easy if it's true. I for one do not think it's easy to get another goalie like Luongo.

Well a better way to put it would be is that having an elite goaltender does not necessarily mean you'll be a cup contender or vice versa. Who have been the best goaltenders over the last 10 years? How many have them even been on teams that have had a legit shot at winning the cup?
You see the slightly "lesser" goaltenders winning the cup in the end all the time.

 

[Gentle Man]

Well a better way to put it would be is that having an elite goaltender does not necessarily mean you'll be a cup contender or vice versa. Who have been the best goaltenders over the last 10 years? How many have them even been on teams that have had a legit shot at winning the cup?
You see the slightly "lesser" goaltenders winning the cup in the end all the time.

But Luongo isnt even the best this year, he hasnt been for 3 to 5 years now. You dont have to have the best goaltender, but they have to be freaking good.

only Niemi is the only one i remember off the top of my head that isnt up there. Even Gigeurre was great, that defense helped though.

 

[RainingRats]

We havent won a playoffseries since 1996. I for one do not think we are ready to contend. In 2-3 years we should be however. This team has yet to make it's first playoffseries.

To be fair, history isn't relevant. This is a completely different team and franchise, coaching staff, management, and group of owners.

This team's defense is consistently good enough that if we stay healthy, why not us? Only Washington is clearly better in the East. If we manage to come in second in the east we'd be favored over a lot of other teams in the conference.

All we need is an improved PP and we're going to be tough to beat. It's hard to accept since we sucked for so long but like I said, this is a completely different team and franchise.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

To be fair, history isn't relevant. This is a completely different team and franchise, coaching staff, management, and group of owners.

This team's defense is consistently good enough that if we stay healthy, why not us? Only Washington is clearly better in the East. If we manage to come in second in the east we'd be favored over a lot of other teams in the conference.

All we need is an improved PP and we're going to be tough to beat. It's hard to accept since we sucked for so long but like I said, this is a completely different team and franchise.

Agreed. One could extrapolate things even further, like "haven't won a cup in the entire existence of this org".

Washington is still beatable with this roster.
They might end up winning the regular season but in the end... who gives a ****. The actual season begins after 82 games.

 

[Gentle Man]

To be fair, history isn't relevant. This is a completely different team and franchise, coaching staff, management, and group of owners.

This team's defense is consistently good enough that if we stay healthy, why not us? Only Washington is clearly better in the East. If we manage to come in second in the east we'd be favored over a lot of other teams in the conference.

All we need is an improved PP and we're going to be tough to beat. It's hard to accept since we sucked for so long but like I said, this is a completely different team and franchise.

The biggest difference between the Caps and us is their ability to score goals. Ovechkin is the main culprit but they have more threats.

Imo, our defense is better by a notch but their offense is 2 to 3 notches better.

We close that gap, we are there.






And oh....Justin Williams, just cause


And Luongo gives us an equal footing against Holtby

 

[RainingRats]

The biggest difference between the Caps and us is their ability to score goals. Ovechkin is the main culprit but they have more threats.

Imo, our defense is better by a notch but their offense is 2 to 3 notches better.

We close that gap, we are there.






And oh....Justin Williams, just cause

Ovechkin and their PP. Washington has the #1 ranked PP and we have the 27th.

 

[I am not exposed]

Can you give me atleast 4 more exampels. Should be easy if it's true. I for one do not think it's easy to get another goalie like Luongo.

Niemi is fairly decent, but not spectacular goaltender won the cup with Chicago recently.

 

[adam graves]

Ovechkin and their PP. Washington has the #1 ranked PP and we have the 27th.

Bingo that's the difference.

Byfuglien or Ladd puts us over the top on this.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

You can assume and expect all kinds of things but we don't know how this team will do in the playoffs. That's why you can't go all in on rentals yet. Giving up assets for rentals is ok when you know you can go deep and contend.

 

[Gentle Man]

You can assume and expect all kinds of things but we don't know how this team will do in the playoffs. That's why you can't go all in on rentals yet. Giving up assets for rentals is ok when you know you can go deep and contend.

But...16 Hatters....

 

[RainingRats]

You can assume and expect all kinds of things but we don't know how this team will do in the playoffs. That's why you can't go all in on rentals yet. Giving up assets for rentals is ok when you know you can go deep and contend.

I don't think you can wait and see how they do this year to determine next year's plan of action. I think if you have great consistent goaltending, great consistent team defense, you're in first place in the division at the trade deadline, and you're healthy, you should have above average playoff expectations.

With those expectations, you can decide if you want to get a rental. I don't think it makes sense to give up a huge package for a rental but if the right fit is there, we should definitely consider trading picks and some of our prospects. I think we only *need* an offensive d-man.

 

[pb1300]

You can assume and expect all kinds of things but we don't know how this team will do in the playoffs. That's why you can't go all in on rentals yet. Giving up assets for rentals is ok when you know you can go deep and contend.

And how do you know who will go deep and contend? Like RRats said, being in our current position, come the deadline, you have to expect this team to do fairly well in the playoffs. We've seen 1 seeds get knocked out after the first round, and lower seeds win the Cup, so it all comes down to who is playing their best hockey come April.