OT: Florida Panthers All-Time Number Team: #24

[Panthers Rock]

Hey guys, I thought I might start a new fun set of threads that's designed to go through all the numbers Panthers players have ever worn. Each thread will be a poll to decide the best player for that number. When this is all done, I'll put together a list of the Florida Panthers All-Time Number Team

Notes:

• Some numbers only have one player, so they will represent it by default (and we won't have a thread for them), and obviously some numbers have never been worn and will be skipped.
• If a player wore more than one number for the Panthers, they will be eligible for all numbers worn. If a player wins a number, they cannot be eligible for another.
• The voting only matters for the time that player was a Florida Panther. Ignore their work for any other team.
• In the case of a tie after the 72 hours has completely run out on a poll, we will have a run-off poll to decide that winner.

So far:

Number|Name
1| Roberto Luongo
2| Terry Carkner
3| Paul Laus
4| Jay Bouwmeester
5| Aaron Ekblad
6| Jason Woolley
7| Dmitry Kulikov
8| Peter Worrell
9| Stephen Weiss
10|Pavel Bure
11|Bill Lindsay
12|Olli Jokinen
13|Juraj Kolnik
14|Ray Whitney
15|Jozef Stumpel
16|Aleksander Barkov
17|Derek MacKenzie
18|Mike Hough
19|Radek Dvorak
20|Brian Skrudland
21|Tom Fitzgerald
22|Kristian Huselius
23|Rhett Warrener

Click to read more...

 

[iam76]

well this is done.

 

[Beezeral]

this shouldn't take long.

 

[Ghoste]

Hordi is one of my all-time favorites but you can't go against Svehla here.

-ghoste

 

[Gentle Man]

Brad Boyes Brad Boyes, watchu gonna do, watchu gonna do when he snipes at you

 

[Prominence Problem]

Well this one's easy; the toughest Panther ever

It was 1996, and in a closet-sized medical room in the bowels of Miami Arena, Robert Svehla illustrated to the Panthers everything they needed to know about him.

Philadelphia's Eric Lindros had accidentally kicked Svehla in the face in an Eastern Conference semifinal game, and doctors began examining the durable defenseman.

"The boot surgically crossed his upper lip like a scalpel cut," recalled Martin Robins, the team's dentist for the past nine years. "His upper jaw was broken, several teeth were knocked out. He broke his nose. He was bleeding from everywhere."

The doctors were preparing to give Svehla numbing agents so they could sew up the wounds. Suddenly, Svehla, eager to return to the game, told them to proceed without the injections.

"He never wants it frozen," Robins said. "He'd rather be sutured without numbing. If he's in my dentist chair, he wants no Novocaine. His pain threshold is like something I've never seen from another athlete."

Svehla received 41 stitches and quickly returned to the game.

"I was shocked to see him come back," said former Panthers coach Doug MacLean, now the general manager in Columbus. "I went over to him on the bench, looked at his face and just said, `Oh my God!'"

From that point on, the Panthers have called Svehla "the Slovakian Terminator."

"I've watched Bobby take a slap shot in the face, put gauze up his nose like nothing happened and barely miss a shift," associate equipment manager Scott Tinkler said. "He's a bull. He's an actual bull. He's just a machine."
- http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-04-14/sports/0204140185_1_svehla-panthers-oldest-son

 

[Prominence Problem]

 

[Clint]

If you don't vote Svehla, one can only assume you're a relatively new Panther fan.

Regarding Svehla's toughness, over the course of eight full seasons in the NHL, Svehla missed a grand total of six games. And he frequently lead the team - and the league - in hits.

 

[batting1k]

Brad Boyes, the shootout King.

Undisputed.

 

[Big Bjugs]

When I hear Svehlas name, I'll be back runs through my head. He is the Slovakian Terminator for a reason. And I swear to this day, he's half robot.

 

[FlaPnthrsPunk]

I wish some of the new fans knew more about Svehla as he's rarely brought up in terms of the '96 team in comparison to others. The guy was a badass and we haven't had that many defensemen as good as him since.

I loved Hordichuk for his contributions off the ice and he stepped up to fight when he could on the ice. I also liked Boyes during his tenure here, but Svehla is the easy pick.

 

[Panthers Rock]

Obviously some of these polls will be easier than others. Svehla was indeed a machine. He was so good in fact, that one of his only major mistakes stands out only because he was so trusted and so good: when he turned over the puck to the Devils right in front of him for a GWG in the dying seconds of the game.

Outside of that, you'd be hard pressed to find a time when he wasn't perhaps the best defenseman on the ice. He had a very short tenure in Toronto and they freaking loved him there (which more than can be said for how McCabe was treated at the end there).

I'm still a little upset we got rid of Brad Boyes, who may not be perfect, but how much cheaper can a 20 goal scorer who is also great at shootouts be? I'd take him back in a heartbeat.

Since this is fairly obvious and assuming it really starts to run away for Svehla (which is getting there), I'll probably put up the next poll fairly quickly (and that one may be over quick, too).

 

[CHGoalie27]

This was an easy win for Svehla, and my true pick, but RIP RUSLAN SALEI

 

[Beezeral]

Obviously some of these polls will be easier than others. Svehla was indeed a machine. He was so good in fact, that one of his only major mistakes stands out only because he was so trusted and so good: when he turned over the puck to the Devils right in front of him for a GWG in the dying seconds of the game.

Outside of that, you'd be hard pressed to find a time when he wasn't perhaps the best defenseman on the ice. He had a very short tenure in Toronto and they freaking loved him there (which more than can be said for how McCabe was treated at the end there).

I'm still a little upset we got rid of Brad Boyes, who may not be perfect, but how much cheaper can a 20 goal scorer who is also great at shootouts be? I'd take him back in a heartbeat.

Since this is fairly obvious and assuming it really starts to run away for Svehla (which is getting there), I'll probably put up the next poll fairly quickly (and that one may be over quick, too).

I liked boyes as well. but he is done. He was given 1st line minutes with the Leafs and flopped badly. He's a healthy scratch most nights. Yea, with all the injuries right now it would be nice to slot him into the lineup to atleast get a guy with some experience filling in, but he would have been dead weight in the press box up until the last couple weeks.

 

[CanadianPantherFan]

I wish I had CI back in the day and had more viewings of this cat versus internet radio, clippings and odd viewings on tv prior to playoffs. STHs back then what was his best run of games ? And what playoff series was he the best in your eyes? If you can't answer those questions because it pre dates you, who did the national media compare him to during his playing days /how criminally underrated was his offensive game in your opinion?

 

[Android 16]

Go get your head checked if you don't vote Svehla.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Go get your head checked if you don't vote Svehla.

Hey, I have a damn good reason for my vote.

Can't say the same for mocranks or Zambroni...shoot for the shin pads(if puck isn't stolen from the 3 second stick in the air windup)

 

[CatscratchFever]

Until Aaron Ekblad, this is the best defenseman this franchise has ever known. There is no debate on this. This guy was the ****.

 

[CHGoalie27]

So...PR, if you're not too busy sending me back in the fantasy ranks (wow I scratched Couture tonight LMFAO, ****) start the #25

Edit, I scratched Marleau lol

 

[Panthers Rock]

So...PR, if you're not too busy sending me back in the fantasy ranks (wow I scratched Couture tonight LMFAO, ****) start the #25

Edit, I scratched Marleau lol

You do realize you're winning 7-3 right now, right? Not that it won't change but I'm hardly beating you at the moment. Also super glad I'm not playing Pavelec.

Anyway, the Kozlov, er I mean, the #25 poll is up.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Svehla wins it by a country mile.