OT: Florida Panthers All-Time Number Team: #26

[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
24|Robert Svehla
25|Viktor Kozlov

Click to read more...

 

[Ghoste]

Going with Shep.

-ghoste

 

[Gentle Man]

Samuelsson was good for us.....

Bergenheim - Goc - Samuelsson

 

[Clint]

So I'd like to say Ray Sheppard, but upon further review I forgot about how short his tenure (tenures, rather) were with the Panthers. He was key to our 1996 Cup run, but only spent about two and a half full seasons with us.

Further, Mike Van Ryn was a perfectly serviceable top pairing defenseman for us until, if memory serves, he began his row with post-concussion syndrome.

I have a feeling Sheppard might run away with this one for the sake of reminiscence, but I very well may take the unpopular approach and vote Van Ryn. I'm oddly torn.

 

[HockeyRulez]

Ray Sheppard. I liked Dan Boyle, its a shame we got rid of him. But, yea, this is definitely Sheppard, he was fantastic.

 

[CatscratchFever]

'Ol sweet hands!

 

[Beezeral]

got to be shep. softest hands I have ever seen

 

[CHGoalie27]

Samuelsson was good for us.....

Bergenheim - Goc - Samuelsson

Good call, loved that line!

 

[CHGoalie27]

Time for #27! While Mellanby is going to win with a considerable amount of ease, he sure as hell won't be my vote!

 

[Android 16]

Shep

 

[Prominence Problem]

Should be closer than it appears between Van Ryn, Shep, & Belanger. Shep's great '96 playoff run gives him the edge though.


Here's a quick hit on Belanger for those who don't know about him:

Bélanger received his big break the next summer when he was exposed in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft and claimed by the Florida Panthers. In Florida he received a chance to play regularly, and responded in fine fashion in 1993–94, posting 17 goals and a team-leading 33 assists for 50 points. He would follow up with another strong season in the lockout-shortened 1994–95 campaign, leading the Panthers with 15 goals and 29 points in 47 games.

In 1995–96, Bélanger was again amongst the Panthers' leading scorers when he was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline.

 

[Panthers Rock]

Sheppard leads the way in this one.