Confirmed with Link: Bill Zito is the Panthers new GM

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Thinking more about it, I dont think they are interested in bringing Hoff back on a big long term deal, but i think they are hoping that Dads re-signs to sonething more reasonable. With him gone too, theyre gonna have a hard time rebounding even in 21-22. I think Zito is fine with one season being a wash to assess and let some kids play, but not two. He and ownership seem to think this team is close. Everytime he's interviewed, Zito basically says he thinks this team is close and just needs some tweaking to get to the next level. It seems Zito is eyeing the 2021 offseason to really be aggressive and make a lot of changes. It sounds like he thinks they are only 2-3 years from contender status.

I just don't see a path to relevancy any time soon. Biggest problem is on defense (I'm really not concerned about Bob) and they're completely f***ed there and there's just no way out

And before anyone suggests Bollanding Yandle or Matheson, Bolland trade was completely unnecessary (Florida wasn't near the cap and he was already LTIRed and being paid by insurance) and Arizona still charged a recent 1st just for the Bolland contract. Imagine someone willingly trading for Yandle or Matheson, 2 guys who you'd have to pay and watch suck for years.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Crouse was a reach at 11 but he's still a great 3rd liner and would have 100% been a fan favorite here, he hits, uses the body, kills penalties, chips in 15 goals a year, great kid, and he was moved for a team to hold a contract so Florida would have space for imaginary deals that never came to fruition. It's honestly so hard to be a fan of this team.

 

[Dread Clawz]

I just don't see a path to relevancy any time soon. Biggest problem is on defense (I'm really not concerned about Bob) and they're completely f***ed there and there's just no way out

And before anyone suggests Bollanding Yandle or Matheson, Bolland trade was completely unnecessary (Florida wasn't near the cap and he was already LTIRed and being paid by insurance) and Arizona still charged a recent 1st just for the Bolland contract. Imagine someone willingly trading for Yandle or Matheson, 2 guys who you'd have to pay and watch suck for years.

I think Yandle is very moveable. Despite his faults he's a premier offensive defenseman. But we'll see what happens.

 

[KW]

Zito must be looking at this team thinking, the number of mistakes made over the years is staggering, all I have to do is ‘average’ to look absolutely brilliant here.

I hope he shoots for great and doesn’t settle for average, but I have no doubt it’s going to be an improvement.

 

[Beezeral]

Crouse was a reach at 11 but he's still a great 3rd liner and would have 100% been a fan favorite here, he hits, uses the body, kills penalties, chips in 15 goals a year, great kid, and he was moved for a team to hold a contract so Florida would have space for imaginary deals that never came to fruition. It's honestly so hard to be a fan of this team.

He’s a 30ish point player. Bit of a reach is the understatement of the year. He was a horrible pick especially considering who was available and who the computer boys wanted to draft at that spot. Getting rid of the bolland contract and returning 2 good draft picks is the best value he will ever provide.

 

[Dread Clawz]

He’s a 30ish point player. Bit of a reach is the understatement of the year. He was a horrible pick especially considering who was available and who the computer boys wanted to draft at that spot. Getting rid of the bolland contract and returning 2 good draft picks is the best value he will ever provide.

I was with you until the last sentence. It's amazing Panthers fans still don't realize what this team needs. Crouse would have been better suited to be picked #20 than #11, but we sorely need a player like him.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

I was with you until the last sentence. It's amazing Panthers fans still don't realize what this team needs. Crouse would have been better suited to be picked #20 than #11, but we sorely need a player like him.

imo Crouse should've been picked up in the 2nd round but it's what it is. The Calculator screwed up the situation because it's still rather difficult to acquire a guy like Crouse. I'd be glad to trade Connolly for Crouse.

 

[Beezeral]

I was with you until the last sentence. It's amazing Panthers fans still don't realize what this team needs. Crouse would have been better suited to be picked #20 than #11, but we sorely need a player like him.

You can get crouse type players for 2.5 AAv on day 5 of free agency. 1st round draft picks should be exclusively used to take shots at drafting players that can give you outstanding value while on an elc

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

You can get crouse type players for 2.5 AAv on day 5 of free agency.

How would you go about signing RFAs/prospects via free agency?

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

He’s a 30ish point player. Bit of a reach is the understatement of the year. He was a horrible pick especially considering who was available and who the computer boys wanted to draft at that spot. Getting rid of the bolland contract and returning 2 good draft picks is the best value he will ever provide.

Getting rid of a contract Florida could have buried at no charge is poor asset management. Would have rather seen a player returned. Also I think there's a good chance Joyce may have been salty and just traded him to trade him, again goes back to ownership making bad decisions.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Also, kind of OT but I wonder if there was a specific incident that led to the change. I admit I forgot Florida signed Dale to a 4 year extension on January 1, 2016 and then fired him 5 months later. At least the organization is enthralling, like when you see a bad accident on the side of the highway

Florida Panthers Announce Multi-Year Contract Extension for GM Dale Tallon and Name Tom Rowe Associate GM

 

[Dread Clawz]

You can get crouse type players for 2.5 AAv on day 5 of free agency. 1st round draft picks should be exclusively used to take shots at drafting players that can give you outstanding value while on an elc

Lol, yeah I don't think so. Crouse has been top 10 in hits the last few years, scores 30-40 pts, and could still get better. Try 4+M aav for starters. Plus you aren't finding anyone as young as Crouse in ufa. Crouse is giving the Yotes outstanding value right now.

 

[Crossbar]

You can get crouse type players for 2.5 AAv on day 5 of free agency. 1st round draft picks should be exclusively used to take shots at drafting players that can give you outstanding value while on an elc

Agreed, Noel Acciari anyone? Then again, same could be said for Barzal/Marchessault types too IMO. Hardest guys to find are the big franchise centers (like Barky) and d-men.

I thought I kept hearing Bolland was trying to make a comeback around when we traded him to the Coyotes, was everyone comfortable having this guy suit up again and probably get injured right away had he succeeded?

 

[batting1k]

Agreed, Noel Acciari anyone? Then again, same could be said for Barzal/Marchessault types too IMO. Hardest guys to find are the big franchise centers (like Barky) and d-men.

I thought I kept hearing Bolland was trying to make a comeback around when we traded him to the Coyotes, was everyone comfortable having this guy suit up again and probably get injured right away had he succeeded?

Hardest guys to find are the Tkachuks, Marchands, Stones, Josh Anderson’s, etc. The guys that are not only tough to play against but also can play and produce in the top 6.

 

[Beezeral]

How would you go about signing RFAs/prospects via free agency?

Crouse’s age is pretty irrelevant. You can get a 28-30 year old to do his job.

Getting rid of a contract Florida could have buried at no charge is poor asset management. Would have rather seen a player returned. Also I think there's a good chance Joyce may have been salty and just traded him to trade him, again goes back to ownership making bad decisions.

Bolland wasn’t willing to go into LTIRment at the time of the trade.
As for the Joyce being salty comment, I hope you’ve never, ever defended tallon’s expansion draft moves if you think the crouse deal was born out of saltiness. Smh.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Crouse’s age is pretty irrelevant. You can get a 28-30 year old to do his job.

Bolland wasn’t willing to go into LTIRment at the time of the trade.
As for the Joyce being salty comment, I hope you’ve never, ever defended tallon’s expansion draft moves if you think the crouse deal was born out of saltiness. Smh.

I haven't, said repeatedly firing Tallon in 2016 was a brutal decision, hiring Joyce was a brutal decision, demoting Joyce and bringing back Tallon was a brutal decision, and continuing to employ Joyce who has been atrocious at both the NHL and AHL level is a brutal decision. All ownership moves. I really have nothing postive to say about Viola and Cifu except they spent money. Truly incompetent at running the team though.

 

[Ghoste]

-ghoste

 

[BabyBennettov]

Yeaaaah... Crouse who has a career-high of 25 points is a 30-40 points player...

Hahahahahaha

Please others, don’t get fooled by some opinions around here...

 

[Dread Clawz]

Yeaaaah... Crouse who has a career-high of 25 points is a 30-40 points player...

Hahahahahaha

Please others, don’t get fooled by some opinions around here...

He had 25 points in a shortened season and he's only 23. You really think he's peaked?

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

-ghoste

Hopefully he stays outside of that radar's range. Would be such a bottom feeder hire, the dude has been in the biz for twenty years and still made GM moves like a 5yo kid who's just gotten basics right on how to make trades in NHL20.

 

[Crossbar]

Hardest guys to find are the Tkachuks, Marchands, Stones, Josh Anderson’s, etc. The guys that are not only tough to play against but also can play and produce in the top 6.

Agreed. Would love any of them, even Tom Wilson and his shenanigans.

 

[BabyBennettov]

He had 25 points in a shortened season and he's only 23. You really think he's peaked?

He never had a 30 points-season, and he is far from 40...

I just said some comments around here were very misleading...

I don’t care for Crouse’s development, he isn’t ours anymore.

You have no clue if he will be able to put up those kind of numbers, yet you’re talking like he is proven and has achieved it a couple of times already... When his career-high is 25 points... And that’s a fact.

Never said he was a bad player or someone I wouldn’t want.

 

[Dread Clawz]

He never had a 30 points-season, and he is far from 40...

I just said some comments around here were very misleading...

I don’t care for Crouse’s development, he isn’t ours anymore.

You have no clue if he will be able to put up those kind of numbers, yet you’re talking like he is proven and has achieved it a couple of times already... When his career-high is 25 points... And that’s a fact.

Never said he was a bad player or someone I wouldn’t want.

Nothing I said was misleading. He's been improving every year, he's 23, and if it was a full 82 game season he was on pace score 30 pts. Common sense would dictate that in his prime he could manage to score a few more points.

 

[BabyBennettov]

Nothing I said was misleading. He's been improving every year, he's 23, and if it was a full 82 game season he was on pace score 30 pts. Common sense would dictate that in his prime he could manage to score a few more points.

Common sense tricked me into believing Shawn Matthias would be an easy 30-40 points player... Guess what ? He never did !

 

[violaswallet]

I want to tell the Canadian teams to ef off a bit: Seravalli: At least 17 NHL teams have reduced pay amid COVID-19 crunch - TSN.ca
"Six of the seven Canadian clubs have reduced the pay of staff members, including team presidents, general managers and coaches, team and league sources have told TSN. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the lone Canadian club to not reduce pay for staff to date. In all, at least 17 NHL clubs have reduced pay to hockey operations department staff members."

Who hasn't cut pay? An operation in South Florida