New guys brought by Zito

[ScottyMascotty]

After this extremely entertaining regular season, I think it's time to discuss our bunch of new players who immediately started to make an impact. Bill Zito has made a fantastic job this season turning the team that had many flaws in the roster into a potential contender with what looks like a stacked lineup with a lot of depth. I look forward to seeing your thoughts about new guys, their strengths and weaknesses, upside, and future with the team. I would also like to know which one is your favorite player from this group and who was the most important acquisition by your opinion.

Gustav Forsling, D, 43 GP, 5G, 12A, 17P, +17, 19:55 ATOI
Radko Gudas, D, 54 GP, 2G, 9A, 11P, +6, 17:34 ATOI
Brandon Montour, D, 12 GP, 2G, 2A, 4P, +8, 20:19 ATOI
Markus Nutivaara, D, 10A, 10P, +1, 15:58 ATOI
Carter Verhaeghe, F, 43 GP, 18G, 18A, 36P, +24, 17:43 ATOI
Anthony Duclair, F, 43 GP, 10G, 22A, 32P, +27, 15:41 ATOI
Patric Hornqvist, F, 44 GP, 14G, 18A, 32P, -3, 16:48 ATOI
Alexander Wennberg, F, 56 GP, 17G, 12A, 29P, +7, 18:12 ATOI
Sam Bennett, F, 10 GP, 6G, 9A, 15P, +12, 18:03 ATOI

The other new players are struggling to crack the lineup or having a depth role, such as :
Nikita Gusev, F
Lucas Wallmark, F
Juho Lammikko, F
Ryan Lomberg, F
Matt Kiersted, D
Noah Juulsen, D
Kevin Connauton, D

But they were signed on cheap deals or ELCs, so nothing to complain about.

Click to read more...

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

Gustav Forsling (stepped up when Ek went down)
Carter Verhaeghe (allowed us to split Hubs and Bark)
____
Anthony Duclair (Good depth, same as Verhaeghe, but lesser degree)
Sam Bennett (Amazing addition, would be top tier if he was here all year)
____
Patric Hornqvist (Was great at the start, showing his age. Should be good for playoffs)
Alexander Wennberg (Good stopgap, would be fine with him back on another 1Y contract)
_____
Radko Gudas (Not very good, but does play with Yandle. Is physical, but can't handle the puck. Possibly Seattle bound)
Brandon Montour (Has been fine)
Markus Nutivaara (Has been fine)

Shout out to Tippett for stepping up this year.

 

[Jacob Roberts]

Went with Forsling. While there have been some great additions at forward, the fact that there are so many makes it hard to choose one as being the best. Many of them have been injured or arrived late and the team still did well without them.

But losing Ekblad could have been disasterous if not for (IMO primarily) Gustav stepping up. He’s elevated his play and handled top pair duties extremely well. If he hadn’t, we’d be looking at more reliance on Gudas/Stralman/Monty/Nuts and who knows how that would’ve turned out for us.

 

[iam76]

They all serve a purpose. But getting a dman like gudas helped the team in so many ways. You could say the same with Hornqvist..

The team needed these types...

 

[KW]

This is not a fair poll LOL. Great idea, but there are so many top choices. Forsling gets my vote slightly above Verhaeghe, who’s slightly above Bennett, who’s slightly above Wennberg, who’s slightly above Duclair, then Nutivaara (not on the list), Gudas, Hornquist, Montour.

 

[ScottyMascotty]

This is not a fair poll LOL. Great idea, but there are so many top choices. Forsling gets my vote slightly above Verhaeghe, who’s slightly above Bennett, who’s slightly above Wennberg, who’s slightly above Duclair, then Nutivaara (not on the list), Gudas, Hornquist, Montour.

Zito brought so many good players that choosing one best acquisition is not going to be easy, as I thought.

 

[Cricket Green]

Forsling - from waivers to first pair dman. I love Bennett, but all things considered, no argument can be made against Gustav.

The more I think about it, Bennett has to be 1B. 24 y/o Top 6 centers who post 15 pts in 10 games usually cost 1st+blue chipper+roster piece to start. Zito paid a 2nd and a B prospect. Outrageous.

 

[austropanther]

Gustav Forsling (stepped up when Ek went down)
Carter Verhaeghe (allowed us to split Hubs and Bark)
____
Anthony Duclair (Good depth, same as Verhaeghe, but lesser degree)
Sam Bennett (Amazing addition, would be top tier if he was here all year)
____
Patric Hornqvist (Was great at the start, showing his age. Should be good for playoffs)
Alexander Wennberg (Good stopgap, would be fine with him back on another 1Y contract)
_____
Radko Gudas (Not very good, but does play with Yandle. Is physical, but can't handle the puck. Possibly Seattle bound)
Brandon Montour (Has been fine)
Markus Nutivaara (Has been fine)

Shout out to Tippett for stepping up this year.

Pretty much on the spot.

Bennett should for sure be up with Forsling and Verhaege because his arrival put Wennberg finally in the spot where he is perfectly placed for us.

I also picked Forsling. Stepping up like that without Ek that nobody remotely expected, and this over a bigger part of the season...?

I'd give special mention to Horny and Gudas because they are so instrumental to the change of culture in the team.

 

[Pigge]

I don't think you can single anyone out as the most important acquisition, as a key to building something new was to get so many new players with something to prove or a winning attitude.

So I picked Wennberg, as my favorite of the bunch. One of three players to play every game and being that reliable center who enabled the second line to produce early and elevated the third line at the end, while being the best penalty killer game in and game out. I like smart, mature centers as the backbone of the team.

Horny is also a long-time favorite whose in-your-face attitude set the tone early in the season.

But the +/- of Forsling, Verhaeghe, and Duclair is undeniable. They have all been necessary for the speedy offense which has overwhelmed most opponents all year. You could argue that Weegar played better with Forsling than with Ekblad, and Duclair jumpstarted Huberdeau after his mid-season slump. I would not have expected these guys to make everyone around them better to that extent.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

This season doesn’t have nearly as much magic in the feels as the decade prior with seeing red etc, but it almost feels like we have a team of pissed off players who mean business (and they’re having a good time!)

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Biggest guys were the culture changers. Hornqvist, Gudas... without the attitude change none of these other guys would be pulling their weight and succeeding the way they are.

 

[Fern111]

I voted Gudas, not necessarily because of his play on the ice but because he makes this team so damn hard to play against. That's the #1 change I've noticed with this team this year, we don't buckle under the pressure, we fight back and we fight hard and I think Gudas is the main contributor to that.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

When you put it like this, it makes Zito's year here even more impressive. WOW MAN.
How do you pick just one guy???

Verhaeghe has been awesome. What a first line with Verh-Barky-Duke.
Bennett has transformed that second line. Finally gave Huberdeau a proper 2C away from Barkov. That top 6 is so sexy.
How in the world did we pick up Forsling from the waivers???
Hornqvist and Gudas have cooled down after their hot starts, but you can't deny their impact in the beginning, especially Hornqvist. We have a bad start of the season, who knows, maybe the year goes differently, especially with the lesser amount of games. Not to mention Horny's leadership and playoff experience could be huge in the next few weeks.
Even Wennberg has been solid. Passable stopgap 2C which we got for free and now looking great as a 3C.

Is there a single bad acquisition on the list? The worst of them are "meh, we pay them about 1 mill and they'll be gone at the end of the season, who cares".

We need to see how they all do next year (and how many of these guys do we manage to keep/at what cost), but right now, this team's future is looking extremely bright.

And because we don't say it enough, props to Q as well. Zito gave him a lot of options but Q had to actually make it into a team. I've been critical of Q last year, but maybe that was a necessary transition period. You can't deny the results this year. So awesome.

 

[Ratsreign]

After this extremely entertaining regular season, I think it's time to discuss our bunch of new players who immediately started to make an impact. Bill Zito has made a fantastic job this season turning the team that had many flaws in the roster into a potential contender with what looks like a stacked lineup with a lot of depth. I look forward to seeing your thoughts about new guys, their strengths and weaknesses, upside, and future with the team. I would also like to know which one is your favorite player from this group and who was the most important acquisition by your opinion.

Gustav Forsling, D, 43 GP, 5G, 12A, 17P, +17, 19:55 ATOI
Radko Gudas, D, 54 GP, 2G, 9A, 11P, +6, 17:34 ATOI
Brandon Montour, D, 12 GP, 2G, 2A, 4P, +8, 20:19 ATOI
Markus Nutivaara, D, 10A, 10P, +1, 15:58 ATOI
Carter Verhaeghe, F, 43 GP, 18G, 18A, 36P, +24, 17:43 ATOI
Anthony Duclair, F, 43 GP, 10G, 22A, 32P, +27, 15:41 ATOI
Patric Hornqvist, F, 44 GP, 14G, 18A, 32P, -3, 16:48 ATOI
Alexander Wennberg, F, 56 GP, 17G, 12A, 29P, +7, 18:12 ATOI
Sam Bennett, F, 10 GP, 6G, 9A, 15P, +12, 18:03 ATOI

The other new players are struggling to crack the lineup or having a depth role, such as :
Nikita Gusev, F
Lucas Wallmark, F
Juho Lammikko, F
Ryan Lomberg, F
Matt Kiersted, D
Noah Juulsen, D
Kevin Connauton, D

But they were signed on cheap deals or ELCs, so nothing to complain about.

You could copy this op and use it on main boards when opening a thread titled, “Why Bill Zito is hands down the GM of the year,”

 

[Desert Panther]

So many great elements brought in, but I still think Gudas was the best acquisition. Not for his stats specifically, but for the fact he's allowed the skill players to take that extra step. Barkov and Huby have been playing without the fear (wrong word, but it's the best I can think of without my coffee) of being targeted every night for shenanigans by other teams.

Kind of like the way McSorley was for Gretz and Kurri

 

[DrMom9900]

Zito makes us feel very far removed from Tallon signings like Vrbata and Bolland. The Big Z looks to be a homerun hire.

 

[ShootIt]

Tough to pick just one.

Horny and Gudas helped with the toughness/pest part we were lacking. Were they the sole reason for the turnaround? No, but they helped.

CV and Duclair were fine additions for the top 6, with Carter feeling like a Marchy lite player for us.

Forsling was a diamond in the rough, stepping up big time with Ekblad out.

Wennberg was a solid add for the middle 6 center role, and had 2 hat tricks funny enough with his hot and cold offensive play.

Bennett was an excellent TDL acquisition, quickly hushing the overpaid for talk. Added a hint of offense and some grit too.

Honestly, still stuck on just one. May edit in later

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

As of today? I think it has to be Forsling. The guy is a legit first pairing defenseman pulled out of the ether with a magic wand.

Although, I do think that if we advance in the playoffs, it's going to be due in large part to Sam Bennett.

I voted Gudas, not necessarily because of his play on the ice but because he makes this team so damn hard to play against. That's the #1 change I've noticed with this team this year, we don't buckle under the pressure, we fight back and we fight hard and I think Gudas is the main contributor to that.

This is truth. For the last few years, years many of us have lamented the fact that the Panthers just couldn't, or wouldn't fight back when games got physical. Not anymore. Not anymore.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

What I do not understand is that Radko Gudas had this “uh oh” mentality about him for being a “dirty” player and yet the impression I’ve gotten from him all season is respectable hard hitting vet. I have taken exception to maybe 1-2 hits but I hardly thought they were intentional, just poor form. But in terms of character he seems far more honorable than he was made out to be.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

I think Brandon Montour has been responsible for more dirty stuff in like 10 games than Gudas was in 50.

Really, I think Trocheck was the last dirty player we had. Frank Vatrano agitates somewhat, but the worst he's done to anyone was grab their stick after the play was stopped and skate away.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Man, we can only pick one? I went with Gudas. He brought a toughness to the team for the whole season and changed the atmosphere in Florida. But I really like the Bennett addition also.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

I have trouble selecting just one.

I feel like each guy brought in had their moments this season contributing to the success of this team.

We all know how instrumental Forsling has been since Ekblad's injury. There was no obvious #2 for Weegar to play with when Aaron initially went down. Frosting has been huge for the 2nd half of the season.

Gudas along with Hornqvist helped imprint that grit and toughness with this team to start the year.

Montour came in and added some much needed depth when this team was dying for it (Ekblad going down, Strals disappearing and Gudas playing hurt).

Verhaeghe sparked this offense early on and created that hope we all felt at the start of the season. One of the best all around players on the team this year, even scored a hat trick with Barky out.

Duclair's speed makes whatever line he's on infinitely more dynamic. He bounced around the lineup at times this year before cementing himself in the top 6. Lots of key goals/plays from him this year.

Hornqvist scored a ton of clutch goals at the start of the year and as mentioned earlier, helped form the team identity early on.

Wennberg has been Mr. Solid all season. Improved a ton in faceoffs, a career high in goals and has played everywhere from the top line to the 3rd line. He's exactly what you want from a 3rd line center.

Sam Bennett came in and actually managed to bring this team to another level. The style of game he brings was like the cherry on top for this group.

Even Nutivaara become a key player down the stretch and Mason Marchment's physical play further cemented that identity of being tough to play against, something we've missed since 1996.

Bill Zito is a wizard but the coaching staff deserves a lot of the credit too. It's one thing to bring guys in but to have so many of them work out is really an impressive accomplishment.

 

[Gentle Man]

Ill pick Forsling.

I made a post in February about how much has impressed me and I felt he is what Matheson should have been and more. And keep in mind, in February Forsling was still paired up with Stralman/Gudas etc. Since Ekblad was still playing. Weegar was still on the top pair and Nutivaara was still destroyed by Covid.

He has been good regardless of where he was and only got better when he stepped up for Ekblad.

2014 5th round Canuck draft pick ---> Chicago NHL/AHL team ---->> a full season on the Charlotte Checkers --->>> Legit top pair Dman.

What a journey. And he hasnt hit the "Denis Potvin 300 game threshold yet." Only NHL games played. I look forward to seeing how high he takes his game

 

[RogerRoger]

Zito makes us feel very far removed from Tallon signings like Vrbata and Bolland. The Big Z looks to be a homerun hire.

His hands (along with all GMs) were somewhat tied and he excelled in these circumstances. I'll wait until a normal offseason with an increase in the Cap to see how he manages the folly July 1st before feeling good about avoiding stupid splash. Although, him not sending a 1st to get his guys (Foligno-Savard) is very encouraging.

What I do not understand is that Radko Gudas had this “uh oh” mentality about him for being a “dirty” player and yet the impression I’ve gotten from him all season is respectable hard hitting vet. I have taken exception to maybe 1-2 hits but I hardly thought they were intentional, just poor form. But in terms of character he seems far more honorable than he was made out to be.

He has changed a lot these past 3 seasons or so. He was definitely dirty beforehand.

 

[batting1k]

Off ice impact has to be Hornqvist, close second to Gudas. We don’t see what they do or hear what they say off ice and on the bench but I think they really set the tone from the start.

Purely performance based on the ice, probably Forsling. No one expected him to do what he’s done (or maybe they did and that’s why we claimed him), it’s been pretty incredible.