Panther Parkway Radio: Jeff Marek Talks Weegar, Ekblad, Free Agency, Draft Day

[Android 16]

There really isn't anything else to remember... what else is there - the glorious Sean Hill era?

Bure was fun to watch, but he masked the fact that there was no effort being made to build a hockey organization behind his facade. Were the Panthers focusing on drafting and developing players - spending money on scouting and coaching? Were they acquiring high quality free agents to surround Bure?

Or were they just promoting Bure and hoping the rocket would be enough to fill seats?

The moment it became clear that Pavel Bure and the 19 dwarfs could not turn a profit, they dumped him. Once he was gone and the facade lifted, what else was there?

Nada.

I'm just thankful we have moments. Very few moments, but moments all the same. Maybe it was a marketing move more than a team move, but it effected a lot of kids down here. Kids like Yogan, Guertler and Gostisbehere played at Pines Ice Arena back in the early 2000's and probably remember that wall sized banner of the Russian Rocket. If you played hockey in Florida between about 1999ish-2004, you wanted to skate like the wind, score five hole, chomp gum, skate in vapor forties and shoot with synergies like Pavel Bure.

 

[BabyBennettov]

You just made yourself look like an ass

You heard the radio-feed ? I like her host skills and what she says most of the time, but when talking about prospects it seems like she was reading stats-sheet...

I find her to be quiet arrogant poking fun at Florida fans who may not have the chance to watch junior hockey but can still have their opinions, no ?

And what about being an ass ? I'm I supposed to call "a girl using stats" something along the line of "a rose stating facts" because she is a girl hosting a radio-show ? Man, I don't have a problem with her being a "she", I have a problem with her using stats to compare prospects !

Chill out !!!

 

[JP Mick]

We've come to expect the unexpected from Tallon.

In a way, I would be surprised if he kept the pick and drafted Ekblad simply because that's what we expect him to do.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[BabyBennettov]

I couldn't agree more.

Really don't think Dale will trade the pick, once again...

I don't understand how people around here don't talk about kid Viola's comments.

If I remember correctly Duthie asked him right after the lottery who they would pick, and the kid just laughed, saying they were ecsastic to have this pick and to make this selection.

If you really think about it, trading that pick is not a good hockey move, and it isn't even a good PR move, the Violas won't make this mistake... And with the draft coming in Sunrise next year, I don't think they want to be the laughing-stock of the League if we got screwed.

Take Ekblad.

 

[BabyBennettov]

Haven't seen anyone comment on Marek's idea to bring Ray Whitney back for a year ... sounds crazy, but he was really into it.

Interesting idea...

But I really think years and injuries have taken their toll on the Wizard, he can't be that productive anymore, his age finally caught him !

He would be great in a dressing-room and on the bench... But on the ice, he isn't productive anymore, not productive enough to take the spot of a kid IMO.

 

[JP Mick]

I'm just thankful we have moments. Very few moments, but moments all the same. Maybe it was a marketing move more than a team move, but it effected a lot of kids down here. Kids like Yogan, Guertler and Gostisbehere played at Pines Ice Arena back in the early 2000's and probably remember that wall sized banner of the Russian Rocket. If you played hockey in Florida between about 1999ish-2004, you wanted to skate like the wind, score five hole, chomp gum, skate in vapor forties and shoot with synergies like Pavel Bure.

I wish we could have drafted this kid. From what I've seen he is a great player and it would have been a cool story to have the local boy play for his home town team.

 

[JP Mick]

You heard the radio-feed ? I like her hostile skills and what she says most of the time, but when talking about prospects it seems like she was reading stats-sheet...

I find her to be quiet arrogant poking fun at Florida fans who may not have the chance to watch junior hockey but can still have their opinions, no ?

And what about being an ass ? I'm I supposed to call "a girl using stats" something along the line of "a rose stating facts" because she is a girl hosting a radio-show ? Man, I don't have a problem with her being a "she", I have a problem with her using stats to compare prospects !

Chill out !!!

You bring up a fair point.
Her life partner (baby daddy) is Mike Dixon who is Manager of Hockey Operations for the Panthers. He travels with the team and is #3 under Tallon right now so I'm sure she hears a lot more than she can say.
She also gets access to watch all the AHL games for free which any normal Panther fan would have to be crazy to pay for. It will cost you about the same as Center Ice to watch the entire Rampage season on your computer.
As for watching CHL games if you live in Florida? Hell if I know.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Personally I have the start of the "dark ages" with trading Mellanby. Never should've happened. Mellanby should've retired a Panther.



On an unrelated note I'm gonna spam everyone in the org's email accounts to make Mellanby AGM. #BRINGHIMHOME

I don't think trading Mellanby was necessarily the problem...he played for a few more years and we needed to rebuild and stock the cupboard. The crime was trading him for David Morrisset. Just another in a great many terrible trades made by Murray. He made some good ones as well, but in totality he was one of our worst GMs, probably 2nd only to Keenan. And he always seems to get off the hook with Panthers fans. When we traded all the vets away from that team, ending in Bure, we really ended up with nothing to show for it. It's just really inexcusable.

Haven't seen anyone comment on Marek's idea to bring Ray Whitney back for a year ... sounds crazy, but he was really into it.

Interesting idea...

But I really think years and injuries have taken their toll on the Wizard, he can't be that productive anymore, his age finally caught him !

He would be great in a dressing-room and on the bench... But on the ice, he isn't productive anymore, not productive enough to take the spot of a kid IMO.

I agree. He might find some more magic for one more year, but there are many better options out there IMO.

 

[Dread Clawz]

You bring up a great point, her life partner (baby daddy) is Mike Dixon who is Manager of Hockey Operations for the Panthers. He travels with the team and is #3 under Tallon right now so I'm sure she hears a lot more than she can say.
She also gets access to watch all the AHL games for free which any normal Panther fan would have to be crazy to pay for. It will cost you about the same as Center Ice to watch the entire Rampage season on your computer.
As for watching CHL games if you live in Florida? Hell if I know.

You can watch CHL games anywhere in North America. If you want to pay for it, as you said. Same as the AHL.

 

[JP Mick]

Really don't think Dale will trade the pick, once again...

I don't understand how people around here don't talk about kid Viola's comments.

If I remember correctly Duthie asked him right after the lottery who they would pick, and the kid just laughed, saying they were ecsastic to have this pick and to make this selection.

If you really think about it, trading that pick is not a good hockey move, and it isn't even a good PR move, the Violas won't make this mistake... And with the draft coming in Sunrise next year, I don't think they want to be the laughing-stock of the League if we got screwed.

Take Ekblad.

I'm glad we haven't. He and his father can do whatever they want as long as its just putting up money, backing Tallon, and being the supportive face and voice behind everything Tallon does.
I think Travis giggled because he was put on the spot and he knew it wouldn't be up to him anyway.
I trust the Violas will let the hockey people make the hockey decisions, thats what they pay them to do.

 

[JP Mick]

You can watch CHL games anywhere in North America. If you want to pay for it, as you said. Same as the AHL.

I figured you could, I just never looked into it. My point was that it is not reasonable to expect the average Panther fan living in Florida to pay for AHL and CHL games. Hell I would like to watch the Cyclones games too, how much for an ECHL subscription?

 

[Dread Clawz]

I figured you could, I just never looked into it. My point was that it is not reasonable to expect the average Panther fan living in Florida to pay for AHL and CHL games. Hell I would like to watch the Cyclones games too, how much for an ECHL subscription?

At the same time, you should never judge a book by it's cover.

 

[Aksu]

I'm glad we haven't. He and his father can do whatever they want as long as its just putting up money, backing Tallon, and being the supportive face and voice behind everything Tallon does.
I think Travis giggled because he was put on the spot and he knew it wouldn't be up to him anyway.
I trust the Violas will let the hockey people make the hockey decisions, thats what they pay them to do.

I'm sure he was nurveous at the lottery. Yes "its all fun and games for us" wasn't the best thing to say but how should of he known, hes just a normal kid like every other billionare's kid

 

[JP Mick]

Interesting idea...

But I really think years and injuries have taken their toll on the Wizard, he can't be that productive anymore, his age finally caught him !

He would be great in a dressing-room and on the bench... But on the ice, he isn't productive anymore, not productive enough to take the spot of a kid IMO.

I wanted him when he was kicking ass with the Yotes a couple years back. I think that ship has sailed.

 

[JP Mick]

I'm sure he was nurveous at the lottery. Yes "its all fun and games for us" wasn't the best thing to say but how should of he known, hes just a normal kid like every other billionare's kid

That's the line that gave it away for me, he is not in on the drafting and trading decisions. I hope not anyway.

 

[JP Mick]

At the same time, you should never judge a book by it's cover.

I don't think I did. Baby Jag just brought up a valid point that most Panther fans don't have the luxury of convenient access to watch our prospects, or watch CHL games.
Ms. Lewis has the advantage of A, having a personal relationship with someone in the Panthers hockey ops and B, working in the media and having press credentials.
Between those two facts she would have access to watch most, if not all of those games, with little to no out of pocket cost to her I would imagine.
At the same time, everyone on HF is entitled to their own opinion even if they only watched a couple of youtube videos and read central scouting's final rankings.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Haven't seen anyone comment on Marek's idea to bring Ray Whitney back for a year ... sounds crazy, but he was really into it.

He's been dreadful on the Stars this year, he's done (hell of a career still).

That's the line that gave it away for me, he is not in on the drafting and trading decisions. I hope not anyway.

Eddie Munster? I agree that he's not important. Puckdaddy had a good piece on him: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/puck-...lorida-panthers--nhl-draft-rep-012942185.html

I don't think I did. Baby Jag just brought up a valid point that most Panther fans don't have the luxury of convenient access to watch our prospects, or watch CHL games.
Ms. Lewis has the advantage of A, having a personal relationship with someone in the Panthers hockey ops and B, working in the media and having press credentials.
Between those two facts she would have access to watch most, if not all of those games, with little to no out of pocket cost to her I would imagine.
At the same time, everyone on HF is entitled to their own opinion even if they only watched a couple of youtube videos and read central scouting's final rankings.

I think she posts here sometimes.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Travis Viola at age 8:

 

[Aksu]

He's been dreadful on the Stars this year, he's done (hell of a career still).



Eddie Munster? I agree that he's not important. Puckdaddy had a good piece on him: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/puck-...lorida-panthers--nhl-draft-rep-012942185.html




I think she posts here sometimes.

The last line on the article got me crackin up (after that I started crying)

 

[JP Mick]

He's been dreadful on the Stars this year, he's done (hell of a career still).



Eddie Munster? I agree that he's not important. Puckdaddy had a good piece on him: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/puck-...lorida-panthers--nhl-draft-rep-012942185.html




I think she posts here sometimes.

Posts #11 and #12 of this thread. I'm glad we have some members of the media chiming in here. Other than GR's once a year out of the blue comment.

 

[LUUUUUIS]

I'm sure he was nurveous at the lottery. Yes "its all fun and games for us" wasn't the best thing to say but how should of he known, hes just a normal kid like every other billionare's kid

That's the line that gave it away for me, he is not in on the drafting and trading decisions. I hope not anyway.

He came across to me as being very nervous. I'm OK with his being at the lottery. The feeling I've gotten from the Viola family from day one is that they're going to be VERY focused on hockey, without actually being involved in hockey. Travis being there didn't contradict that idea. He was basically a figurehead, which is all I think he'll be. His job is to do appearances like this, kiss babies and shake hands. It would have made more sense for him to be more directly under Rory Babich, but whatever. Kid wants to travel with the team and be around the players.

 

[Android 16]

Haven't seen anyone comment on Marek's idea to bring Ray Whitney back for a year ... sounds crazy, but he was really into it.

I like the idea from a standpoint where he could teach our forward kids the right way and help them unlearn all the nonsense they took from Versteeg. However, I'm really against signing players over 35 and extremely against signing players over 40. Honestly, I was hoping to hear something a little more creative from Marek. Didn't he mention signing Boyle too? He didn't say it, but maybe he thinks we our kids lack direction and support. I guess it's kind of obvious.

 

[CHGoalie27]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I feel that acquiring Pavel Bure was a huge mistake that put this franchise into a downward spiral.

It signaled a change in philosophy : less focus on winning, more focus on marketing.

Please don't make the same mistake again.

I love Ovechkin's talent, but like Bure adding him means you make him the focal point of your team.

A team with Ovechkin as it's focal point will always break your heart.

It would make for an exciting regular season, AG, but we've been patient this long... why screw it up now?

Yes, but a team with Ovechkin as it's focal point, that actually uses him as their focal point[/It, will NEVER break a heart. They break their own ass by not feeding him the puck as they should and make it about anyone BUT Ovechkin for the 'point of being a team' or some dumb ****.

To resummarize, if they played as a team focusing on getting the guy for an open shot from literally anywhere, they'd all eventually score a bunch more goals (kinda like how NJ used to play entirely from the the net-out). Instead they force the team thing when they shouldn't.

Note, those just go for whoever OVs linemates (mostly PP).
There's three other lines.

That would be a stong point here too. We're loaded with playmakers.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Travis Viola at age 8:

Why the hell is everyone making fun of him???

icanthanzalit.

 

[coopdaloop123]

I like the idea from a standpoint where he could teach our forward kids the right way and help them unlearn all the nonsense they took from Versteeg. However, I'm really against signing players over 35 and extremely against signing players over 40. Honestly, I was hoping to hear something a little more creative from Marek. Didn't he mention signing Boyle too? He didn't say it, but maybe he thinks we our kids lack direction and support. I guess it's kind of obvious.

Yeah he mentioned Boyle/Orpik as guys that would be good for the D. After the show we talked about Moulson for a bit and he said that would probably be the best pickup given our situation.

Main guys we are going to get this offseason are guys who want $$ and believe that things will turn around quickly.