Panthers Season Must Be Viewed As a Success

[ProjectPanthers]

http://thehockeywriters.com/panthers-season-must-be-viewed-as-a-success/

My latest piece! Thanks to those who are reading.

I think it's important to remember the positives this season. Although we fell short of the playoffs, nobody expected this team to be where it is. A step in the right direction.

Click to read more...

 

[I am not exposed]

Your thoughts on Bolland are bound to get some remarks!

Overall a good article.

 

[ShootIt]

Bolland is a good 3rd line center. Defensively sound, is a pest and is gritty.

Problem is that his contract and injury concerns will overshadow what he can bring to this team, till the playoffs come.

Good read. Takes the sting off the last two games.

 

[Mogo]

I would love to see some stats to back up how important Bolland was for us or not?

 

[KW]

I would like to have seen us get 95 pts and still not make the playoffs, to show the team how hard it is.

 

[vendetta]

I would love to see some stats to back up how important Bolland was for us or not?

His value hasn't been and never will be shown by stats for the most part...

I would like to have seen us get 95 pts and still not make the playoffs, to show the team how hard it is.

Pretty sure they found out exactly how hard it is... so many lessons to be learned from this season

 

[adam graves]

Good article overall. I like your writing style.
Personally, I'm stubborn, in a league wher half the teams make the playoffs, I would call it progress rather than success. Could be semantics.

In re bolland:
"Although you may not agree with his contract, it’s tough to argue against his results"

It's not tough. It's kind of easy. But since it's your quote, whats the factual basis for your written opinion?

It can't be 5 goals 40% of which were empty netters.

It's not his FO % as is was less than half.

We all know he took horrific penalty in last 10 games vs leafs and coughed up a puck vs mtl leading to a shorty game killer.

Aside from a couple of nice shoot out goals, your right. It's not tough to argue. But please, take this opportunity to layout a factual basis with statistical support for your conclusion.

His value hasn't been and never will be shown by stats for the most part...

He used to give hard hits that changed games

He used to get under people's skin game after game.

He used to be a rat.

That was a few years ago.

 

[StrangeVision]

Measurable impact >>>>> conjecture

They should buy him out.

 

[Brokin]

Good article overall. I like your writing style.
Personally, I'm stubborn, in a league where half the teams make the playoffs, I would call it progress rather than success. Could be semantics.

Right on the money.

No one can anticipate what is going to happen from year to year with what is a borderline playoff franchise at this point. Until this franchise shows some consistency over a longer time frame, a year such as this can only be seen as progress and should never be taken out of context ala 2011. Next year you could very easily see Luongo tank because of injuries or lack of confidence. All the rest of the players that did well this year could continue at their present pace but still not be enough to get us in. Injuries, motivation and chemistry all will play a part in where the team ends up when 2016 concludes.

Until I see us put together back to back improvements, I'm not jumping on the success bandwagon.

 

[ProjectPanthers]

Good article overall. I like your writing style.
Personally, I'm stubborn, in a league wher half the teams make the playoffs, I would call it progress rather than success. Could be semantics.

In re bolland:
"Although you may not agree with his contract, it’s tough to argue against his results"

It's not tough. It's kind of easy. But since it's your quote, whats the factual basis for your written opinion?

It can't be 5 goals 40% of which were empty netters.

It's not his FO % as is was less than half.

We all know he took horrific penalty in last 10 games vs leafs and coughed up a puck vs mtl leading to a shorty game killer.

Aside from a couple of nice shoot out goals, your right. It's not tough to argue. But please, take this opportunity to layout a factual basis with statistical support for your conclusion.

First let me thank you for the kind words, much appreciated!

In regards to Bolland, I can't provide any statistics. You're right, his faceoffs aren't that great, his points aren't an incredible amount, and sure he made a couple mistakes along the final stretch, but so did a bunch of others.

I hate using the cliche but Bolland has the intangibles. Trust me, I was completely against this contract when it happened and continued to voice my issues with it early on in the season. But somewhere around the halfway point I started watching Bolland play, watching him closely.

He still is that pest out there. He draws penalties, he gets in the face of other guys, and he's a valuable player to have. As I said, not everyone will agree with his contract, but first of all it's not any of ours money, and I highly doubt Bolland stays with this team and it costs us re-signing Huby or anyone else. Let's not be ridiculous.

But Bolland is the kind of player that puts you over the top in the playoffs. His value didn't become evident until the Panthers started playing in IMPORTANT games. That's when he really showed what he does on the ice. Again, not a lot of it will show up on the stat sheet and as fans, lots of money should at least yield SOMETHING on paper, but in Bolland's case, it doesn't unfortunately. He's a player full of intangibles that help make this team better.

If you don't see it in him, you don't. Clearly our board is pretty torn on the Bolland issue. You either love him or you hate him, and I did hate him but I've learned to love him because of what he offers. He's just the right kind of player. There's a reason that Toronto was offering him $5 Mill and Vancouver was also sniffing around. It's not just Tallon who values him at that price tag.

When we make the playoffs, I think that is when a lot of those opposing Bolland will see what the rest of us have seen.

In regards to it being "progress" instead of "success"......the reason I chose the word "success" was because I saw a lot of Panthers fans getting down after they fell short of the playoffs and I was just trying to shed some positive light on the season. For a team that has been doom and gloom and misery for so long, there seems to finally be that light at the end of the tunnel. Yes we didn't make the playoffs, but I still consider this season a success because this franchise is finally.....FINALLY on the right path for the first time in 20 years. That's why I prefaced the article with introduction that "most teams wouldn't consider this season a success".

 

[Gentle Man]

First let me thank you for the kind words, much appreciated!

In regards to Bolland, I can't provide any statistics. You're right, his faceoffs aren't that great, his points aren't an incredible amount, and sure he made a couple mistakes along the final stretch, but so did a bunch of others.

I hate using the cliche but Bolland has the intangibles. Trust me, I was completely against this contract when it happened and continued to voice my issues with it early on in the season. But somewhere around the halfway point I started watching Bolland play, watching him closely.

He still is that pest out there. He draws penalties, he gets in the face of other guys, and he's a valuable player to have. As I said, not everyone will agree with his contract, but first of all it's not any of ours money, and I highly doubt Bolland stays with this team and it costs us re-signing Huby or anyone else. Let's not be ridiculous.

But Bolland is the kind of player that puts you over the top in the playoffs. His value didn't become evident until the Panthers started playing in IMPORTANT games. That's when he really showed what he does on the ice. Again, not a lot of it will show up on the stat sheet and as fans, lots of money should at least yield SOMETHING on paper, but in Bolland's case, it doesn't unfortunately. He's a player full of intangibles that help make this team better.

If you don't see it in him, you don't. Clearly our board is pretty torn on the Bolland issue. You either love him or you hate him, and I did hate him but I've learned to love him because of what he offers. He's just the right kind of player. There's a reason that Toronto was offering him $5 Mill and Vancouver was also sniffing around. It's not just Tallon who values him at that price tag.

When we make the playoffs, I think that is when a lot of those opposing Bolland will see what the rest of us have seen.

In regards to it being "progress" instead of "success"......the reason I chose the word "success" was because I saw a lot of Panthers fans getting down after they fell short of the playoffs and I was just trying to shed some positive light on the season. For a team that has been doom and gloom and misery for so long, there seems to finally be that light at the end of the tunnel. Yes we didn't make the playoffs, but I still consider this season a success because this franchise is finally.....FINALLY on the right path for the first time in 20 years. That's why I prefaced the article with introduction that "most teams wouldn't consider this season a success".

I neither love or hate Bolland. he has ups and downs like every player and I certainly won't judge him by his price tag. he got offered he signed, why wouldn't you? and you are correct. Several teams offered in the ballpark, and Tallon won by the .5.

The guy helped win a cup, and you can never knock winning. Hopefully he has a better season in terms of Injuries and he will have a better season.

I don't think you are wrong using the word success. And here is why:

1. Jagr trade happened. It gave the team enough time to see that that trade is and will be a success. Gave Jagr a glimpse and now there is an interest when there would have had none (let's be honest here, only way we would have intrigued him is via trade).

2. Because of the trade, Hubey, Barkov, and who knows who else grew up and developed. Any positive growth is a success

3. the team gained valuable experience in terms of playoff type hockey. Teams typically experience heart break before taking that winning step.

4. anytime you exceed expectations, you succeeded in some way.

5. Bjugstad got extended long-term. shows dedication to our core and sends a positive message to the team.

6. us as fans saw that our management is leaps and bounds above their predecessors.

7. Our coach didn't lose the players, and they, for the most part, responded well.


8. we were not sellers at the trade deadline.

Progress can be seen as success. Absolutely. But progress can also be moving from 15 wins to 16 wins. A snail's pace of progress (see the dark ages).

But a 20+ point turn around is more than progress. that's a successful turn- around of a franchise that had a dark future.

The league took notice. So should we

 

[adam graves]

First let me thank you for the kind words, much appreciated!

In regards to Bolland, I can't provide any statistics. You're right, his faceoffs aren't that great, his points aren't an incredible amount, and sure he made a couple mistakes along the final stretch, but so did a bunch of others.

I hate using the cliche but Bolland has the intangibles. Trust me, I was completely against this contract when it happened and continued to voice my issues with it early on in the season. But somewhere around the halfway point I started watching Bolland play, watching him closely.

He still is that pest out there. He draws penalties, he gets in the face of other guys, and he's a valuable player to have. As I said, not everyone will agree with his contract, but first of all it's not any of ours money, and I highly doubt Bolland stays with this team and it costs us re-signing Huby or anyone else. Let's not be ridiculous.

But Bolland is the kind of player that puts you over the top in the playoffs. His value didn't become evident until the Panthers started playing in IMPORTANT games. That's when he really showed what he does on the ice. Again, not a lot of it will show up on the stat sheet and as fans, lots of money should at least yield SOMETHING on paper, but in Bolland's case, it doesn't unfortunately. He's a player full of intangibles that help make this team better.

If you don't see it in him, you don't. Clearly our board is pretty torn on the Bolland issue. You either love him or you hate him, and I did hate him but I've learned to love him because of what he offers. He's just the right kind of player. There's a reason that Toronto was offering him $5 Mill and Vancouver was also sniffing around. It's not just Tallon who values him at that price tag.

When we make the playoffs, I think that is when a lot of those opposing Bolland will see what the rest of us have seen.
".

Appreciate your honesty. Please lst take note I never mentioned his salary. I don't care about it unless it forces a coach to make unwise decision.
The problem with subjective conclusions is I could make the same argument for kopy Et al.. The intangibles he brings, the rings he has, the winner he is, the difference he will make in the playoffs, etc and it can't be disputed: cause it's subjective. We can have a bar room argument and no ones wrong cause there is no basis.

Don't want to make this a bolland thread not fair to you. I just cringe at conclusions without facts.

It's a real niece piece that flows well. I enjoyed reading it immensely and look forward to your next one.