The 2018 Panthers off-season thread- Part II

[TheImpatientPanther]

Outside of Tampa as 1st in Atlantic, dont see why we can't fight for #2 or #3? We match up fine with BOS and TOR. What was our record against them last year? 5-3 over 8 games with a couple tight games against TOR in extra time. We each had 8 goals a piece and split the four game series. They added Tavares but C is our strongest positional depth. We added Hoffman and have better depth. TOR's defense is still pretty suspect but we showed the ability to keep a high powered offense of theirs to 2 goals a game over 4 games.

One 5-1 blowout loss to BOS but otherwise, outscored them 10-4 in the 3 other games with a Reimy 3-0, 46 save shutout. First time we've shown dominance over them since 96 that I can remember OTOH. Some of their best players are now in their early/mid 30s and a 41 year old Chara. Alot will depend on their top line, health of Rask and their young D to continue to develop.

If our core guys and Luongo stay healthy, its gonna be a dogfight for the top 3 Atlantic seeds all year long.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Stone asking for 9 million. If I'm his agent I'm just saying look at Tom Wilson's deal

 

[Gentle Man]

Stone asking for 9 million. If I'm his agent I'm just saying look at Tom Wilson's deal

He is asking for 9 million because he wants to get out of Ottawa.

He'll take half to go to Florida I'd bet

 

[KW]

Toronto is a near perfect test case for the Jake theory. So let’s see it. They should go 72-5-5. All those 40-goal capable offensive stars.

 

[I am not exposed]

Outside of Tampa as 1st in Atlantic, dont see why we can't fight for #2 or #3? We match up fine with BOS and TOR. What was our record against them last year? 5-3 over 8 games with a couple tight games against TOR in extra time. We each had 8 goals a piece and split the four game series. They added Tavares but C is our strongest positional depth. We added Hoffman and have better depth. TOR's defense is still pretty suspect but we showed the ability to keep a high powered offense of theirs to 2 goals a game over 4 games.

One 5-1 blowout loss to BOS but otherwise, outscored them 10-4 in the 3 other games with a Reimy 3-0, 46 save shutout. First time we've shown dominance over them since 96 that I can remember OTOH. Some of their best players are now in their early/mid 30s and a 41 year old Chara. Alot will depend on their top line, health of Rask and their young D to continue to develop.

If our core guys and Luongo stay healthy, its gonna be a dogfight for the top 3 Atlantic seeds all year long.

We have to play other teams as well

I still see 4th in the division making playoffs. I think over the 82 game regular season, all three of Tampa, Toronto, and Boston look better. Depending on injuries of course. Then we make the playoffs and beat Tampa in 7 games. Face some annoying Metro team in the next round and beat them in 6. Beat Toronto in the Eastern conference final. Then sweep Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final. You heard it here first!

 

[RogerRoger]

Toronto is a near perfect test case for the Jake theory. So let’s see it. They should go 72-5-5. All those 40-goal capable offensive stars.

Nah, Marleau isn't a 40 goals guy. He hit the mark once 10 years ago or so.
So they don't have a proven 40 goals guy, their offense is not up to what he wants for us.

 

[pb1300]

Nah, Marleau isn't a 40 goals guy. He hit the mark once 10 years ago or so.
So they don't have a proven 40 goals guy, their offense is not up to what he wants for us.

They have a probable 40 goal score in Matthews, and a possible one in Tavares, along with a few players capable of 20-35 goals in Marner, Kadri, Marleau, and Nylander. What separated them from us last season was they had the 2nd best PP in the league, while we were average. We have the firepower to compete with anyone, but if we want to be considered with the leagues best, we need to have a top 10 PP this season.

 

[Gentle Man]

Toronto has no chance.

All those goal scorers combined fall short of the 400 goals needed to win the cup.

 

[BB88]

Kadri did not score 30 on the 3rd line though and probably won't either.


Carolina is not a team im worried about we have a better forward core,better goalie.

Kadri is still a 2x 30 goal scorer and makes their 1-2-3 one of the best in the league.

You have better forwards than Carolina but they have a lot better defense than you have. Every team fighting for WC spot has weaknessess and question marks around their roster, Florida is no exception.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Well, a month and a half till training camp...

 

[Gentle Man]

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Bodog now has us in 8th in the East and TheScore has us in the lowest tier of playoff teams with Calgary, La, and Philly.

Still feels good compared to where this team was a couple years ago, to even be projected in the playoffs.

 

[StrangeVision]

The expectation should be to make the playoffs. Anything less, given a relatively healthy team, is abject failure. It's enough at this point, the team has had more than enough time to rebuild and become a legitimate threat.

 

[Bobblebee]

The #Canes have acquired Cliff Pu, Buffalo’s second-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft and Buffalo’s third-round and sixth-round selections in the 2020 NHL Draft in exchange for Jeff Skinner.

Cliff Pu

Ang? Heponiemi? Hutsko? Noel?

Didn't think Pu held much potential, pretty sure we could've done this if we wanted too. Although we don't have next years second.

 

[Chaos2k7]

Carolina will be hideous up front next season.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

And thats why I have no respect for Carolina. Horrendous trade for them. Replace fringe candidate Carolina with fringe candidate Buffalo. Amazing work by Botterill on this move.

 

[Sticksandsun]

Florida pretty much a playoff lock now. Devils added Eddie Lack only lol Hall will need another MVP year for them to break 90 points. Everyone else is rebuilding.

 

[Gentle Man]

Holy hell. f***ing roasted by EA Sports LMFAO

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

Holy hell. ****ing roasted by EA Sports LMFAO

Wow lmao

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

So.....Patches for Bjugstad and a 3rd?

 

[PBPantherfan]

So.....Patches for Bjugstad and a 3rd?

They need centers and a captain send them Mackenzie and a 6th. Captain for captain swap. Throw in McGinn to even up salary.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

The #Canes have acquired Cliff Pu, Buffalo’s second-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft and Buffalo’s third-round and sixth-round selections in the 2020 NHL Draft in exchange for Jeff Skinner.

Cliff Pu

Ang? Heponiemi? Hutsko? Noel?

Didn't think Pu held much potential, pretty sure we could've done this if we wanted too. Although we don't have next years second.

Wouldn't trade Heponiemi; Hutsko is a recent third round pick and most likely gets you nowhere in a trade (yet).
But man, what's Carolina doing there? Skinner has an NMC and I read he nixed several trade options at the draft... still, is that really the best they could do? Anyway good move by Buffalo.

It would have been annoying if someone like Boston or NJD added him; this changes nothing for us in the near future.

 

[FrolikFan67]

we couldnt have offered better? i suppose they didnt wanna take salary back.
so this should be the market (kinda-ish) for pacioretty id assume? hes older and coming off a lesser season, both had 1yr left.

Skinner = Pu + '19 2nd + '20 3rd + '20 6th
Pacioretty = ???

 

[SoupyFIN]

we couldnt have offered better? i suppose they didnt wanna take salary back.

We already did our addition with Hoffman, trading away picks from successive years is a quick way to empty your prospect pool.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Holy hell. ****ing roasted by EA Sports LMFAO

First thing chEAp sports got right in a long time