SB Nation - Keaton Ellerby

Rochester Americans win 8th in row; Panthers keep "recall" button well-oiled, bring up Ellerby and Oreskovich

Whale4ever — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:47:17 -0000

Amerks' RW Victor Oreskovich (photo courtesy LetsGoAmerks)

The Amerks continue their phenomenal turnaround from a year ago, going 8-for-8. Friday night's victory in Binghamton was the latest for coach Benoit Groulx's scrappy, hungry bunch, desperately looking to erase the directionless efforts of last season.

All this despite revolving flights to Sunrise. Today's passengers? Forward Victor Oreskovich and defenseman Keaton Ellerby. That Rochester has managed to keep up the winning pace while losing guys like Michal Repik, Kenndal McArdle, Jason Garrison, et al makes their streak all the more amazing.

Programming note: tonight's Panthers-Blues Open Thread goes LIVE at 7pm EST. Do it.

Need some good news, Panthers fans? Try this...

Whale4ever — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:09:57 -0000

Hockey's Future - the first and last word in puck prospects - has released their Organizational Rankings for Fall of 2009, and Florida places higher than ever ever before. Of course, we knew they would, but still.

Seriously, Hockey's Future is mighty impressed with what the Panthers are - with all respect to Rochester/Estero/Etc. - growing down on the farm. Maybe even a tad enamored with what GM Randy Sexton has done the summer.

According to HF editor Ian Bross, it's Florida's highest appearance ever - organizationally speaking - on their list (you may unclench your fists now, fellow Cat fans...nothing negative this time around). Who's number one in the organization? Goaltender Jacob Markstrom, followed by some kid who will play tomorrow on D for the Cats.

Head over and enjoy.

Hockey's Future: Markstrom, Kulikov, Matthias tops for Panthers

Whale4ever — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:07:42 -0000

In a league chock full of ironies, it should come as no surprise that Hockey's Future released it's Organizational Depth Analysis for Florida on the very day Pistol Pete DeBoer hauled a stunned Scott Clemmensen out of his net less than two minutes into a first-period shelling by the visiting Sabres.

Who's tops on HF's list? Panthers goaltender-of-the-future Jacob Markstrom, of course.

The game in question was not necessarily "lost" by the 'tending tandem of Clemmer and Tomas Vokoun, but neither was in game-stealing form, either. (They did look superb in their new masks, however.)

Which brings us to Markstrom, biding his time in the Elitserien, and finishing up which will arguably be his final professional bow in Europe. Cats fans have been waiting the better part of two years to see the "kid" up close, and it's hard to fathom that opportunity will arise any later than training camp 2010-11.

Whomever's at the reigns of this franchise come that time will have a confounding decision to make: Clemmer? Two years remaining on his contract. Alexander Salak? His first year of North American hockey under his belt, via Rochester (and he's looking good so far). Assuming Vokoun remains with the club past the next trade deadline (it's almost inconceivable that he will, given his salary and consistent inconsistencies), that's four presumably NHL-ready netminders. In a perfect world, anyway.

A few notes on the HF list:

Michal Repik and Keaton Ellerby at 4 and 5, right where they should be. Evgeni Dadonov in the ninth spot? He just got here, folks. Kenndal McArdle hangs on at number 20. Kulikov will be out of the "prospect" category by January.

SB Nation NHL Preview: 2009-10 Florida Panthers

Whale4ever — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:00:23 -0000

Cats fans will need their team to tighten up and become "one" as never before, if this is to be a regular fixture at the BankAtlantic Center in 2009-10. And paying the electric bills.

The Cats launched 2008-09 amid a flurry of uncertainty, for a myriad of valid reasons: longtime leading scorer Olli Jokinen dealt at the Entry Draft, GM Jacques Martin forced out of his coaching responsibilities, impending UFA-to-be Jay Bouwmeester re-signed...for one year, winger Richard Zednik attempting to return from hideous injury, the annual chorus of "where's the scoring going to come from?", Nathan Horton moved to center, zero-hour new head coach Peter DeBoer, and on and on.

Though players were initially pleased with the fresh air ushered in by DeBoer, the ingrown Martin Doctrine of "Defense First" made for a painful and difficult transition to an offensive/positionally-responsible strategy in the early going. Wade Belak's departure particularly irked fans, as did the rookie coach's insistance on "wasting" valuable first and second line time on that Michael Frolik kid...the one with 2g (4p) through the end of November.

December was the true birthplace of the club's acceptance of and submission to DeBoer's Terms of Service: 30 wins were to follow. A few maniacally bad stinkers as well, but the seed had been planted. And that Frolik guy finished with 21g-24a-45p. We're not doubting the rookie coach now.

Every hockey fan is aware of Florida's finish: 9th place in the East (93 pts), butted out of the postseason by a secondary tiebreaker vs Montreal. Nobody's crying over it - what could be done? - but a strong scent of "We want more - for real this year!" is wafting through the southeastern Everglades after coming Oh So Close to printing playoff tickets for the first time since 2000. Local media badly needs the opportunity to trot out something other than the tired "they missed it again" line.

No more Bouwmeester drama, Martin has moved on, the defense is as positionally sound as at any point over the past decade, Randy Sexton is providing steady if unexciting guidance from the front office, and young players are finally blooming. Onward...

FORGET ABOUT: Bouwmeester ~~thankfully~~ (trade/CGY), Ville Peltonen (UFA), Zednik (UFA), Nick Boynton (UFA), Steve Eminger (UFA), Jassen Cullimore (UFA), Karlis Skrastins (UFA), Brett McLean (Buyout), Anthony Stewart (UFA), Craig Anderson (UFA)

GET TO KNOW: Steven Reinprecht (UFA), Jordan Leopold (trade/UFA), Scott Clemmensen (UFA), Ville Koistinen (UFA), Dennis Seidenberg (UFA), Jeff Taffe (UFA)

BOYZ II MEN: (F) Michal Repik, Shawn Matthias, Kenndal McArdle, Evgeny Dadonov, Mike Duco. (D) Keaton Ellerby, Jason Garrison, Dmitry Kulikov, Michael Caruso. (G) Realistically no one (due to Vokoun/Clemmensen), but keep an eye on Alexander Salak

GOOD STUFF: Horton's permanently back on the wing, presumably with the 31 goals of David Booth, centered by leading scorer Stephen Weiss (61 pts). Anderson was capably replaced by ~~Newark Man of the Year~~ Clemmensen (a Sexton coup). The Boynton debacle is finis (solidifying DeBoer's position). Reinprecht is a proven commodity in his role. Potential rookie defensemen are on the cusp of cracking the lineup, in the midst of veterans in the mold of Martin Skoula and Christian Backman. An entire year away from Martin's stingy offensive philosophy is that much further behind them. Bryan Allen returns after a season in injury exile. GM JM is no longer a focal point of hatred for the fans.

QUESTIONABLE STUFF: Let's face it: Bouwmeester is indeed a loss. Boynton's signing with Anaheim reduces overall team toughness. Skrastins blocked a helluva lot of shots. Anderson was a known asset (but wanted a starting spot). Peltonen completed a sick third line with Gregory Campbell and Radek Dvorak, and killed penalties on par with anyone in the league. Rusty Olesz is on a seriously short leash. GM JM is no longer a focal point of hatred for the fans.

DEPTH STARS

Center: Weiss, Reinprecht, Campbell, Kamil Kreps
RW: Horton, Frolik, Dvorak, Repik
LW: Booth, Cory Stillman, Olesz, Nick Tarnasky
D: Keith Ballard, Bryan McCabe, Allen, Leopold, Seidenberg, Koistinen, Skoula/Backman, Garrison/Ellerby
G: Tomas Vokoun, Clemmensen, Tyler Plante/Salak

TIME WARP TO APRIL: No single organization in the Southeast held back - for better or worse - more than Florida eventually did over the summer. Everyone has improved. Optimists may claim the Panthers needed the least amount of tweaking, given the strides made in the second half of the 2008-09 season; a few solid "character" acquisitions here, a "complement" to this line there, a rookie hitting his stride at the right time. And a lot of hope for the burgeoning defensive bunch Sexton has assembled.

Gotta make a pick? It depends as much upon the successes and failures of the divisional four the Panthers are in competition with. Let's call it second in the SE, seventh in the Wales. The down days are over.

Poll

Where in the Eastern Conference standings do you think the Florida Panthers will finish in the 2009-2010 season?

1st

3 votes

2nd

2 votes

3rd

3 votes

4th

0 votes

5th

6 votes

6th

6 votes

7th

22 votes

8th

16 votes

9th

4 votes

10th

6 votes

11th

7 votes

12th

4 votes

13th

3 votes

14th

0 votes

15th

2 votes

84 votes | Poll has closed

Canadiens' Jacques Martin : A legacy of confusion in Sunrise

Whale4ever — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:51:35 -0000

More photos » by Graham Hughes - AP

6 months ago: Jacques Martin smiles during a press conference in Montreal, Monday, June 1, 2009, announcing his appointment as new head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

Browse more photos »

New Hab Scott Gomez asked a teammate what he later deemed "the dumbest question": would tonight's exhibition opener against the Florida Panthers be a sellout? Like so many games before, and countless more to follow, the answer was an explicit "yes".

Montreal fans are eager to get a first view of their revamped Canadiens after what can only be deemed a less-than-stellar 100th anniversary season. Excitement over free agent pickups such as Gomez, Mike Cammalleri, and Brian Gionta have the locals believing in substance and systems over last year's bloated pomp and circumstance. Oh, and they're probably curious about that new guy behind the bench.

Florida followers undoubtedly will have an eye on Habs head coach Jacques Martin: not quite as polarizing a figure during his days in Sunrise as, say, Mike Keenan, but the fanbase was unquestionably split on how best to remember the Cats' three-year coach and two-season GM (who has yet to be officially replaced in that capacity). What exactly did he do for the Florida Panthers?

Is "JM the Bench Boss" to be hailed as one who brought consistency - albeit of an underwhelming variety - to the Panthers' record (three seasons: 110-100-36, no playoffs)? A coach who continued the development of Olli Jokinen and authored the (lamely titled) Sunrise Express...together again after all these years?

Or a dinosaur who couldn't adjust to the post-lockout offensive-minded world of the modern NHL? For a man who was believed very close to his boss (Keenan), they didn't appear to be doing anything more than spinning wheels and offering kneejerk reactions (Kristian Huselius for Steve Montador and Dustin Johner in late '05).

Best described as defensively conservative - and that's probably polite - Martin's strategies strangled the abilities of their forwards while rarely allowing blueliners to make that all-important breakout of their own zone. A bizarre combination of pass-pass-pass-pass-pass. The mid-90s New Jersey Devils - never a club confused with exciting hockey - shut down neutral ice while the defense scooped up turnover after turnover, immediately sending it forward. Until it was legislated out of the game in 2005, this was almost unbeatable. But Martin continued attempting to employ it...and didn't even have the right personnel to make it work even if it remained legal.

Another issue: his allowing for the roster to "split" or develop cliques. Widely commented on by Florida players after DeBoer's hiring, the team had fractured into mini-fiefdoms; seldom were relationships any deeper than one or two fellow players. Any form of unity had long since disappeared, and Martin's hands-off approach - basically leaving Jokinen, a captain whose leadership skills have been questioned for years by fans, in charge - led the organization headfirst into "Country Club" territory.

Is "JM the GM" a visionary who had the foresight to outbid a desperate Ottawa organization for the services of a yet unproven (at the big-league level) Peter DeBoer - as his own replacement, no less? (It could be conspiratorially theorized this was a shocktroop move to keep the young buck out of the hands of his former employer at Scotiabank Place, but we're not going there.) Or is he to be chastised for holding on to a determined Jay Bouwmeester for far too long?

Ask just about any Panthers fan what Martin's greatest accomplishment was - in all his time with the club - and chances are very good you'd get "Pete DeBoer" as the answer. Second? Quite probably the Jokinen for (essentially) Keith Ballard deal at the 2008 Entry Draft. Beyond that? Perhaps signing Stephen Weiss, Nathan Horton, and Ballard long-term.

Notice a pattern? They're all management actions. The list goes on: assistant coach Mike Kitchen, a JM hire, remains with the club. The scouting staff was left more or less in place, still under the tutelage of a very capable Scott Luce; Martin could have gutted them long ago, but stayed the course...it was this bunch who drafted - under JM - a few pretty hot prospects: Jacob Markstrom, Keaton Ellerby, Michal Repik, Evgeny Dadonov, and others now in camp. A solidified - though not initially successful - primary operating agreement was secured with the Rochester Americans. Tomas Vokoun was acquired, as were Radek Dvorak and Cory Stillman.

Not all of his moves were brilliant, of course (Chad Kilger, anyone?), but perfection isn't realistic. If there's one tremendous debacle he alone perpetuated it would have to be not trading Bouwmeester one year earlier - before the extension was signed - when it was painfully obvious the defenseman wanted out. Left to clean up the mess after JM's departure in June, assistant general manager Randy Sexton could harness only the rights of soon-to-be UFA Jordan Leopold (eventually signed) and a third-round pick from Calgary. What more could be done? (For the record, I supported Martin NOT trading Bouwmeester at the 2009 deadline.) Ah, hindsight.

Nonetheless, for a guy with zippo management experience above the bench, it wasn't a terribly embarrassing run.

He's been given his dream assignment: head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. Regardless of the multitude of opinions surrounding his time in Sunrise, we should all hope for such luck.

Panthers sign UFA defenseman Dennis Seidenberg

Whale4ever — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:59:53 -0000

More photos » by Gerry Broome - AP

Browse more photos »

TSN announced this morning that Florida has inked free agent Dennis Seidenberg to a one-year, $2.25M deal, squeaking it through just in time for the exhibition season. The former Philadelphi sixth-round pick spent the past two-plus seasons with Carolina, recording career-highs in goals (5), assists (25), points (30), ppg (2), ppa (9), gp (70), pim (37), and shots (129). Guess we can safely call it a career year. He previously played alongside current Cats Keith Ballard and Steve Reinprecht with Phoenix, and Cory Stillman in Raleigh.

And his #4 is so far available.

A lock for top-six placement, Seidenberg's appearance almost certainly negates the need for a Christian Backman and likely Martin Skoula as well. The defense is now shaping up as such:

If not spectacular, it's definitely got potential, and regardless of your thoughts on departed Jay Bouwmeester, Nick Boynton, Jassen Cullimore, or Karlis Skrastins, this is a respectable clan. Not in an explosive-scoring style, but responsible in their own end and able to move the puck quickly for the all-important breakout pass so vital to Pete DeBoer's offensive strategy.

Who's in line for the seventh spot? This signing puts a dent in the plans of more than one hopeful: Keaton Ellerby, Jason Garrison, and Dmitry Kulikov just found their climb up the ladder had a new rung installed above them.

Welcome to the party, Dennis.

Thanks to Evan at Facebook for the tip.

Poll

Like the signing?

Yes...another valuable addition

57 votes

No...overpriced and stats are nothing to crow about

14 votes

71 votes | Poll has closed

Florida Panthers Rookie Camp, Day One primer

Whale4ever — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:14:52 -0000

Pete's back...with an edge (and a reflection).

A great Labor Day morning at IncredibleICE in Coral Springs featuring your (future) Cats. Thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the familiar faces, and can't thank the organization enough for opening up the brand spankin' new ice sheet to the fans.

A few quick thoughts: Evgeny Dadonov appeared in game-ready condition; he's a smaller guy, but quick and possessing a nice wrister. Dmitry Kulikov is similar in size, with a Keith Ballard-ish stature and a hint of what may be toughness. Certainly was not out of place among his brethren. A number of participants seemed to be a half-step behind the drills, but I had to continually remind myself that this is Day One; midseason form we ain't gonna get. Michal Repik remains the speedster he was at last year's camp. The current Amerks unquestionably were comfortable with each other, having a year (or more) behind them on the same bench. Shawn Matthias and James DeLory bearing down on the offensive zone will give goaltenders heart attacks: they are absolutely gigantic around the net. Ditto for Keaton Ellerby, Adam Comrie, and Colby Robak. These are big doods. Alexander Salak looked slick in an evil black-only mask, but seemed a bit out of place, and I can't put my finger on why. Tyler Plante - still a hulking 6-3 before skates - put up the superior fight.

As for the venue, this event was held on the new Panthers-only ice sheet at the facility, and by new, I mean NEW: the boards are pristine white, as are the walls and ceiling. Several large glassed observation areas are employed for patrons, while the overhead lighting is crisp and remarkably, well, white. Behind the benches is a doorway to the - again - new training and workout areas. All the way around, a beautiful rink.

I'm currently uploading all of the photos, so stay tuned; they'll be up within a few hours.

And how about this for a Labor Day feast, Panthers-style:

Yes, that's an officially licensed NHL toaster.

Florida Panthers Rookie Camp: mere hours away

Whale4ever — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:11:24 -0000

Now it's beginning to feel close: Monday at 9 am will see the doors of IncredibleIce open to the public's first preseason view of the potential future of the Florida franchise.

Matthias, Garrison, Repik...all the names we've groveled over the past quarter of a year will finally take shape and assemble for the Cats' Rookie Camp in Coral Springs.

In a sense, this is a better brand of competition than the actual NHL Panthers' camp; here it will be decided which "kids" will be ultimately chosen to fight for positions with the Big Club - at least for a portion of the preseason, and hopefully far beyond. There aren't many spots available - and some would argue those scant few open positions should go to veteran NHLers. This week will provide an insight into both arguments.

Behind us are names we'd heard bandied about, season after season: Anthony Stewart, Tanner Glass, Drew Larman, Stefan Meyer, and others have moved on from the organization for varied reasons. Right or wrong, few are crying over these departures.

In their place are some we've seen in previous camps briefly (Jason Garrison, Shawn Matthias, Michal Repik, Keaton Ellerby), others who will be making their debuts on South Florida ice (Dmitry Kulikov, Alexander Salak, Garrett Wilson), as well as a few veterans of Panther camps (Andrew Sweetland, Kenndal McArdle, Brady Calla, Mike Caruso).

Its no secret at this site that I'm all about Repik. Call it a Frolik-hangover, but I'm stoked to see what he can do after a year in Rochester. Same goes for Ellerby, though Garrison may just be ready for The Jump.

We'll be there when the doors open, grabbing lots of photos, shaking out the summer cobwebs. Hope to have some shots online by tomorrow evening, so check back...and please feel free to post your own in a FanShot.

Poll

Who are you most excited to see at Rookie Camp?

Ellerby

6 votes

Repik

13 votes

Matthias

4 votes

Garrison

1 votes

Other (leave in comments)

12 votes

36 votes | Poll has closed

Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg "talking" with Florida Panthers

Whale4ever — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:21:02 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

7 months ago: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, right, checks Boston Bruins right wing Chuck Kobasew (12) during the second period in Game 7 of an NHL Eastern Conference semifinal hockey playoff series in Boston on Thursday, May 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Browse more photos »

Dennis Seidenberg

#4 / Defenseman / Carolina Hurricanes

Height: 6-1

Weight: 210

Born: Jul 18, 1981

A report by Newsday's Steve Zipay has unrestricted free agent Dennis Seidenberg discussing contract options with the Cats and New York Rangers.

Making his NHL debut in 2002-03, Seidenberg has never played in more than 70 games in a season (and frequently far less), maxing out with a career-best 30 points (-9) in 2008-09 with Carolina. Other stops included Phoenix and Philadelphia (of which he was a sixth-round choice in 2001).

A third-pairing d-man at best among current Panthers blueliners, he would likely fill the anticipated Jassen Cullimore role: that of mentor to the younglings, especially in light of names such as Keaton Ellerby, Jason Garrison, and Dmitry Kulikov gunning for a roster spot (or two) with the Big Club.

Tough Enough? Florida Panthers lacking "enforcer" heading into camp

Whale4ever — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:07:47 -0000

More photos » by Tom Mihalek - AP

Cats' Greg Campbell led all remaining Panthers in Fighting Majors last season with six.

Browse more photos »

Interesting stat: of the thirteen Panthers handed fighting majors in 2008-09, seven are out of the organization, while one - Jassen Cullimore - awaits a phone call (ed. note: which I believe he'll get).

Only five of those had more than one "FM": Gregory Campbell and Anthony Stewart (6 each), The Dueling Nicks - Boynton and Tarnasky (5 apiece), and Keith Ballard (4). Stewy - he of limited minutes in 59 games - and The Beach have since ~~ingloriously~~ departed the organization.

Has the team "bulked up" for a rough-and-tumble style of play next year? Much more after the jump...

To lend some weight to the Fighting Major statistic, the following clubs - each of whom had what could be summed up as a slightly more successful year than Florida - posted these regular season numbers (with postseason result in parentheses):

HONK: Penguins' Eric Godard employs a fascinating and unique style of effective pugilism.

Pittsburgh (won Stanley Cup) - 39 Fighting Majors (perhaps unfairly skewed by Godard, but it worked)
Detroit (Western Conference Champion) - 5 FM (here's the no-surprise exception to the modern rule)
Chicago (WC final runner-up) - 54 FM (oddly, Pat Kane is nowhere to be found, nor his cousin)
Carolina (EC final runner-up) - 26 FM (and no runaway madman in the category - similar to FLA)

BEYOND THE TOP FOUR...

Boston (EC semis runner-up) - 46 FM (outside of Thornton and Lucic, nothing remarkable)
Washington (EC semis runner-up) - 28 FM (and Brashear is no longer a Cap)
Anaheim (WC semis runner-up) - 82 FM (Parros is a beast)
Vancouver (WC semis runner-up) -62 FM (and well-spread amongst ten players with more than one)

GREAT, BUT WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN FOR FLORIDA?

The Panthers, as is well known, changed up their approach one year ago, dropping the stifling defense-first Jacques Martin-late-90s-strategy that was ultimately far more effective at rusting the turnstiles of the BankAtlantic Center than stopping shots in the building's defensive zones. New coach Peter DeBoer threw away everything that had defined the team in its recent past; speed, puck control, fast breaks, faster outlet passes, and above all individual responsibility were the hallmarks of his reconstituted Cats. It took the better part of the season for it all to come together, but when it did (barring a few late stinkers against Buffalo, St. Louis, and Columbus, not to mention a collapse of Biblical proportions by former defenseman Jay Bouwmeester following the trade deadline) the system flat worked.

Physical play? Part of the program, yes, but a true full-time "enforcer" was not considered a realistic option: waste of a roster spot for a truly skilled kid (which never really materialized) and all. Campbell, (two-way but nailed-to-the-bench) Wade Belak, and Boynton were the tough guys, though why "Soup" would be surrendered from his duties on a very dynamic line with Radek Dvorak and (now KHL-bound) Ville Peltonen to fly the battle flag confounded fans from day one. Then-GM JM obviously had a hand in this philosophy, though DeBoer wasted little time painting the club in his own colors (Belak's departure and Boynton's later team-induced suspension spoke volumes for the young coach; whether you agree with the moves or not, Coach Pete is In Charge, and now more than ever).

Can Florida survive the coming season in a league where the top clubs are far into double-digits in fighting majors? With the group that is currently assembled? Without a "nuclear-option" along the lines of a Darcy Hordichuk-type, chances are slim. As wonderful and supremely talented as guys like David Booth, Michael Frolik, and Stephen Weiss may be, they aren't power forwards who automatically place the fear of God into opponents when perusing the lineup card on gameday. Throw in a few new younglings such as Shawn Matthias and Michal Repik (Keaton Ellerby gets a pass on this one), and there is more fresh blood to protect than Cat fans can recall in a long while.

WHO'S THE "GO-TO" GUY AT THIS POINT?

Probably Campbell, for better or worse. Not really his (Frank?) forte, but he can hold his own, in a less-than-middle-weight bout. He's evolved - through attrition - into a solid stand-his-ground-and-support-your-teammates player, but as a deterent? Forget it. Simply not his role.

The loss of Tanner Glass from Florida's minor league system probably had more of a resonance with fans than management had expected, but they run the club, and found the all-around nice-guy-with-a-killer-streak to be outside of their plans. Unfortunate, because a presence like his - with a bit more seasoning - could have translated to a Chris Neil-type for a long time to come.

Back to the present-day... Nathan Horton. 48 penalty minutes. Fans don't want him in the box, but considering last year's offensive stats, at least they'll know where to find him. Big stuff - and we do mean BIG stuff - expected for 2009-10...just not in the pugilistic category.

Nick Tarnasky - if can stick with the team past training camp - is most likely the best option as a small-time "enforcer", but again, his history and physical statistics don't promote terror in the opposition.

In the end, the Panthers head into the new season minus a clear-cut "policeman", which not too long ago was DOA in the "new" NHL. No longer.

Poll

Should the Panthers seek a bona fide fighter?

Yes...the league is trending into 1980s-style pugilism

61 votes

No...speed and style will trump any potential violence

33 votes

94 votes | Poll has closed