GM Tallon dug deep into his pockets this summer, acquiring a number of free agents - mostly former Blackhawks. The graph below sums up the Florida Panthers' off-season:
If you're having trouble with the graph, and truly I hope you're not, the Panthers paid way too much for their free agents this summer, but at least it helped them get to the cap floor. Although these signings have potential, the level of skill does not reflect the compensation. Vokoun was not resigned, which is going to be detrimental to the organization's success. Yes, they found a capable replacement, but he is no Vokoun. He never received the recognition he deserved in this small market and they will miss him dearly this coming season. There is hope however. With these overpriced signings, Florida now has some respectable talent up front that could give the team the boost is so desperately needs to make it back into the playoffs. Unlikely, but possible. With 15 forwards and six defensemen, I expect more shakeups in Florida.
On offense, this team looks completely different than next season. They finished last in the Eastern Conference last season, so this must be a good thing, correct? Yes and no. It's a minimal improvement. The offense will be able to score more goals, but I'm not convinced they can prevent them. The largest signing, not trade, over the summer was Fleishmann. He is an extremely talented offensive player who's had some health problems over the past two seasons. This history causes some conflict with the new contract's term of four years. That's a steep investment for a fragile asset. In the 114 games he's played in the last two injury-plagued seasons, he's accumulated 82 points. That's quite a ratio. If he can come back 100%, expect Fleishmann to make a big difference, especially on the power play. Booth is coming into his 6th year in the NHL. Over this span of time, he's proven himself a goal scorer. He's had some concussion problems in the past, but last year played the full schedule. Booth is going to have a great year in Florida with a few more talented linemates. Upshall was another summer-signing. He is a speedy, responsible center. Upshall plays the defensive side of the puck very well, but will probably only contribute 35-40 points. Is that worth $3.5 million a year for the next three years? We will see. The leader on this team, Weiss, averaged the most points per game and time on ice among Panther forwards last season. He has tremendous vision paired with the hands to finish. Look for this center to have a great year - possibly 60 points.Versteeg was traded for some draft picks. He is an energetic fellow who never found his place in Philadelphia. He can be quite a thorn in the opposition's side, especially come playoff...oh, nevermind. I'm feeling about 40 points for this individual. Kopecky was another former-Blackhawk addition. Kopecky is a big center who does his best work in front of the net. He's not afraid to battle along the boards and always drives the puck to the net. He's now earning $3 million per year, but should put enough points on the board to justify the contract. Bergenheim had a terrific playoff run with the Lightning last season scoring nine goals in 16 games. For his efforts, he was rewarded by the Panthers with a four-year, $11 million contract. That's a pretty good deal for a player who has never had more than 30 points in an NHL season. He's a good player, but I don't see him getting more than 40 points. Goc will likely play third-line center which gives Florida some nice depth. He'll probably only score ten goals, but he won't allow much offense for his opponents. After a brief stint in Nashville for two seasons, Santorelli exploded onto these scene in Florida accumulating 20 goals and 21 assists. He thrives on the power play, but could use some work on the defensive side of the puck. Bradley was brought in with a fairly cheap, two-year contract. He brings some grit to the lineup and should create some ice for teammates with the hits he throws. Dadonov was quite impressive in his first 36 games with the big club. He racked up 17 points in that short amount of time. His potential should put him in the top six eventually. Matthias has been fairly consistent for the Panthers over the past two seasons. Hopefully he can stay healthy for the full schedule and raise his totals to 25 or 30. Skille is a young, talented forward who got his feet wet in Chicago before being shipped over to Florida. He has the potential to be an offensive threat, but it remains to be seen if he'll take advantage of the time provided to him. Repik and Carter finish off the offense. Repik has only played 55 NHL games and will likely see limited time again this season - probably about 40 games. Carter is in the exact same boat as Repik. Only because of their potential...
Offensive Score: C+
The defense on this team isn't anything to get excited about. The Blackhawks were lucky enough to find a team willing to take on Campbell's massive contract. Boy, those seasons in Buffalo really set this guy for life. Five more years at just over $7.1 million a season - for about 40 points per - seems a little high to me. But, Tallon is familiar with Campbell's play and may see something I don't. He will get the majority of the power play time on this squad, so his figures may increase quite a bit. Also, he apparently sings. The 35-year old Jovanovski got a four-year deal for $4.125 million per year. He is a smart veteran, but is getting older. The past two seasons saw him injured quite a bit and the Panther organization is hoping he can get back to his durable self. Kulikov was the highest scoring defenseman on the team last year. With the additions of the two defensemen mentioned above, expect Kulikov's time on ice to dwindle. However, the leadership and knowledge gained from playing alongside these veterans will help in the future. After some traveling, Weaver finally found his place in Florida. He is a responsible shutdown defensemen who makes smart decisions in his own end. Expect more of the same this coming season. Ellerby saw 54 games last season. His 12 points and minus-15 rating aren't too appealing, but hopefully the veterans on the team will assist his growth. In his first full, 82-game season, Garrison led the team in average time on ice. He also frequently throws his body around - both to check and block shots. His development will continue at a rapid pace.
Defensive Score: C-
The giant void left by Vokoun was filled with Theodore. Although a former Vezina and Hart Trophy winner, his best days are in the past. Theodore will struggle to stop the insane amount of shots this team gives up on a daily basis. He was a good signing for what was left, but won't get this team where it needs to be. Clemmensen will probably start in 25 games, but play in about 40. Catch my drift? No, that might be an exaggeration, but who knows? I think Clemmensen is capable of handling the number one duties if Theodore falls early.
Goaltending Score: C
Maybe all it takes is a little bit of money.
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