So many "experts" had the Panthers once again finishing close to last in the Eastern Conference this season. After GM Dale Tallon's fire sale at last year's trade deadline and subsequent historic spending spree on July 1st, the naysayers couldn't get enough(yes, I'm talking to you, Mike Milbury).
Obviously such opinions weren't based on logic, as there is no way the Panthers could have been worse than last year. They played the last month of the season with which was in effect an AHL lineup. They finished 30-40-12 and finished last in their division for the first time.
During Stephen Weiss' entire career, he never felt lower. "I knew change was coming, but I didn't know to that degree," he said. "We were hurting. There is no doubt about it. But [Dale] knew what he was doing. He had a plan. I don't think you can go out and do that without going through a list of players and say were going to go after this guy and this guy. There was a plan in place. I did not know about it. He didn't sit down with me and say this is what we're going to do."
What was done was shocking to most around the league, but certainly to Panther fans who had been beaten into submission with terrible drafts and mediocre free agent signings.
But as Tallon did with Chicago, he was aggressive and swift with what he thought were the key pieces to turning this ship around quickly.
"After we signed Soupy(Brian Campbell), with a kind of guy like that others were going to follow," said Weiss. "It was just a matter of time before we had seven or eight other veterans in the lineup."
July 1st, 2011. The day that will be remembered as the turnaround for this floundering organization in need of a kick in the pants.
Summer of 2011 Free Agent Additions
F Kris Versteeg
F Scottie Upshall
F Tomas Kopecky
F Tomas Fleischmann
F Sean Bergenheim
F Marcel Goc
F Matt Bradley
D Ed Jovanovski
D Brian Campbell
G Jose Theodore
When this list became reality last year, the cynics scoffed at the mediocrity for such high salaries. Well that mediocrity earned a division title. The blend of youth and veteran leadership perservered through over 300 man games lost to injury, as well as a more-brutal-than-usual travel schedule during the first three months of the season.
Obviously there is much more to this team and the division title that will be discussed over the coming days. But for now, the question is what should be expected of this team going forward? Is a first round exit acceptable? Or should they be treated just like any other team with just as much a chance as anyone else? Surely the Panthers will be an underdog in every series they play. Is that a good thing?
The irony and story lines will be thick as Pete DeBoer's Devils visit his former employer in the first round of the playoffs. The Devils are very skilled and will provide a tremendous test for the Cats. But there is no doubt the Devils are a much better matchup than Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers.
The Eastern matchups should be fascinating all around. But of all of them the Devils/Panthers series provides the most uncertainty as to what kind of Florida team will show up in such unchartered territory.
Regardless, most of you can take a seat at the table, and enjoy your bird. The Panthers will only get better and have made a statement that they are doormats no longer.
Twitter @DanSpiegel
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