Jonathan Huberdeau might still be slight at his listed 177 lb., but he makes up for it in speed, vision, hands, and hockey IQ. The talented superstar-to-be won Rookie of the Month honors for February with 6 goals and 3 assists in 13 games, including his first ever 4-point night(2-2) at Philadelphia February 21st. He also leads all rookies with 57 shots.
Panther brass and fans were eager to see how the youngster would adjust to the size and speed of the NHL game and it is fair to say he will be just fine, now and in the future.
His linemates, Drew Shore and Peter Mueller, have also been solid and it shouldn't surprise anyone if Drew Shore receives the same rookie honor before this season is done. If there has been any consistent bright spots on this team, that line is it. They are young, smart, and responsible. Everything a growing organization needs. But one player stands above all others as the most valuable to this team.
Tomas Kopecky has been nothing short of a beast for the Florida Panthers this season. Heck, even last season. He never takes a shift or a game off, is willing to go into the areas other players don't like to go, and agitates the opposition to no end. Even his friend and neighbor Tomas Vokoun got into a fight with him last Tuesday after Kopecky crashed the net and apparently invaded Vokoun's comfort zone.
He quietly is tied with Huberdeau for the team lead in goals(8), and has scored six goals in his last eight games. Kopecky also has five assists and is two points behind Tomas Fleischmann for the team lead. He recorded his first career hat trick against the Penguins, which is much deserved after all the sacrifices he makes with his body and his gritty style of play.
GM Dale Tallon knew on arrival the Panthers were soft in front of the net, and in general, which is why he targeted Kopecky immediately to infuse that lunch pail attitude to the locker room. It has paid off in spades.
“He just annoys a lot of teams," said Tallon. They all hate playing against him.”
Kopecky knows that is his job, and he has no problem accepting the reactions from opposing players.
“I’m making the life of the goalie tougher,” Kopecky said. “So if they don’t like me, I’m doing something right. I can live with that.”
So can the fans, because when you have the balance of young scoring and veteran toughness, it can lead to consistent success.
Now if the Panthers can fix that goaltender situation, they might be positioned to make some noise. Markstrom anyone?
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Dan Spiegel...
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