Naturally there are some detractors and naysayers to what the Panthers have done this offseason.
From firing a large part of their managerial staff to equipment managers to assistant coaches to trainers, it will be a new look Florida Panthers organization behind the scenes.
A brand new logo and jerseys are pounding it home that the soft, below average Panthers are a thing of the past.
But on the ice, the team will look the same for many years to come. Only extending Jonathan Huberdeau is left in locking up a young core of players that just set the franchise record for points while finishing 2nd overall in the East.
Some will say it is risky to give so much money to so many young players. These "experts" will say you don't know how players that were playing for big contracts will perform once they have them. It is a fair point, but this particular group of players don't have that entitled, flaky attitude about them.
Former GM Dale Tallon was adamant about drafting and acquiring high character people for the Florida locker room. He was also quick to jettison those that didn't fit the mold (Versteeg, Hayes, etc.).
With the Panthers looking to take the next step towards a Stanley Cup, they have told a large part of their roster they are the future.
New GM Tom Rowe signed Keith Yandle, Jason Demers, and James Reimer to long-term deals as free agents. He also re-signed Vincent Trocheck, Reilly Smith, Sasha Barkov, and Aaron Ekblad to very lucrative deals that solidify their place in South Florida for many years to come. Super utility man Derek MacKenzie was also extended a few years for good measure.
In time some of these contracts may need to be moved to make room for more youth in the organization, but for now this team is geared up to make another statement next season.
For all the uneasiness that the "promotion" of Dale Tallon and other changes caused, Rowe deserves a lot of credit for seemingly making all the right moves to improve this club for next year and beyond.
The division of payouts on this roster is quite unique compared to most NHL clubs and the message has been sent that if you perform you will get paid. No state income tax in Florida is a nice perk as well.
What do you think about the salaries above? What contracts do you think are the best and worst?
As always I look forward to your spirited comments.
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Media
Follow me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Join the Florida Panthers Insiders FB Page
Connect with me on Google Plus
Florida Panthers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»