Dan Spiegel: Big Signings & Jovo/Versteeg Injuries Will Give Kids A Chance

Wellman is no longer a panther. I think for jovo spot it will be either robak or petro. Pretty hard to say for versteeg spot but I think butler will be near the top of the list.

Wellman is no longer a panther. I think for jovo spot it will be either robak or petro. Pretty hard to say for versteeg spot but I think butler will be near the top of the list.
- Crazycaboose

Yeah corrected that. Thanks.

Wellman is no longer a panther. I think for jovo spot it will be either robak or petro. Pretty hard to say for versteeg spot but I think butler will be near the top of the list.
- Crazycaboose

I think Petrovic is a lock already, which is why I didn't list him.

I think Petrovic is a lock already, which is why I didn't list him.
- spiegs13

Ok I got you hard to say sometimes some people don't think petro is ready and needs another year but I think he is ready same with robak. But it worries me having to many young D-men.

Also good blog I enjoy your work.

At least you will finish ahead of the sabres

At least you will finish ahead of the sabres
- Enzomatic

And we both will lose the lotto anyway.

Ok I got you hard to say sometimes some people don't think petro is ready and needs another year but I think he is ready same with robak. But it worries me having to many young D-men.

Also good blog I enjoy your work.
- Crazycaboose

Thanks, buddy. Next year will be a big growing year for many of the youngsters. Two years from now and beyond we'll be ready to roll.

And we both will lose the lotto anyway.
- Crazycaboose

At least you had the 2 spot this year. Sabres haven't picked top 5 since 03' (Vanek at 5.) We suck at winning and suck at losing.

As a person living in Moncton and being able to go to Wildcat games, I had the opportunity to watch Racine play. He needs time in the AHL, just to get used to the pace of the pro game. He has all the tools to be very serviceable player down the road. The Panther I would compare him to is Mike Weaver. A no-nonsense player who gets the job done. Feeding him to the wolves would kill his confidence. However, he could be an early call-up in say 14-15.

That said, I like the type of team that Tallon is building.

As a person living in Moncton and being able to go to Wildcat games, I had the opportunity to watch Racine play. He needs time in the AHL, just to get used to the pace of the pro game. He has all the tools to be very serviceable player down the road. The Panther I would compare him to is Mike Weaver. A no-nonsense player who gets the job done. Feeding him to the wolves would kill his confidence. However, he could be an early call-up in say 14-15.

That said, I like the type of team that Tallon is building.
- TheRollingPuck

I went to all 5 days of dev camp and Racine, to me, looked like a man amongst boys out there. The way he skates makes it seem like he's been in the NHL for 10 years. He does need some AHL time, but he will be a solid top 4 guy for a long time.

As far as who takes who's spots.. even with Jovo healthy, Robak plays. You would have Campbell/Kuli, Jovo/Guds, Robak/Weaver. So the question is if Jovo doesn't start, who takes that spot. Since you're losing a lot of grit if Jovo is out, you want to add that. That, to me, says Petrovic. He is HUGE. He's put on some muscle. No question about that. However, you could also insert a Gilroy or Mottau just to give him a bit of AHL game time. Then call him up. Options... we finally have options.

Now for Versteeg's spot. A bit tougher. You're losing speed, tenacity, grit, and fast hands. I don't think we have another Versteeg, but we do have a Matthias. This season is make or break for this kid. I think you gotta give him a second line RW spot, and then insert Butler or Howden into the bottom six. I would say Butler at the start. However, Howden looked DAMN good at camp. Come training camp we will get a better idea of who looks good and who doesn't. But if both Jovo and Versteeg can't start, here is how I line it up. Oh, by the way, for what it's worth, Tallon said both Versteeg and Jovo are on track in regards to healing. Not sure exactly what that means. Maybe one or both will be healthy?


Huberdeau/Barkov/Flash
Bergenheim/Goc/Matthias
Kopecky/Shore/Upshall
Crabb/Winchester/Butler

Campbell/Kuli
Guds/Robak
Weaver/Gilroy (Petrovic, Mottau- this spot will depend on who performs in training camp/pre-season).

Marky
Clem

Love the bottom six. Everyone on that 4th line is capable of 5-10 goals. That's something we have never had before.

Huberdeau/Barkov/Flash

- Panthers88

Really excited to see Huby & Barkov play together! Huby was thrown in the deep end with little experience playing with adults & turned out great. Hopefully Barkov having experience playing with adults will result in the same. Aaaand he's only going to get bigger/stronger!

Anyone know the $$$ side of the Markstrom signing?

Anyone know the $$$ side of the Markstrom signing?
- annoyance_101

No not yet don't know what's taking so long. Barkov's info came out pretty quick.

No not yet don't know what's taking so long. Barkov's info came out pretty quick.
- Crazycaboose

Yea I run a dynasty fantasy league on yahoo that involves a salary cap and i happen to have Markstrom, been waiting for a while for this kid to be a regular tender for the Panthers. Now that I know he signed yesterday, I'm patiently waiting for the terms of the deal...just to see if I need to trade him or not

ELC's usually are quite straight forward now a days though, top picks always get the max (we don't count bonuses in the league I run) so its always $925,000.

Yea I run a dynasty fantasy league on yahoo that involves a salary cap and i happen to have Markstrom, been waiting for a while for this kid to be a regular tender for the Panthers. Now that I know he signed yesterday, I'm patiently waiting for the terms of the deal...just to see if I need to trade him or not

ELC's usually are quite straight forward now a days though, top picks always get the max (we don't count bonuses in the league I run) so its always $925,000.
- annoyance_101

He will get around 2 mill I think bridge contract to prove he is ready to be the starter.

He will get around 2 mill I think bridge contract to prove he is ready to be the starter.
- Crazycaboose

I would also assume that he gets some performance based money, too.

He will get around 2 mill I think bridge contract to prove he is ready to be the starter.
- Crazycaboose

Well thats what I figure, around what Reimer has been getting.

Our division is going to be retardedly competitive.

We inheritied a Detroit team that acquired Weiss and Alfie.

Boston cashes in Seguin, Peverley, Ference and Jagr for Eriksson,Iginla and full years from Soderberg, Krug and Dougie Hamilton

Ottawa replaced the loss of Alfie by trading Silverberg and 2 futures for Bobby Ryan. MacArthur goes down the highway to Ottawa. He'll be playing inspired after being ditched by the Leafs.

Leafs send out Grabovski, MacArthur, Frattin, Scrivens and Kostka. Acquire Clarkson, Bolland, Brennan and Bernier. We are a better team. Period.

I think Montreal is the most over-rated team in the entire division. Especially after that flukey division win last year. But in saying that, they still have Carey Price and young guns like Pacioretty, Galchenyuk and Gallagher. They're team basically stayed the same but addressed the size issue with a 2 year deal to Danny Briere

Then you and Tampa guys come out with Barkov and Drouin in the draft. Tampa also used the Lecav capspace to ink Val Filipulla to centre their 2nd line.

The only team that's starting a rebuild from scratch is Buffalo. They can't even find suitors for Vanek and Miller. But they also have been collecting some nice prospects over the last couple years and just added two beasts on D in Ristolainen and Zadorov.

Our division is going to be retardedly competitive.

We inheritied a Detroit team that acquired Weiss and Alfie.

Boston cashes in Seguin, Peverley, Ference and Jagr for Eriksson,Iginla and full years from Soderberg, Krug and Dougie Hamilton

Ottawa replaced the loss of Alfie by trading Silverberg and 2 futures for Bobby Ryan. MacArthur goes down the highway to Ottawa. He'll be playing inspired after being ditched by the Leafs.

Leafs send out Grabovski, MacArthur, Frattin, Scrivens and Kostka. Acquire Clarkson, Bolland, Brennan and Bernier. We are a better team. Period.

I think Montreal is the most over-rated team in the entire division. Especially after that flukey division win last year. But in saying that, they still have Carey Price and young guns like Pacioretty, Galchenyuk and Gallagher. They're team basically stayed the same but addressed the size issue with a 2 year deal to Danny Briere

Then you and Tampa guys come out with Barkov and Drouin in the draft. Tampa also used the Lecav capspace to ink Val Filipulla to centre their 2nd line.

The only team that's starting a rebuild from scratch is Buffalo. They can't even find suitors for Vanek and Miller. But they also have been collecting some nice prospects over the last couple years and just added two beasts on D in Ristolainen and Zadorov.
- t_leafs21

Um, Tampa guys? Are you including Florida in that? You must be, but Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are different organizations...the Leafs are the most over rated last year in that division, not the habs...the Leafs were the lucky ones...their roster didn't change much at all between seasons.....THIS off season however, the leafs have improved considerably...but before that? Habs had a better team on paper and ice for a reason...