Last night an analyst on NHL Network said of the Florida Panthers that, “the rich keep getting richer.…
I never thought I would hear that about the Cats, yet, here we are!
The low growl that’s been building the past couple years in South Florida is now at a full-roar. The Panthers are for real and very much in the Stanley Cup conversation in the eyes of experts and hockey fans alike.
Mondays are brutal, and depending on how you look at the moves made by Zito last week, today is either a good day, or a bad one.
For me, it’s really good. I know I’m a broken record, but the window is here. The time is now and Zito is pulling the trigger to bring in pieces to strengthen this team.
The Panthers are at a critical time in their history. They’re poised to realistically go the distance and possibly bring Lord Stanley to the beach. But, despite their current position, there are detractors both within and outside the Cats’ fanbase.
Hey, criticism and differences in opinion aren’t always a bad thing. They can foster healthy conversation and/or help solidify your view. They can even help you see things from a different angle/perspective.
When it comes to the Panthers and their recent moves - outside of saltiness and trolls - it seems like a lot of opinions from Florida fans are driven by three main things. ______________
The Past
Some fans allow the mismanagement, poor decision-making (drafting, trades, firings, hirings, etc.), historically bad playoff mojo, and “black cloud… that has covered this organization throughout the years, to make them leery of this team’s current success.
It’s hard to fault them for thinking this way. Florida has had its fair share of bad luck and general boneheadedness - both self-induced and by the cosmos - and as a result, these fans are conditioned to expect a crushing blow just as success is within reach.
The Present
These fans are living in the moment. They’ve embraced the current situation and are all-in, eager to see moves to strengthen the already-stacked roster.
Like Elvis sang, “It’s now or never… for this category.
The Future
The fans in this category live in a space that hasn’t happened yet. Here, the fear of pieces given up in trades (players/picks/prospects), means the team is doomed going forward. They believe the organization will never recover from the trades, and there for, it was a bad idea to make them in the first place.
This state of mind is based in imagination. The results of the trades haven’t even played out yet, but the conclusion has already been written somehow. And that conclusion is that the team will never recover from what was given up.
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There’s no right or wrong way of looking at the moves and there’s validity to all of them. But the interesting thing is that both the “past… and “future… ways of thinking can result in folks being unable to enjoy the “present… and be excited for this time.
Obviously people can fall into one, or multiple, of the above. I find myself in the present. I’m not concerned about the past because the new front office seems to “get it… and has helped move this team in the direction they currently find themselves in. In conjunction with that, the future isn’t much of a concern (at least to me) either because Zito has shown he is plenty capable when it comes to building a team and I believe his savvy will know how to recoup what was “lost… and then some. Dont get me wrong, it’s tough to see those 1st-round picks go, but I believe it’s for the better and is the right move to make at this point in time.
There’s certainly no guarantee that this roster can capture the Cup. But damned if it’s not a really impressive one. So I’m excited here in the present with what’s been added. Now let’s see how it all comes together going forward.
And they might not be done just yet. There’s still time left for the trade deadline and with news of Ekblad being placed on LTIR (thankfully he’ll be back for the playoffs), there’s a good chance the Cats aren’t done just yet.
I'm told Aaron Ekblad will be placed on LTIR and will not return during the regular season, but sometime during the first round. So cap space is no issue for #FlaPanthers.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 20, 2022
Expect them to be active - and maybe use that space (after Hagg deal) to attempt to recoup some picks.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the moves Zito has made so far.
Additions:
- Robert Hagg (D) - German Rubtsov (C) - Connor Bunnaman (C) - Giroux (LW/C) - 50% retained by PHI - Ben Chiarot (D) - 50% retained by MTL - 2024 5th-rd pick - 2022 4th-rd pick
Subtractions:
- Owen Tippett (RW) - Ty Smilianic (C) - 2024 1st-rd pick - 2023 3rd-rd pick - 2023 1st-rd pick - 2022 6th-rd pick - 2022 4th-rd pick - Frank Vatrano (LW)
I say add a backup, replenish some picks, and call it a day, Zito.
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Thanks to everyone who has been stopping by the board the past week to discuss the news. Good stuff all around.
Let’s see what today brings…Go Panthers!