...B-O-N-D-I-N-G.
With Gerard Gallant officially named the lucky 13th head coach of the Florida Panthers, all eyes now turn towards the draft and what is sure to be a very busy time for GM Dale Tallon. With Gallant's great teaching style and aggressive systems, Tallon can now move forward with confidence that his team is in the right hands after an exhaustive coaching search.
But this hire might pay even more dividends down the road, and in the most important way...
...getting Jonathan Huberdeau back on track.
Gallant was Huberdeau's coach in juniors so they know each other well. Huberdeau was excited at the prospect of being united with one of the greatest mentors he has had to date. Under his tutelage Huberdeau was a monster for the St. John Sea Dogs.
After winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie two years ago, Huberdeau redefined "sophomore slump" with a season that can only be described as a disaster. His 9 goals and 19 assists are abysmal for a player with such gifted talent. Tallon's selection may have indirectly been influenced by Huberdeau's relationship with Gallant. One certainly can't blame Tallon for seeing the added benefit there.
While Gallant doesn't completely fit the mold of big time NHL head coaching experience, he is a lifer with a very respectable playing career. He endeared himself to Canadiens players the last few years as an assistant, and several of them went to social media to say how much they were going to miss him.
That bodes well for the young locker room in Florida.
Huberdeau's struggles last year may have been partly due to hip surgery he had at the end of the 2013 season. While he denied feeling any ill-effects from the procedure, one has to wonder if that was true. He certainly did not look like himself for most of the season. Either way there is nowhere to go but up for this talented player.
There is sure to be many new faces come opening night for the Panthers, and who knows who Huberdeau's linemates will be. But he is uber-talented and can easily be the best player on this team moving forward.
Will Gallant work his magic with him once again?
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