Reading the comments in the Florida Panthers groups and forums(yes, they do exist) it's interesting to see the difference in opinions regarding this trade.
Kris Versteeg was loved my some, hated by others. He was an integral part of the Southeast Division winning team two seasons ago, but since has yet to remain healthy or produce consistent offense. He has seemingly missed the net more than hit it this season, and his 2 goals and 5 assists thus far are too pedestrian for his $4.4 million salary.
He was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career a few weeks ago while Kevin Dineen was still coaching the team, and he was also given time on the 4th line. Obviously things were not working out.
From a personality perspective my impression is he didn't fit the mold of how the current locker room is growing and developing. I'm sure he wasn't helping matters behind the scenes after getting scratched, and GM Dale Tallon needed to start shaking things up to get moving in the right direction.
I've been saying for weeks that another David Booth-like trade was coming, and here it is. I certainly don't think Tallon is done dealing.
But the real kick in the stomach with this trade is the Panthers agreed to be on the hook for 50% of Versteeg's contract for the rest of its duration, which goes through the 2015-2016 season. Talk about someone they REALLY wanted to get out of town. If there is good reason for that, then I guess Tallon and new owner Vincent Viola can absorb the financial hit for locker room stability.
For the players coming back, forward Jimmy Hayes will be in the lineup for the Panthers tomorrow night in Minnesota wearing No. 12(so much for retiring Jack Skille's number I guess). It is expected he will be solely a 4th liner for now as he learns the new systems. But hey, he's not far behind everyone else since new head coach Peter Horachek has only been on the job for less than a week. Many people in the hockey world have said Hayes has some great potential with consistent ice time.
Defenseman Dylan Olsen also joins the Panthers organization and he is expected to join the San Antonio Rampage. He is considered to be a project with some decent potential.
Both have played sparingly in the NHL with the Blackhawks, but Hayes is definitely a Tallon type of guy and will be given every opportunity to stick around. His 6'6", 221 lb. frame will be a great addition to what is becoming a huge lineup. In a few years Aleksander Barkov and Nick Bjugstad will be tough customers as well as they continue to put on weight to their huge bodies.
Many Panther fans who refuse to see the big picture and know nothing about the culture in the locker room are VERY upset about this trade. They liked Steeger and that's that. Nothing other than that makes sense. I can't blame them, especially when Versteeg was the subject of many comical Panther advertising campaigns over the last few years. The "impression" was he was going to be sticking around for a while. Additionally he was one of the first players Tallon went after in his first few days as Florida's GM, so this is certainly surprising to many.
From a hockey perspective it says a lot about a player when his former team is wiling to pay for him to go away. No doubt Tallon regrets signing Versteeg to his extension and in a way has admitted his mistake. But in the grand scheme of things $2.2 million to get an underachieving cancer out of dodge might not be the worst thing in the world.
i think judgement needs to be reserved until it is determined how much potential Hayes in particular has in Florida. Should he blossom this is a slam dunk win for the Panthers. But for now it looks like the deal could go either way in terms of who "won it." So maybe on the surface this is a good deal no matter what.
Regardless, Versteeg was always great with me and I wish him all the best. There certainly are a lot of things worse than playing in Chicago.
Dan Spiegel... Florida Panthers Media Follow me on Twitter Join the Florida Panthers Insiders FB Page Connect with me on Google Plus