George Richards, FHN Publisher
It has been a while since we opened up the old FHN Florida Panthers Mailbag and you all had a lot of questions on the ready.
First off, hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.
Appreciate all the feedback as always.
As far as the Mailbag goes, there were a lot of questions regarding what the Panthers plan to do when Anthony Duclair comes back from his offseason Achilles tendon surgery.
First off, as I explain in the Mailbag, he is not expected back anytime soon. While he continues working every day, he has not skated yet so when that finally happens, we will have a better handle on the timeline for his anticipated return.
There were also a number of questions regarding the direction of the team under new coach Paul Maurice, some wondered whether letting Andrew Brunette go was a good idea.
Other questions involve looking ahead at the Panthers’ cap situation next year and much more.
OK, on to the Mailbag!
My question is what are our options when Duclair comes off LTIR? I know a lot of people seem to think we would trade Hornqvist but don’t know that there are a lot of takers for that out there with his salary without us also giving up some prospects and we’ve done so many trades the last few years that our draft capital and prospect pipeline is getting thin. — Bryan Geary
There are a couple of questions regarding Anthony Duclair and they are all very valid — and have been since the start of the season.
With the Panthers’ cap problems, we knew Florida would put Duclair on LTIR to start the season and basically kick this can down the road a bit.
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The cap problems are obvious, right?
As it stands right now, the Panthers can only have 20 players on their active roster and that is with Duclair’s $3 million salary off the books at least temporarily.
Certainly the Panthers would like to have more cap flexibility and they could not fit a moderately priced used car under it as things stand now.
Florida will have to do something when Duclair is declared medically ready to play again — but they are not close to that point right now.
I know many of you have read various reports that Duclair could be ready by Christmas but that does not appear to be the case. At all.
Duclair has not even started running dead sprints to test the surgically-repaired Achilles tendon much less gone on the ice.
He is still a long way away from being NHL ready.
When you factor it takes about a month or so from when a player starts skating to when they start practicing — and go down to the AHL for some conditioning game action — we’re still looking at a few months.
I don’t think the Panthers have to make any decisions until the All-Star break at the earliest and perhaps as late as the trade deadline. That is in March.
There is a lot that can happen between now and then. But, with Duclair not being healthy enough for them to have to make a decision right now, they do not have to.
Again, kicking that can down the road.
Assuming we have no more players on LTIR, what’s the most likely scenario for getting under the cap? I hope we don’t have to trade Duke or Benny. — Steve Gibelli
Now that we have discussed where Duclair is in his rehab, let us look at what the team has to do.
If there is no other player who can go on LTIR — and, if there was, he would have to match or exceed Duclair’s $3 million AAV — the Panthers are going to have to trade someone off the active roster.
It’s just that simple. They do not have the cap room to absorb Duclair’s contract without unloading someone who makes his kind of money.
You mentioned Patric Hornqvist or Sam Bennett but Florida certainly does not want to lose either.
You have to think a front office with the experience Florida’s does, there is a plan in place — or, at least, scenarios they are counting on coming to fruition in the coming months.
Do we know what that plan is? No. They are not talking about that outside of their offices and nights off on the patio. Hockey is a funny business and things have a way of working themselves out.
We do not know how the Panthers will get Duclair back into the lineup in a few months, but rest assured, they will. Some way, some how.
They love Anthony Duclair and are going to do everything they can to keep him.
What will next years cap space look like and what areas will they look to improve? — @mick9268
Things definitely look much better for the Panthers especially if the cap goes up by $2-4 million.
First, Florida loses the Keith Yandle balloon dead cap hit they got speared with this season as well as Scott Darling’s hit. Yandle will only cost them $1.2 million next year; definitely manageable.
Second, Hornqvist’s $5.3 million will come off the books as will Radko Gudas at $2.5 million. I would think both players may be back, Gudas perhaps getting a little raise if he keeps playing this way with Hornqvist taking quite a bit less.
The Panthers, due to the maneuvering done this past summer, are really in great shape moving forward.
Just about everyone they want is under contract with players such as Colin White and Josh Mahura under team control as RFAs. If Florida wants them back — and right now, they would — that is very doable.
With some additional cap space in the offseason, I would think the Panthers could be in the running for a number of key free agents. Adding solid defensive depth, I would think, would be a priority.
Hi George my question is regarding Serron Noel is there a reason he hasn’t played or suited up this year? I keep seeing him as a healthy scratch he wasn’t at camp thx you. — @Dragons_Quest
Hi DQ, I know Serron did not participate in camp due to an excused absence to deal with a personal matter.
I thought he had reported to Charlotte and did not know he had not played yet. I have to admit, I have not followed the Checkers as much as I should. That will change. I will check on the situation.
With Duke getting closer to a return, what moves do you think Zito makes to stay under the cap, especially if no one gets hurt and ends up on LTIR? Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving! — @pamela_abrell
Thanks! Again, Duke is getting closer because I see him working out every day. He is putting in the work. But this is a tricky injury, one they want to 100 percent make sure is 100 percent. If that makes any sense.
Regardless, he is not as close to coming back as some have speculated on so this is something we can talk about next month. Once he starts skating, the clock really starts ticking.
Do you think this coach is doing a better job then Brunette? — Lisa
It is really hard to say. I think we all really liked Andrew Brunette and respected the way he took over the Panthers under extremely tough circumstances when Joel Quenneville was forced to resign.
The easy answer is no, right? I mean, the Panthers were a dominant team under Brunette last season and this year they have not been that.
But it is not that easy.
The Panthers knew this was going to be a transition season what with the cap issues and wanted to be a different kind of team. They wanted a coach with the experience of being there and doing that who would not waver from the plan the front office wants if things start going wrong.
They have a vision for how they think this team needs to play to have success in the playoffs and the wide-open style they played last season was not it.
Maurice has the experience of not having to worry about his future job prospects if the Panthers lose a couple of games here and there. He is sticking to the plan. I think the Panthers just wanted someone with a lot more coaching history to lead them through this transition.
Brunette is having one heck of a time in New Jersey though. Seems to have worked out OK for him. He is going to get a head coaching gig sooner than later.
Coaching these Panthers last season and working under Lindy Ruff with the Devils is only going to make him better.
Since there is still limited access to the locker room and we don’t see post game shenanigans, what do the boys award the game MVP after a win? In the past it was the Cadet jacket, shovel, barber apron… — RuthK191
Hey, you forgot the Spacey in Space sweatshirt!
Oh yeah, we don’t talk about that one anymore.
I have not seen anything out in the room when we are granted access so I am not sure they give anything out right now.
In the past, when we came in following a game there would be most of the players milling around and whatever they handed out would be on full display. Now, when we are allowed in, there might be three players in there.
Many fans and “experts” around the league were shocked when Brunette wasn’t hired as head coach. With the success that NJ is having, many of those fans and experts say that Brunette is a huge reason behind the success in NJ right now. (Personally I think that’s a lot praise for an assistant coach that is misplaced). Seeing where the Panthers are now compared to NJ, do you feel the Florida front office made the right decision, and can you explain your thoughts on this. — Jarrett Rutsky
I think you definitely have to give Brunette a lot of credit for what is going on in Newark although Ruff is the head coach and this is his show.
As I mentioned above, I think there were big-picture reasons the Panthers wanted an experienced coach behind their bench especially after the way things went in the playoffs.
I am not saying Paul Maurice is a placeholder or anything of the sort; the Panthers have a way they think will bring success down the road and a coach of Maurice’s experience may be the best voice right now.
There are not too many situations Maurice has not seen — although he admits he has not seen a team get a 5-on-3 twice in a game off a four-minute high-sticking call as what happened to Boston on Wednesday night.
It is 20 games into the new system that will prepare us to be successful in the playoffs. Can you describe what this new system is supposed to be, and then why it isn’t working. — Paul
Maurice talks a lot about grinding away in games and that is something this Panthers team did not do a lot of last season. When they had to in the playoffs, well, you saw the results.
The Panthers feel they need to be tougher to play against when it comes to working the puck around the walls, in front of the net. Putting pressure on the goalie, being tough on 50-50 battles.
While he said when he came in that he did not want to put handcuffs on what the Panthers do so well offensively, it looks like he is trying to do just that — at least early. Break the colt, get the team to do the little things that lead to wins in close games.
I think we will see the Panthers play a little more wide-open as the season rolls along knowing it can play tight when it needs to. Right now they need to show they can win by playing the tougher style.
It seems that this team is still missing someone who constantly scores. PP and PK are a mess. I know they want to “play” the regular season like the playoffs, but first need to make it. What changes could be made? They miss Duke. — Andrew Levine
The power play and penalty kill were a mess at the start of the season but that has certainly gotten better since Aaron Ekblad came back. They are missing that one power shot when it comes to the power play, but they get so many chances, you have to think the goals will continue. The Panthers are a top eight team in the East and I think as the season rolls along, that will play out.
This question is not Panthers specific, Therefore may not fit your criterion, but I thought it would be a great question for you and your followers to toss out there at the Thanksgiving table For folks to ruminate on along with the mashed potatoes and turkey, and that question is would you rather be the worst player on a winning team or the best player on a losing team? And now my hi-octane digestive juices are ready for anything after that great game with Boston. Go Panthers and Happy Thanksgiving! — Zeke1961
All questions are welcome here.
Being the worst player on a winning team likely means you are not playing a whole lot. In hockey, probably means a lot of long practice days and game nights in the press box.
The best player on a losing team goes through his own kind of frustrations, but there is something about being the best at something. It is an interesting question.
I think I would want to win, be part of something special.
But hey, the best player on a losing team can always be traded, right?
George, one of the reasons for the great success of last season was attributed to how close the guys were off the ice, spending so much time together, more so, I think and if the articles are to be believed, than the average team does. Conversely, it’s been just as documented that Maurices Winnipeg locker room was, let’s just say, not the best. It was said, via multiple articles with Patrick Liane as the source, that players believed there to be a “pecking order” if you will, that there was a way certain players were treated by the coaching staff, as opposed to other, well established guys. First, do you believe there to be any truth to that at all, second,have you observed anything like that taking place, and lastly what is the off-ice relationship between the players this year as opposed to last year, at least as much as you’ve heard around the locker room/rink, obviously you’re not hanging out with the guys. Thanks george, and as always, love the articles keep them coming. — SurveyJay
SurveyJay, first off, thank you for all of your support over the years. It is really appreciated.
As far as Winnipeg goes, the fractured locker room seems to be the biggest reason why Paul Maurice resigned in the first place. He could not get through to them. They had some talent, but seemed to be too far gone.
I have not sensed that at all from this team as they seem as close as before. They all continue to hang out off the ice as they did before even as a couple of their boys headed out to Calgary.
The Panthers certainly do not have too many young guys who would be held back in deference to more veteran players since everyone has to play every night.
I think everything is going as well as one could expect right now save for a few games they would like to have back. We’ll see how things go as the season moves along.