George Richards, FHN Publisher
Not long after the Florida Panthers lost 3-0 to the Blackhawks on Thursday night, Joel Quenneville had some good news when it came to injured forward Patric Hornqvist.
Well, at least the news he had was not bad.
Quenneville said he would categorize Hornqvist’s injury as “day-to-day” and when pressed whether the team’s medical staff felt it was serious, he said “we think he’s alright.”
If Hornqvist is not seriously hurt or out for an extended period of time following an open-ice hit from defenseman Nikita Zadorov, that is extremely good news for the Panthers.
Although Hornqvist is relatively new to the Panthers, it is hard to imagine what this team would look like with out him.
Hornqvist, who came to the Panthers from Pittsburgh in GM Bill Zito’s first move with the team, has perhaps been the biggest addition to the new-look Panthers.
With Sasha Barkov missing the past two games due to a lower body injury, Florida cannot afford to lose another big piece of their team.
Not right now, anyway.
The Panthers are facing adversity for the first time during the 2021 season as they have not only lost consecutive games in regulation for the first time, but they have now lost three of them.
With Barkov and Hornqvist out, that means Florida is missing two of its top three goal scorers. Barkov leads the Panthers with 13 while Hornqvist is tied with fellow newcomer Carter Verhaeghe with 12.
But it is not just the goal scoring which makes Hornqvist so valuable to the Panthers.
A two-time Stanley Cup champ with the Penguins, Hornqvist has been a positive influence on the team since the moment he arrived in South Florida.
Players have said that while there are few people who keep things lighter around the team than Hornqvist, there are few who turn on the intensity when it is time to work as he does, either.
Florida has found a lot of success on the power play and in even-strength play thanks to the big-bodied Hornqvist going to net and staying there.
Of his 12 goals, 10 have come from the little patch of real estate in front of the goalie.
Many players talk about “doing the little things” and getting to the net, using your hands and body to poke through loose pucks and help the team out, but Hornqvist is sold on it.
”He’s a guy who has worked so hard and he gives us a lot of energy on the bench, on the ice and off the ice,” Jonathan Huberdeau said.
“He is a great guy to be around. Obviously if we lose him too, I mean we already have Barky out, it’s going to be tough. But we have a lot of guys around here and we have to be a little better. Whoever comes in is just going to have to work a little harder.”
When Hornqvist was helped off the ice favoring his left side after the hit, Florida went on its fifth power play of the night on an unrelated penalty by Zadorov.
With Hornqvist out, Noel Acciari took his place at the front of the net.
It just wasn’t the same.
Hornqvist, for what he does for the Panthers, is invaluable.
Replacing him, if need be, will not come easily. It may not, based on this current roster, be possible.
Of course, come Saturday in north Texas, No. 70 may be back in the lineup for the Panthers.
Replacing Hornqvist, at least right then, will be a worry for another day.
“I’m kind of a net-front player and that’s where he makes his money,’’ Mason Marchment said. “He has always given me tips here and there. He’s a great guy, always has energy and a positive attitude.
“It’s easy to feed off of him. He’s a great two-way player, has been in the league quite a while now and is great to learn from.
“He knows what he’s doing out there.”