TEAM PREVIEWS: THE FLORIDA PANTHERS

Introduction:
The Florida Panthers were rumored to be involved in virtually every major transaction that came down the pike this offseason. In the end they were only involved in two major ones, the traded Olli Jokinen to further enhance their D and they acquired Bryan McCabe for a song.

The Panthers a much changed team. Are they playoff worthy??? I don't think that they are there yet but it will all depend on how good their D is and whether or not their trio of youngsters on the top line can perform like top line talent.

Key Departures:
Olli Jokinen
Mike VanRyn

Jokinen was quite possibly the best player this franchise has yet seen (arguments will be accepted for Jovo-Cop and Beezer). His presence will be missed. The franchise needs to think not about filling the void left by Jokinen but working around his absence and creating a new identity for itself.

Van Ryn went to Toronto as part of the package for McCabe. He became expendable with all of the other additions to this team's D. He had surgery on both of his wrists prior to the 07-08 season and never quite recovered. He would have been lost on this talented blue line.

New Faces:
Cory Stillman
Keith Ballard
Nick Boynton
Bryan McCabe

Cory Stillman should provide some good scoring depth. He was an underrated player in Carolina, loved by the fans ignored by the reporters, and should be a good fit here.

Ballard and Boynton both had excellent seasons as stay at home d-men in Phoenix and should really help reduce Tomas Vokoun's workload this season. Ballard is an intriguing addition as he already had a 39 point season under his belt at the age of 25. Though he has yet to show that offensive upside again, and likely won't be given the chance to this year, he could be a very attractive pickup say... next year when Bouwmeester leaves for colder pastures.

What else is there to say about McCabe. The guy has been a powerplay master for the last few seasons. Now how much of that is Mats Sundin is a real question. McCabe, when healthy, will spend much of his time on the point with Jay Bouwmeester on the first powerplay unit and should be a solid addition.

The Offense:
Move along. Nothing to see here. I'm kidding. Florida has a trio of top line talent and a decent supporting cast to boot.

You Should Be Happy You Drafted (or Picked Up Off Of Waivers):
Nathan Horton
David Booth
Cory Stillman

Horton is the future of this team and the heir apparent to Olli Jokinen's throne atop the offensive categories in South Florida. He's also a strong power forward, delivering on average about 80 PIM a year without sacrificing offensive number. This makes him a very attractive pick at RW.
FACT: Horton was the 3rd overall pick in the 2003 draft. Despite his high profile draft position and bright future as an NHL player he still often hears "who?"'s when he goes out to dinner.

I'm going to come right out and say it, I would not have put Booth here preseason. I would like to think I'd have at least mentioned him in the "you want to keep an eye on" section. Nevertheless this is not the preseason. In the regular season Booth has looked very very good, and has put up strong numbers playing on the top line with Horton and Booth. If he's still available in your leagues I would highly suggest that you pick him up.
FACT: He plays like Holmstrom and really digs in in front of the net. Please God don't let me say "He plays like Aaron Voros" in next year's previews.

Stillman was playing on one knee for most of last season... and he still scored 65 points and most of those before his trade to Ottawa at the deadline. Cory is an unsung hero but a hero nonetheless, look for him to put up 60-70 points from the wing position on the second line and to put in some solid powerplay time.
FACT: Cory Stillman won back to back Cups with the Lightning in '04 and Carolina after the lockout in '06.

You Want to Be Ready to Snag:
Stephen Weiss

Weiss is the third member of the Panthers dynamic first line, but, alas, he is he center and therefore has a much higher standard to be fantasy relevant. If his line continues to clip along I would wager he'd be worth a look before too much longer. As always with centers that aren't superstars he doesn't shoot much and really doesn't get you PIM so he will have to score a lot to be worth your time.
FACT: Weiss hasn't really found his NHL groove yet, scoring only 28 goals in 175 career games. Jokinen's departure opens a door however.

The Defense:
God its deep! For now there are only a few players with fantasy value, as only so many players can play point on the powerplay, but if injuries pile up or Bouwmeester is traded there are a few intriguing prospects in the wings.

You Should Be Happy You Drafted:
Jay Bouwmeester
Bryan McCabe

Bouwmeester is already valuable, being the most offensively gifted D-man on this team, but could become even more valuable at the trade deadline. Bouwmeester has always possessed the tools but has yet to have a really truly spectacular breakout season. With the big contract on the line this year, I have a feeling this will be it. He also gets you a fair amount of PIM and shots.
FACT: Bouwmeester is only 24 and has 46, 42 and 37 point seasons to his credit.

Bryan McCabe is... well right now he's hurt, but he's a very very gifted D-man when healthy. The good news is that he's probably only going to miss about 2 weeks. When he comes back he will be the quarterback for the powerplay on this team and a tag team partner for Jay Bouwmeester. Should be fun to watch. McCabe also takes dumb penalties and a whole bunch of shots so he should be a nice addition to your team.
FACT: McCabe had a mohawk, which he died blue in the playoffs, while he was on Toronto. I can't wait to see what he does if the Panthers make the playoffs. Maybe he'll skin a cat and wear it as a cape around his neck.

You Want to Be Ready to Snag:
Keith Ballard
Cory Murphy

For all the reasons stated above Ballard instantly becomes interesting if by trade or injury the Panthers blue line starts to thin out a bit. He is only 25 and has tons of upside offensively as well as defensively.
FACT: Ballard led all NHL defensemen with 3 shorthanded goals in the 06-07 season. What does that tell you? Three things. He's fearless, he's fast, and he can score under pressure.

Murphy had... an interesting first NHL season. He was absolutely dominant at the start, got hurt and then never really got back to his earlier level of play. He will be in the background when he can crack the lineup this year but he will be in the mix should McCabe get injured or Bouwmeester find himself a new home during the season.
FACT: Murphy took a strange route to the NHL. Canadian born, Murphy played five seasons in Finland, garnering great offensive numbers and several trophies before being brought to the states by the Florida Panthers.

The Powerplay:
Nathan Horton
Stephen Weiss
David Booth
Jay Bouwmeester
Bryan McCabe

McCabe gives them a big shot from the point and will allow Bouwmeester to sneak up into the play to take shots from the slot and the circles. Booth will "Holmstrom it up" in front of the net and pick up the garbage of his "skilled" linemates. Should be a good unit.

The Goalie(s):

I really like Tomas Vokoun. He's one of the more acrobatic and entertaining goalies in the NHL. He's fun to watch, he'll look completley out of position and make the save anyway. He has to be a heart stopper if you are playing in front of him, but I'm not, so I'm allowed to enjoy it. Draft him with confidence as his SV% and win totals should be very respectable. The GAA could get a little out of hand, but this defense SHOULD help with that.
FACT: Vokoun led the league in saves last season with 2,033.

The Verdict:
Florida is a good but not great team. They will give everyone in their division trouble this season. Yes, even Washington. In the end I don't think they have enough weapons to get the job done, but they will make it interesting.