Why do teams like the Islanders and the Leafs, both who were expected to STINK it up and have a horrible record, find ways to win? Both of them are well above .500. How is it that we never get a break? We haven't been a true winning team in ages. Why do other teams just, get better than us? Why can't WE BE ABOVE .500?
I hate seeing teams that are completely overachieving.
I agree... it's sickening to watch. I was at the Isles-Florida game... disgusting is the only word that comes to mind. They looked terrible. Passes weren't clicking, pucks rolling off of sticks left & right and shots were weak at best... sure we got like 40 shots - but soft shots into the chest of the goalie shouldn't count - and there were plenty of 'em. It's been said before - we don't have many, if any, 'finishers'. This team looked so good on paper before the season started. I don't get it.
I agree... it's sickening to watch. I was at the Isles-Florida game... disgusting is the only word that comes to mind. They looked terrible. Passes weren't clicking, pucks rolling off of sticks left & right and shots were weak at best... sure we got like 40 shots - but soft shots into the chest of the goalie shouldn't count - and there were plenty of 'em. It's been said before - we don't have many, if any, 'finishers'. This team looked so good on paper before the season started. I don't get it.
I know.. it sucks.. Whats even more concerning is the fact after every game Martin is telling the media he likes how our team is playing there not just getting the bounces, hitting a hot goalie or something like that.
IMO, Martin has proven he is ill-equipped to get a largely Keenan-assembled team rolling.
What this bodes for the future is frightening, as we may yet see upheaval on either the player side or the management side.
Frankly, I'm beyond sick and tired.
Year after year, mired in mediocrity...wholesale changes are made but not with any solid plan in sight. Management changes, coaching changes, players are dealt...but one constant remains: fickle, panic-button ownership.
Management changes, coaching changes, players are dealt...but one constant remains: fickle, panic-button ownership.
In the end this seems to be the real problem. An ownership group that seems more interested in generating a profit from ads and other various sponsership schemes leaves Panther fans with little more to cheer for than Stanley's antics. As long as owership gets a profit from other events at the BAC the team seems to come in a distant second. TV revenue nust be next to nothing. Does anyone have the local TV ratings?
They way the team is put together right now, where does one start, assuming that the team again misses the playoffs. We got a bunch of old players none of whom may make it though another season. A potential "star" entering UFA status with a bad back. And group of young players none of whom have taken their play to the next level. Clean house? Trade your way out with draft picks and younger players? Who is going to make these decisions? Does Martin retain both jobs for the rest of the season? Is there a long term plan in place now that is seems that this seasons plan hasn't worked?
The team barely gets any local press coverage and attendance isn't great. If they clean house and miss the playoffs for another season or two will they survive? There are few Canadian cities that would say that Florida needs only one team....
In the end this seems to be the real problem. An ownership group that seems more interested in generating a profit from ads and other various sponsership schemes leaves Panther fans with little more to cheer for than Stanley's antics. As long as owership gets a profit from other events at the BAC the team seems to come in a distant second. TV revenue nust be next to nothing. Does anyone have the local TV ratings?
They way the team is put together right now, where does one start, assuming that the team again misses the playoffs. We got a bunch of old players none of whom may make it though another season. A potential "star" entering UFA status with a bad back. And group of young players none of whom have taken their play to the next level. Clean house? Trade your way out with draft picks and younger players? Who is going to make these decisions? Does Martin retain both jobs for the rest of the season? Is there a long term plan in place now that is seems that this seasons plan hasn't worked?
The team barely gets any local press coverage and attendance isn't great. If they clean house and miss the playoffs for another season or two will they survive? There are few Canadian cities that would say that Florida needs only one team....
Yuck....
Needless to say unless this team can show us that they really are underachieving and that this season isn't about to be lost again, then I'd have to say that we're on the edge of entering into the most dire straits this franchise has been in. We've been "rebuilding" since 2001. Filip Novak, Petr Taticek, Lukas Krajicek are all out of the organization after being heralded as very strong parts of our future, basically for nothing. Stewart is on the verge of busting as he's terribly inconsistent. Our veterans who are signed to bring winning to south florida are all about to retire/are on the downside. Our young players with potential have dropped from the long list of Krisitan Huselius, Nik Hagman, Stephen Weiss, ANthony Stewart, Nathan Horton, Dany Roussin, Jay Bouwmeester, Rob Globke, Olesz, Krajicek, Novak to only Weiss, Horton, Bouw and Olesz. Almost all of those players were projected at one point to be in a panthers uniform in the future. Olesz hasn't shown the offense yet even though it's not all his fault, Weiss is really relient on finishing linemates, something sorely lacking in florida (if he were elsewhere, he'd be SOOOO much better). Horton is developing, he seems to be in the right direction possibly, and Bouwmeester is our legitimate first pairing defensman, our only current star out of all our draft picks from the rebuilding years. All that losing for relatively little......and there's not any top prospects that are going to come in and pick up the scoring slack, McArdle will replace Gelinas one day, Frolik hopefully will develop into an offensive threat but that's a long ways away as well if ever. Booth I like but I see him as a 3rd liner for us and we need first line players. So what do we do? Unless we turn it around fast, we're basically a team getting to the end of our window for opportunity of success, only thing is, we never had success. So it's basically like we're at the end of the efforts of our rebuilding only to what? Have to rebuild again? I'd be hard pressed to be able to imagine that this franchise could deal with another 3-4 years of losing, what would be neccessary to possibly get a franchise draft pick and turn us into a legitimate team. Offensive players like Angelo Esposito, Sam Gagner, Kyle Turris, Pat Kane, Logan Couture, Jakub Voracek, Steve Stamkos, John Tavares, Backlund and a few other guys look like possible offensive stars so with the next 2-3 drafts, if we're up near the top, we could pick up some potentially great players. Even so, we can't wait to do that. I really think that if Cohen wants this franchise to survive, he's going to have to go out and sign some big names this offseason and we're going to have to rescale this team by bringing in guys, throwing large amounts of money at them to try and buy a winner. With young guys playing for cheap and the veterans on their way out, it's prime time to cash in at the deadline on picks and prospects, and then go out and sign some free agents with both skill and speed for the new NHL.
Of course, this could all easily be avoided if we start winning.......
You guys sound like the Eastern Conference version of Phoenix. Being a Phoenix fan I can relate.
Well at least you guys have some offensive talent with Doan, Nagy, Comrie, Michalek, Yandle, and guys on the way like Lisin, Sjostrom (don't really know how he's doing), and Hanzal. Doan, Nagy and Comrie are 3 guys who when playing the way they can could really help out our team.
I think Phoenix would be a good team to trade with since both are teams that are extremely struggling and are seriously underachieving so far this season. Of course in order to get some of their good snipers such as Doan or Nagy, the Panthers would have to give up some of their big young names (Horton, Weiss, Bouwmeester, Olesz, etc), which is something I'd rather not give up on this early in their careers. As its been said, in order to get something you good, you have to give up something good. The Luongo trade's a good example.
I think Phoenix would be a good team to trade with since both are teams that are extremely struggling and are seriously underachieving so far this season. Of course in order to get some of their good snipers such as Doan or Nagy, the Panthers would have to give up some of their big young names (Horton, Weiss, Bouwmeester, Olesz, etc), which is something I'd rather not give up on this early in their careers. As its been said, in order to get something you good, you have to give up something good. The Luongo trade's a good example.
But despite a great start Auld hasn't exactly been the epitome of consistency, Allen is very solid I'll give you but Bert may be out the entire season. Nagy and Doan are UFA at the end of the year. Here's how it works. If PHO throws in the towel before we do, then we trade them our first rounder + for Nagy if we still think we have a shot.
Well at least you guys have some offensive talent with Doan, Nagy, Comrie, Michalek, Yandle, and guys on the way like Lisin, Sjostrom (don't really know how he's doing), and Hanzal. Doan, Nagy and Comrie are 3 guys who when playing the way they can could really help out our team.
Yeah, and we have Frolik and...and...uh...and...
...well, at the rate we're going and whoever's going #1 in the draft this year.
Dammit!
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"...and ultimately it doesn't matter."
But despite a great start Auld hasn't exactly been the epitome of consistency, Allen is very solid I'll give you but Bert may be out the entire season. Nagy and Doan are UFA at the end of the year. Here's how it works. If PHO throws in the towel before we do, then we trade them our first rounder + for Nagy if we still think we have a shot.
