Panthers Fan living in Calgary (don't watch Preds' that often). He's UFA. this summer and seems to be high on the Panthers Wish List (along with Giggy/Backstrom).
How much will he garner on the open market this summer? Is he a Top 6 forward on Nash./could he be on Florida? What position(s) does he play? Florida is deepest up the middle (Jokinen,Weiss,Gratton + couple other options).
He's a 20 goal guy who plays the body well. He's nasty, and has been accused of dirty play by some in the past. He's been known to run a goalie or two. He's still very young which would be perfect for the Panthers young core as he'd be in his prime the same time they are. He's a bit undisciplined and still takes bad penalties and make mistakes in his own zone. He'll also miss 6-12 games a season with injuries. He has the potential to become a 1st/2rd line winger who can score 25-35 goals consistently, but has to show the commitment to becoming more than a 3rd liner still.
He's a 20 goal guy who plays the body well. He's nasty, and has been accused of dirty play by some in the past. He's been known to run a goalie or two. He's still very young which would be perfect for the Panthers young core as he'd be in his prime the same time they are. He's a bit undisciplined and still takes bad penalties and make mistakes in his own zone. He'll also miss 6-12 games a season with injuries. He has the potential to become a 1st/2rd line winger who can score 25-35 goals consistently, but has to show the commitment to becoming more than a 3rd liner still.
he's already scored 25 goals. He would have been closer to 27 or 28 this year, if not for breaking his foot blocking a shot, so calling him a 20 goal guy is a downgrade. He should be counted on for at least 25, given that he's done that for 2 years now from the third line. With more icetime, he'd be capable of more.
As for 6-12 games a year, he played in 81 games last year, and this year's injury was somewhat freakish, so I wouldn't call him "prone."
And his mistakes in his own zone are rare. He's actually pretty defensively responsible\can and has played on the PK.
he's already scored 25 goals. He would have been closer to 27 or 28 this year, if not for breaking his foot blocking a shot, so calling him a 20 goal guy is a downgrade. He should be counted on for at least 25, given that he's done that for 2 years now from the third line. With more icetime, he'd be capable of more.
As for 6-12 games a year, he played in 81 games last year, and this year's injury was somewhat freakish, so I wouldn't call him "prone."
And his mistakes in his own zone are rare. He's actually pretty defensively responsible\can and has played on the PK.
I agree with nomore on everything except the defensive zone stuff. He's one of our laziest backcheckers, IMHO and sometimes makes not attempt to get back.
I agree with nomore on everything except the defensive zone stuff. He's one of our laziest backcheckers, IMHO and sometimes makes not attempt to get back.
I think he's fine if he's already back there....and I'm not sure he's "lazy," it just looks that way because his skating is so bad
^ I don't think it really matters if it's true or not. He'll get a lot more than 2.1/yr on the UFA market; probably closer to 3-3.5 (it's what's been thrown around for some time). Around this forum, he'd fit well with at least the Flames and the Pens, and probably many other teams.
