Florida Panthers In Depth Off-Season Review
Aug 17, 2015 16:57:08 GMT -5
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Post by Florida Panthers on Aug 17, 2015 16:57:08 GMT -5
The 2015 Florida Panthers Off-Season Review
The Florida Panthers were the most active team during the 2015 OGSHL Off-Season between performing 12 trades and making a total of 7 selections in the entry draft, 6 of them being 1st round selections. The Panthers saw their season end with them being the last place team in the league. Unfortunately, the dice didn’t roll the Panthers way to win the lottery, but they sure did leave with a great consolation prize that any GM would die for. GM Joe Brodsky had the mindset heading into this season to continue to improve their already stacked youth. Lets first take a look at the trades that were performed.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Nail Yakupov
@nashvillepredators Receive:
Beau Bennett
When the Panthers saw this opportunity of a straight up trade for Nail Yakupov, they immediately pulled the trigger. Yakupov ended the 2014-2015 NHL season by nearly averaging a PPG in his last 20 games of the season, finally showing flashes of brilliance and a reason why he was a #1 overall selection only 3 seasons ago. Florida had high hopes for Bennett as he as presumed to play with either Malkin or Crosby heading into the season, however he was unable to remain healthy and injuries kept Bennett sidelined for the third season in a row. Yakupov will hopefully build upon his success at the end of the season and carry it through 2015-2016 by playing alongside the likes of players in Edmonton such as McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle, Hall, Draisaitl.
Florida Panthers Receive:
6th overall pick
Curtis Lazar
@shammy Receive:
Tyler Myers
FLA 2016 2nd
Getting this return for Tyler Myers was a great deal for the Panthers as they were looking to continue to improve their young team by stacking it with even more youth. Lazar projects to be a top 6 guy and most likely the Senators 2nd line center behind Kyle Turris within the next 1-2 seasons. Add that with the 6th overall pick who the Panthers could easily replace Myers with, this trade made perfect sense. However, Myers looked to be returning to form and if he does reach his former play, the Penguins will happily live with what they gave up as they make a push for the cup. However, that 6th pick would soon be traded.
Florida Panthers Receive:
14th overall pick
NSH 2016 1st
Michael Hutchinson
Madison Bowey
@nashvillepredators Receive:
6th overall pick
FLA 3rd 2016
Jack Campbell
Duncan Siemens
Once again the Panthers and Predators found themselves being trade partners. The Panthers gave up the 6th overall pick they just received from the Penguins and deteriorating prospects in Jack Campbell and Duncan Siemens who they once had high hopes for. Hopefully for their career sakes, both SIemens and Campbell can turn their misfortunes around and become the players they were once thought to be. As for the Panthers return, dropping back only 8 spots and picking up another 1st in 2016 to go alongside stud defensive prospect Madison Bowey and a potential starting netminder in Michael Hutchinson was too good to pass up. Being that the Panthers possessed the 2nd and 5th overall pick, it was very easy for them to part with the 6th overall pick if they found a return they liked. Hutchinson’s time in Florida would only be enough for him to enjoy the weather for a few nights.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Frederik Andersen
CGY 3rd 2015
@yourself Receive:
Michael Hutchinson
29th overall pick
Nick Cousins
The Panthers found themselves once again flipping another asset they previously received. Being that the Panthers already had quite a few 1st round picks, they felt the 29th pick wasn’t as much use to them if they could find an upgrade at any position. Andersen became available on the trading block and the Panthers immediately inquired about Andersen. Sending Hutchinson, the 29th pick and Cousins is a deal the Panthers can easily live with as Andersen proved himself to be the real deal, although faltering a bit in the playoffs for the Ducks. Hutchinson has to battle with upcoming star Hellebyuck and established netminder Ondrej Pavelec. Nick Cousins most likely will play in a bottom 6 role at the NHL level and with an already stacked youth group, the Panthers viewed this as a deal they were happy with. Once again though, Andersen wouldn’t be staying long in the sunny state of Florida.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Braden Holtby
Toronto Maple Leafs Receive:
Frederik Andersen
GM Joe Brodsky was completely ecstatic when he was able to straight up trade Andersen for Braden Holtby and I am sure most of the GMs in the league were shocked themselves. Holtby finished the season with the 5th best GAA and 7th best Save% in the NHL pushing himself arguably into the elite goalie conversation. With nobody around to compete with Holtby and Andersen having to battle with potential star John Gibson, however the real treat wouldn’t come until later when Holtby would sign his new contract. Holtby put pen to paper and signed his new deal for 5 years at 6.1 million per! This is arguably one of the best contracts in the league if Holtby can continue to play at this level.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Kyle Quincey
Carolina Hurricanes Receive:
Morgan Ellis
This trade helped Florida reach the cap floor and give up young defenseman Morgan Ellis who has a lot to prove. This was surprisingly a hockey deal that GM Joe rarely ever makes.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Tuomo Ruutu
66th overall pick
@chris Receive:
Greg McKegg
88th overall pick
The Panthers made another hockey deal surprisingly, however they were able to move themselves up 22 spots in the draft in order to take on some salary and acquire a NJ Devils which GM Joe will rarely ever pass up on if the deal makes sense.
Florida Panthers Receive:
17th overall pick
PIT 2016 1st
Toronto Maple Leafs Receive:
14th overall pick
The Panthers were stunned when they learned they were able to receive yet another 1st round pick for the following season in order to move back only 3 spots! Of course this probably meant they would miss out on a player they had their eyes on at the 14th spot, or did they?
Florida Panthers Receive:
13th overall pick
14th overall pick
Toronto Maple Leafs Receive:
Shea Theodore
Giving up Theodore who the Panthers have high hopes for and believe is the real deal was definitely tough, however acquiring the 13th pick and getting the 14th pick back made complete sense, especially with the players who were left in the draft at the time.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Elias Lindholm
Jordan Schmaltz
Carolina Hurricanes Receive:
Zemgus Girgensons
Jake Debrusk (17th overall selection)
Reece Scarlett
Eric O’Dell
The Panthers who originally drafted Lindholm were happy to get him back, along with Jordan Schmaltz who has great defensive potential. The Panthers were shopping Girgensons for quite a while as they weren’t sure what Girgensons’ role will become with the Sabres and what line he will play on, though Girgensons is the type of player you can line up anywhere and he will perform well. Jake Debrusk who the Panthers drafted has great upside for the Bruins, but the Panthers are very high on Lindholm and believe he will have a breakout year this year or next.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Nate Schmidt
81st overall pick
@pimmer Receive:
66th overall pick
The Panthers were happy to receive Nate Schmidt who is believed to be playing in a 5-6 role for the Capitals this season, along with only dropping 15 spots in the third round.
Florida Panthers Receive:
Jamie McGinn
Carolina Hurricanes Receive:
Ronalds Kenins
The Panthers needed cap space on a good length contract and hate to give up Kenins, but McGinn is a solid player and believe brings the same skill level and production to the table. This was also the last trade the Panthers made in which seemed to be a crazy and hectic offseason of trading.
Florida Panthers 2015 Entry Draft
The Florida Panthers had a tremendous draft with 6 1st round picks though, how could anyone go wrong? (The NHL Bruins might be able to tell you) After missing out on McDavid, the Panthers ended up with a “consolation prize” in who else but….
The Florida Panthers Select Jack Eichel 2nd Overall
Jack Eichel is perhaps the best prospect since well… McDavid who is the the best since… Crosby. Eichel has to reach his generational talent level that has been attached to him in order for the Panthers to become the powerhouse they presume to be as he will look to be leading the charge with Nathan Mackinnon. Eichel’s shoulders can rest a bit easy as he does have quite a bit of help with the Panthers roster, but Eichel will surely need to be doing the heavy lifting.
The Florida Panthers Select Ivan Provorov 5th Overall
Ivan Provorov was the defenseman the Panthers had in mind all along once they shipped out Tyler Myers. Provorov and Hanifin are splitting hairs, but Provorov easily has the better offensive and puck moving skills which GM Joe Brodsky believes will translate much better to sim ratings. Provorov is instantly the Panthers cornerstone defenseman and it is extremely rare to see a team select both 2nd and 5th overall. Provorov joins a very solid group of defenseman and looks to develop before taking over the #1 spot.
The Florida Panthers Select Denis Gurianov 13th Overall
Denis Gurianov reminds the Panthers so much of Valeri Nichushkin that is scary. Gurianov was a surprise pick in the NHL draft going 12th overall to the NHL Dallas Stars, but when you watch video on him, you can see exactly why the Stars selected him. Gurianov has the best shot in the entire draft according to almost all of the draft experts, and his quick release and heavy shot is what separates his goal scoring into an elite class. Gurianov is a big body coming in at 6'3 192 pounds and adds yet another wicked shot to the Panthers organization. Gurianov led the Russians in points at the U18 World Juniors and averaged more than a goal per game. Gurianov is in a great place to succeed with the likes of Seguin, Benn, Nichushkin, Hemsky, Sharp and Spezza. Gurianov will put up points at will and his shot will become even more lethal as he progresses in development. Gurianov has dangerous speed as well to his shot as though it may not look like he is moving his feet that fast, he has long strong powerful strides that aid him to blow by opponents and catch goaltenders off-guard by being able to move east to west just as easily to rip his shot anywhere on the ice. Gurianov will have to adjust to North American ice, but the transition should come easier to him than others.
The Florida Panthers Select Evgeny Svechnikov 14th Overall
Svechnikov finished second among Quebec Major Junior Hockey League rookies with 78 points. Svechnikov joins his Russian partner Gurianov in what looks like to be a very promising forward group in Florida. The fact that Svechnikov was drafted by the Red Wings in the NHL goes to show just how much skill he possesses. The Red Wings have been drafting terrifically in their history, but have been doing an even better job in recent years. With the likes of Mantha, Larkin and now Svechnikov, the Red Wings sure look to know what they are doing and finding those hidden gems who seem to always fall down to them. Speaking of Mantha, the Panthers are glad to be pairing both Mantha and Svechnikov together. Svechnikov will be entering what is arguably the best prospect system to develop and hone his skills in the NHL.
Svechnikov possesses smooth skating, elite level hands and an elite level shot. Coming in at 6'2 and 201 pounds he is yet another big body the Panthers have added to their forward group. Svechnikov could use a little bit of work in the defensive end, but his offensive awareness, and offensive skillset sure makes up for it.
The Florida Panthers Select Jake Debrusk 17th Overall
As we discussed earlier, the Panthers ended up trading Jake Debrusk in a deal that saw them acquiring Elias Lindholm. However, Debrusk has top 6 potential and all the room to succeed in Boston. We feel Debrusk can be a star player in Boston and could easily see him playing on a line with David Pastrnak in the future. We wish Jake the best of luck and hope to see him become a solid top 6 player.
The Florida Panthers Take A Gamble at 18th Overall
GM Joe Brodsky thought very hard about this pick when it was his turn to come up to the podium. There were just so many great guys to select from the Panthers thought about moving back in the draft to acquire more assets. Instead, the Florida Panthers opted for the crown jewel at the goalie position. When we realized we already had Braden Holtby it almost became a no brainer to take Ilya Samsonov so that we could mirror what the Washington Capitals end up doing in real life down the road.
Ilya Samsonov was selected 18th overall by the Florida Panthers and is being regarded to as the next Vasilevskiy. Of course Vasilevskiy hasn't proven himself as an elite goaltender just yet, but he has shown glimpses in the past year at the biggest stage of them all, the Stanley Cup Finals. We are hoping Samsonov can do the same as he is being regarded in the same manner which can be credited to not only his style of play, but the fact that he is also Russian.
Ilya Samsonov possesses the prototypical goalie size 6'4 203 pounds with room to grow. Samsonov has quick reflexes and great rebound control. He clearly has to work on his game in order to become NHL ready and he will be grooming his game in the KHL against men. As the Panthers were doing research on Samsonov they actually ran into a fun fact that Samsonov models his game after his favorite player, Sergei Bobrovsky. If Samsonov can be at the same level as Bobrovsky we will be extremely happy, but we believe Samsonov has the ability to maybe become even better than Bobrovsky.
The last two Russian goalies to be selected in the first round of the NHL draft were Andrei Vasilevskiy and Seymon Varlamov. The Panthers are banking on Samsonov to perform just as well as these two netminders. Of course when you select 6 times in the first round, I think you are given a free pass to take a gamble, however this may seem more like a calculated risk.
The Florida Panthers Select Alexandre Carrier 81st Overall
Carrier is a great defensive prospect who the Panthers were happy to draft and think that he has the ability to succeed in Nashville and can become a bottom pairing defenseman with possibly 3-4 upside. Putting up 55 points in his draft year on defense is something that the Panthers hope translates well to the NHL level. The Panthers will take their time on Carrier and will monitor him over the next few seasons on his progression.
Florida Panthers Future Outlook
After what seemed to be an extreme makeover during the off-season, the Florida Panthers are looking towards the future. With 3 more 1st round picks in the 2016 Entry Draft and arguably projected to be a bottom 5-10 team in the league with a chance at winning 1 of the 3 lottery spots, the Panthers future is looking brighter than the sun. The Panthers invested a lot into the 2015 draft, but they are extremely happy with who they walked away with and believe they made the best possible choice based on team needs and player skill. Taking a look at the future lineup of the Panthers is perhaps one of the scariest things in the league.
Jonathan Huberdeau - Jack Eichel - Valeri Nichushkin
Nail Yakupov - Nathan Mackinnon - Elias Lindholm
Anthony Mantha - Andre Burakovsky - Evgeny Svechnikov
Tomas Hertl - Curtis Lazar - Denis Gurianov
Artemi Panarin - Sergei Kalinin - Sven Baertschi
Reid Boucher - Riley Barber - Jamie McGinn
Ivan Provorov - Rasmus Ristolainen
Damon Severson - Nikita Zadorov
Michael Del Zotto - Jon Merrill
Madison Bowey - Jordan Schmaltz
Tyler Wotherspoon - Jonathan MacLeod
Alexandre Carrier - Ethan Bear
Braden Holtby
Ilya Samsonov
Darcy Kuemper
Juuse Saros
Tristan Jarry
It is hard to imagine what 3 more 1st round picks will look like adding to this already scary team, and what could be even scarier is if the Panthers finish with a lottery pick. The Panthers will have to manage their cap wisely as most of these players will be signing their new contracts all around the same time most likely, however they most likely will be either bridge contracts, or long term contracts at a discounted RFA value. If the Panthers play their cards right they just may be a dynasty in the future. This is the risk of taking on players who for the most part are all being gauged off of potential, but when you have this many quality players you are bound to hit some homeruns.
