Panthers Beginning

[GoldenJet]

Might want to up the diffuculty.

[bthomp05]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bure10Beezer34

Wow bthomp!!! Nice franchise! I just got caught up with it. That first round pick of yours really panned out for you, eh? That was quite a dominating performance by Thompson in both the regular season and post. Are you going to continue this into the next season? I certainly hope so! You really got me with your, "beat Robert Svehla in points," what a blast from the past! He was one of my favorite Panthers. I haven't heard his name in forever! I probably would have brought him back in my Caps franschise if I had thought of it...LOL!

Thanks Bure. It was alot of fun. Thompson was a beast and I hope this year he will again. Going for that scoring title of Gretzkys this year if I can. :-)

Totally prepared to do another season. Already have the draft and ufa singings done so will be doing a write up and then beginning season 2. Wish me luck.

[bthomp05]

Quote: Originally Posted by GoldenJet

Might want to up the diffuculty.

Maybe I will, but I just love my set-up. Especially if I'm going to try and beat Gretzky's scoring title. Will see.

Thanks for the support GJ..

[mikko1995]

Gonguralations bthomp on winning the Cup

[bthomp05]

DRAFT DAY 2010

Having amassed three 1st round picks last year the Panthers have 5 picks in the 1st two rounds, 5th-15th-17th-30th 1st round and 30th in the 2nd round.

But before things could begin Panthers management was seen scurying around the Islanders table (last year Panthers traded Vokoun to the Islanders for thier 1st round pick and landed Thompson) and sure enough a deal was announced.

Florida Send:
D Ville Koistinen (11-63-74 pts) and G Scott Clemmensen (23-17, 2.55 GAA)
Islanders Send:
D Anton Babchuk (5-27-32 pts, 27 pims) and D Alexei Semenov (4-19-23 pts, 54 pims)

A weird move by the Panthers considering Koistinen's great play last year, but the Panthers do get rid of an aging goalie (a call up from the baby Panthers is expected, maybe Alexander Salak) and ended up adding some great defence experience with Babchuk and Semenov. I guess only time will tell.

1st Round:
5th pick - Bjorn Backer (LW from Sweden)
15th pick - Ed Schnieder (LW from Canada)
17th pick - Bill Ebbett (D from Canada)
30th pick - Curtis Hobson (D from Canada)

Once again the Panthers were on the move with an interesting deal with the Habs.

Panthers Send:
D Brian McCabe (13-35-48 pts) and thier 2nd Round (60th pick)
Habs Send:
RW Brian Gionta (40-52-92pts) and thier 4th Round (125th pick)

Hands down a great deal for the Panthers. They move an aging defensemen and in return get a hard working performance enhancing winger. By picking up Babchuk and Semenov earlier the spot vacated by McCabe has already been filled and now its a question of who will play the right wing of points phenominum Thompson, Lukes or Gionta?

2nd Round:
Pick traded to the Habs

3rd Round:
120th pick - Brandon Lund (C from Sweden)

4th Round:
125th pick (from the Habs) - Ric Sumal (G from Russia)
150th pick - Clint Smith (C from Norway)

5th Round:
180th pick - Joel Tellqvist (LW from Finland)

All in all not a bad draft, 8 picks means 8 new players to consider for entry level contracts. Only one of those 8 players was lower then 70 and the highest was 77. Not bad in deed.

[bthomp05]

Quote: Originally Posted by mikko1995

Gonguralations bthomp on winning the Cup

Thanks Mikko. I hope you continue reading for season 2.

[SENS_AK27]

Good Job BThomp05! One of my very first dynasties back in the day was with the Panthers. When they had prospects like Luongo and BouwMeester and Jokinen.

[bthomp05]

CONTRACT TIME

The Panthers move into the FA season with 7 expiring contracts (Campbell, Moore, Peltonen, Leopold, Recchi, Seidenberg, and Lukes) and 8 new draft picks (Backer, Schnieder, Ebbett, Hobson, Lund, Sumal, Smyth, and Tellqvist) to consider.

Who will stay/join and who will be sent packing?

Resignings:
Frantisek Lukes was signed to a 4yr 1.7 million deal
Mark Recchi was signed to a 1yr 1.3 million deal
Dominic Moore was signed to a 3yr 1.125 million deal

Campbell, Peltonen, Leopold, and Seidenberg were all sent a fairwell for thier services.

Entry Level:
Curtis Hobson was signed to a 3yr entry level contract
- Rated high 70s D (6'4", 201 lbs)
Ed Schnieder was signed to a 3yr entry level contract
- Rated mid 70s LW (5'11", 182 lbs)
Bjorn Backer was signed to a 3yr entry level contract
- Rated mid 70s LW (6'0", 175 lbs)
Bill Ebbett was signed to a 3yr entry level contract
- Rated mid 70s D (5'11", 205 lbs)
Ric Samul was signed to a 3yr entry level contract
- Rated mid 70s G (6'0", 202 lbs)
Clint Smith was signed to a 3yr entry level contract
- Rated low 70s C (5'11", 183 lbs)

Lund and Tellqvist were not signed.

UFA SEASON

With some spots to fill the Panthers waisted no time in acquiring some new talent.

First off the Panthers made a deal with the 4th worst team last year, Thrashers.

Panthers Send:
RW Brian Gionta (40-52-93 pts last year and a less then a month stay in the Panthers Organization)
Thrashers Send:
D Scott Hannan (2-15-17 pts, 124 pim)

An interesting deal, just like the one that brough Gionta to the Panthers, the Panthers aquire another great defencemen in Hannan but lost a definate scoring threat. When asked why, Panthers management felt that having Lukes and Recchi on the top 2 lines was enough and that Gionta wasn't the right fit at this time. I guess will see how this plays out.

Meanwhile the Panthers beefed up considerable with alittle scoring with 4 additional signings.

D Anton Volchenkov (3-23-26 pts, 118 pims) signed a 2yr 3.5 million deal

LW Donald Brashear (11-13-24 pts, 366 pims) signed a 1yr 0.5 million deal

RW Wade Belak (6-2-8 pts, 255 pims) signed a 3yr 1.125 million deal

D Marc-Andre Bergeron (6-37-43 pts, 84 pims) signed a 3yr 2.1 million deal

Atleast 3 of these signings will definately put some toughness on a team that lacked it last year, adding about 739 more penalty minutes and a whole lot of aggression. Look out for anyone who messes with the Panthers elit.

The signing of Volchenkov defiately fills the role vacated by Koistinen for a DD on Smith's right side, while OD Bergeron is a perfect linemate for Allen and will see extensive time on the PP.

Signing Brashear and Belak fixes a situation that seemed to happen on the 4th line all last year. Moore didn't have anyone significant in the toughness department to play with and it took its toll. Hopefully these bruisers are the answer.


Season write up and lines are next.