panthers insider 5-3

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FLORIDA PANTHERS

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 3

Finding theMissingPieces2011 NHL DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY PREVIEW

CavitCollection.com

©2010

PalmBay

International,Boca

Raton,FL.*Nielsen

52wks

ending1/9/10

F/D/L Born on a cool night in the Italian Alpsenjoyed in warm company.

With grapes grown in the foothills of Italy’s Dolomite Alps and hand-harvested at the peak of flavor,the Cavit® Collection boasts a heritage as extraordinary as its taste.

Number one Italian wine in America.*

PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN FINANCEDACCORDING TO EUROPEAN REGULATION 479/08

P

www.cavitcollection.com

Project1:Layout 1 3/13/09 7:33 PM Page 1

We make it OUR business to know YOURS.

© 2011 BankAtlantic. 447795-PantherInsider-MA

BankAtlantic.com/Business 1-877-7-DAY-BIZ 1-877-732-9249Since 1952

Swing by and meet YOUR Business Specialist today! Or if you’d like, we can meet you on your own turf.

BankAtlantic - Official Bank of the Florida Panthers®

BlankAd.qxp:Layout 1 4/19/11 5:08 PM Page 1

www.bankatlantic.com

©2009 COORS BREWING COMPANY

Project2:Layout 1 7/13/10 11:22 AM Page 1

1EPA-estimated 43/40/42 City/Hwy/Combined. Actual mileage will vary. 2Highest Combined MPG compared to gas-powered vehicles. © 2011 Lexus.

Introducing the radically new 42-MPG rated1 CT 200h hybrid from Lexus.

The most fuel-efficient luxury car available.2 Welcome to the darker side of green.

Lexus.com/CT

Lexus CT Hybrid

BlankAd.qxp:Layout 1 5/4/11 10:58 AM Page 1

OUR STANDARDS BEAT THEIR EXTRAS.36 channels of free DIRECTV® and unlimited brand-name snacks and soft drinks for everyone.Fly now at jetblue.com

*DIRECTV® service is not available on flights outside the continental U.S.

Official Airline of the Florida Panthers


FLORIDAPANTHERS.COM8

volume 5. issue 3

54

ADDING THE RIGHT PIECESGM Dale Tallon and the Panthers are ready for another NHL Draft that is rife with opportunity.

AGENTS OF CHANGEThe Panthers are looking for free agents who want to buckthe trend and help build a winner in South Florida.

40

FEATURESCONTENTS

Pi_5_3_Contents_Mast.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 3:57 PM Page 8

Your home for the Most Live Sports.

Call 1-800-XFINITY or visit mostlivesports.com for more information.

LEARN MORE ABOUT XFINITY’S SPORTS COVERAGE

Professional sporting events are subject to blackouts according to league broadcast rules. Not all programming and services are available in all areas. Pricing and Programming is subject to change. An additional

monthly charge applies for Sports Entertainment package. On Demand selections subject to charge indicated at time of purchase. Contact Comcast for program availability and service details and restrictions. To

receive HD benefi ts and features, an HD television (not provided) and HD equipment is required. A monthly equipment fee applies. HD programming limited to the level of video service selected and to the programming

provided to Comcast in HD format by programming provider. Not available in all areas. Equipment, installation, taxes and franchise fees extra. Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. Most

live sports available with Comcast Digital Preferred Cable and Comcast High-Speed Internet with ESPN3.com. Money-back guarantee applies to 1 month recurring service and standard installation charges. Please call

your local Comcast offi ce for restrictions and complete details about service, prices and equipment. Comcast © 2011. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.NHL and the

NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Network name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2011. All Rights

Reserved. NHL, the NHL Shield, Stanley Cup and Center Ice name and logo are registered trademarks and The Game Lives Where You Do and NHL Center Ice Extra are trademarks of the National Hockey League.

NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2011. All Rights Reserved.© 2011 Comcast. All rights reserved. © 2011 Eclipse Marketing Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. MAR-007

All Backed by the Comcast 30-Day

Money-Back Guarantee.

NHL on XFINITYCoverage of the Entire NHL Season Including the Playoffs and Stanley CupNHL On The Fly and NHL Live on NHL NetworkAdditional In-Depth Coverage with the NHL on Versus

NHL Game Recaps On Demand

24/7 NHL Coverage All Year Long


MoMoMoMoMoMoM rerererere w w w wwayayayayays s s s s ininininn....™™™™

Buy direct from season ticket holders at

FloridaPanthers.com/TicketExchange

Ticketmaster is the official fan resale partner of the NHL.

How to pay homage to a hat trick.

Step one: Wait until a player scores three goals in one game.

Step two: Remove hat from head. Grasp brim firmly in throwing hand.

Step three: Launch your offering with a flick of the wrist.

How to make sure you’re at the game – because throwing your hat at the TV just isn’t the same.

Step one: Go to Ticketmaster.com where they’ve got more ways to get you into the game, including buying and selling seats from season ticket holders and other fans.

Step two: Get ready. (Odds of witnessing a hat trick are 1 in 18.)


Welcome to

It’s Nationwider.SM

Metro USASM

BROWARD COUNTY

Davie9180 State Road 84 954-577-5552

Ft. Lauderdale2350 N. Federal Hwy. 954-390-6253

Hollywood1811 N. Young Cir. 954-925-5041

Pembroke Pines9900 Pines Blvd. 954-437-1448

Pompano801 W. Sample Rd. 954-788-4990

COLLIER COUNTY

Naples2367 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. (Located on Airport-Pulling Rd.) 239-596-8550

LEE COUNTY

Ft. Myers4427 Cleveland Ave. 239-936-1626

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

Coral Gables262 Miracle Mile 305-446-4835

Doral7640 NW 25th St. 305-591-2477

Hialeah1435 W. 49th St. 305-512-1283

Homestead282 NE 8th St. 305-242-7483

Kendall7246 SW 117th Ave. 305-595-3771

Miami Gardens16650 NW 27th Ave. 305-620-6485

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Lake Worth6602 Lake Worth Rd. 561-304-1124

Wellington10410 Forest Hill Blvd. (Located on perimeter of The Mall at Wellington Green) 561-422-0175

ST. LUCIE COUNTY

Port St. Lucie10933 S. US Hwy. 1 (Just south of Walmart SuperCenter) 772-335-0101

MetroPCS Retail Stores

888.8metro8 metropcs.com

Still $40 a month.Unlimited talk, text and web. Taxes and regulatory fees included. No annual contract.

Now covering 90% of the country.Including Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Coverage and services not available everywhere. Rates, services and features subject to change. Nationwide long distance only available to the continental United States and Puerto Rico. See a store or metropcs.com for more details on coverage, Terms and Conditions of Service, handsets and restrictions. MetroPCS related brands, trademarks, service marks, and other intellectual property are the exclusive properties of MetroPCS Wireless, Inc. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks, service marks, and other intellectual property are the properties of their respective owners. ©2011 MetroPCS Wireless, Inc. 16404_ROP

Follow us on Twitter @MetroPCS_SFL



HOCKEY TALK

SHIFTS

OVERTIME

ICE DANCER

FREEZE FRAME

Panthers Ice Dancer Meg believes in the power oftalent and experience...and a good knife.

BIZ

The Hobey Baker Award honors some SouthFloridians and the Cats lock up some youth.

The Panthers break the sponsorship mold againwith the Lexus Rink At The BankAtlantic Center.

32

30

MOLLERLooking for some offseason travel spots? Red Deer has some recommendations.

62

RUSSOThe Canucks finally got the monkey off theirback and beat Chicago in the NHL’s best rivalry.

66

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly gives histhoughts on the Panthers’ future and more.

Go to FloridaPanthers.com to subscribe

Incredible photos...chilled. Catchthe most scintillating shots fromthe month that was in the NHL.

76

34

22

DEPARTMENTS volume 5. issue 3

EDITORIAL

Matthew F. SaccoEDITOR IN CHIEF

[email protected]

Matthew EllisART DIRECTOR

[email protected]

Glenn OdebralskiONLINE EDITOR

[email protected]

Justin Copertino EXECUTIVE EDITOR

[email protected]

Alain Poupart SENIOR WRITER

Eliot J. Schechter Ronald C. Modra

NHL Images, OHL Images Getty Images

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Randy Moller, Michael RussoCOLUMNISTS

PANTHERS INSIDER

BankAtlantic CenterOne Panther Parkway

Sunrise, FL 33323(954) 835-7000

e-mail: [email protected]

Panthers Insider is published monthly by Sunrise Sports & Entertainment.

Reproduction whole or in part prohibited without permission from the publisher.

ADVERTISING

Tim KuhlEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

[email protected]

Ted MajorEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

[email protected]

Matt RickoffSR. DIRECTOR, NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

[email protected]

Ben SlepianDIRECTOR, NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

[email protected]

Brad HoffmanDIRECTOR, NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

[email protected]

Robert CetronDIRECTOR, NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

[email protected]

Todd MertonDIRECTOR, NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

[email protected]

Kyle WatsonBRAND ACTIVATION MANAGER

[email protected]

Pedro GoncalvesEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Go to FloridaPanthers.com to subscribe*

PROSPECTS

Pi_5_3_Contents_Mast.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 3:58 PM Page 12

Experience Beachside LuxuryIN YOUR BACKYARD

HARBOR BEACH MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA

For the ultimate beachside indulgence, escape to Harbor Beach Marriott® Resort & Spa.

Come celebrate our 25 years of hospitality and $50 million renovation with our Silver Anniversary

Package, featuring an ocean-view room and $50 daily resort credit.

Call 800.222.6543 for details.

3030 Holiday Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 > 954.525.4000 > marriottharborbeach.com

hbeach_bp.qxd:Layout 1 1/12/10 6:38 PM Page 1

© 2010 Marriott International, Inc.

Do what you love.Whether you’re taking to the ice, stepping up to the tee or simply escaping the everyday,

you want to do things right. That’s why we’ve spent $16 million improving and upgrading

our resort including luxurious new amenities, delicious dining at the all-new Bossa Nova

Lounge and Mesazul Steakhouse, rejuvenating spa and painstakingly renovated Jim McLean

Signature Course. We’ve been doing what we love for fi fty years, so come and experience all

we have to offer. FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAMESM

For more information or to plan your next visit, call 800.71.DORAL or visit doralresort.com

WE WISH THE FLORIDA PANTHERS THE BEST OF LUCKIN THE 2010/2011 HOCKEY SEASON.

THE ORIGINAL. DORAL GOLF RESORT & SPA, A MARRIOTT RESORT4400 N.W. 87th Avenue Miami, Florida 33178


LOCATED AT ACQUALINA RESORT & SPA

17875 COLLINS AVE SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL 33160 RESERVATIONS 305 466 9191 ILMULINO.COM

FROM ABRUZZO TO THE ATLANTIC COASTLINEUNFORGET TABLE CLASSIC ITALIAN CUISINE


Savings on ADT Pulse Advantage Package include $136 on installation and $216 on the fi rst year of monitoring. Installation price of ADT Pulse Advantage Package components if sold separately is $855; package price of $749 represents $136 installation savings. Monthly price of ADT Pulse Advantage Package monitoring services if sold separately is $67.99 per month; package monitoring price of $49.99 represents $18 per month in savings x 12 months = $216 in savings in fi rst year. See important terms and conditions of ADT offer and ADT license numbers at www.adtpulse.com or by calling 1-800-ADT-ASAP. ADT PulseSM Services (“Services”) require the purchase and/or activation of an ADT alarm system with monitored burglary service and a compatible computer, cell phone or PDA with internet and email access. Not all features are available with the various levels of ADT PulseSM Services. Services may not be currently available in all geographic areas. Additional charges may apply to the purchase of equipment required to utilize the Services’ features you desire. © 2010 ADT Security Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ADT, the ADT logo and PULSE are marks and/or registered trademarks of ADT Services, AG, and are used under license. All trademarks not owned by ADT Services, AG, are the property of their respective owners, and are used with permission or allowed under applicable laws.

Now save $250 on the ADT PulseSM Advantage Package. Call 1-866-275-4585 to schedule a complimentary in-home security review or visit www.ADTPulse.com to learn more.

Introducing ADT PulseSM

Solutions.A new way to stay connected to what matters most.

Save energy. Save money.Turn your thermostat down when you’re away

from home. Or set your lights to turn on and off atpredetermined times so you know your house is

well-lit before your family arrives home.

Arm your system on the go.Forget to arm your home security system? ADT Pulse

lets you do it right from your phone. Need to let someonein your home? Disarm it with the touch of a button.

See what’s happening with real-time video.Receive an alert and real-time video of events

happening at home. See your kids come homefrom school. Or check in on a pet.

Connect with everything that matters.More than traditional home security, ADT Pulse is

the latest in home management. Control and help protectyour home, remotely, from your phone or computer.

76488_ADT_AD0-244.indd 1 9/20/10 2:32:44 PM


A CUT ABOVE

Toughness - epitomized here by stitches on Vancouver forward Raffi Torres’s face -can help lead a team to Stanley Cup Playoff glory. (PHOTO BY JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)

Pi_5_3_FreezeFrame.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 5:13 PM Page 22

Just a Short Drive AwayNow you can experience one of the “truest” greens in South Florida!

of the Florida PanthersFloridaPanthers.com

A preferred golf course

Scan withyour smartphoneto visit CCofCS.com.

10800 West Sample Road • Coral Springs, FL 33065www.CCofCS.com • 954-752-4500

As a Preferred Golf Course of the Florida Panthers, The Country Club of Coral Springs invites you to experiencethe only public golf, tennis, and dining club in the City of Coral Springs. Located just minutes from the BankAtlanticCenter, our scenic clubhouse is the perfect place to enjoy dinner before or after a game and to bring your familyand friends to play tennis and golf throughout the year. We invite you to experience the splendor of The CountryClub of Coral Springs!

• Mature, 18-hole championship (par 71) course designed by the noted architectural firmEdmund Ault & Associates. Tee-to-green distances present a challenge to all skill levels;ranging from a comfortable 5,331 yards to a challenging 6,779 yards.

• Enjoy our beautiful Grand Ballroom with a ‘lit-for-night-viewing,’ second-story view of thegolf course and the Club 19 Terrace that overlooks the ninth green.

• Over 8,000 square feet of event space can accommodate 10-300 guests in any styleyou desire. Perfect for corporate outings, weddings, and special events!

• Our renowned executive chef, Jason Berg, and his talented team will createunique and exquisite culinary delights at any price point.


WELCOME TO YOUR PLAYGROUND

SIP. SAVOR. FLIRT. PLAY.

LIVING ROOM WHISKEY BLUESTEAK 954

401 NORTH FORT LAUDERDALE BEACH BOULEVARD, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33304EXPLORE WHOTELS.COM/FORTLAUDERDALE OR 1 877 WHOTELS

BLISS SPA

Whiskey Blue Table Reservations: 954 414 8302 STEAK 954 Reservations: 954 414 8333 Bliss Spa Appointments: 954 414 8233


living smartfurniture flexibility for your lifeTens of thousands of people every year make CORT the most trusted source for their

temporary furniture solutions. Moving for a New Job? Heading Off to School? Landing a

Temporary Assignment? Making a Fresh Start?

Furniture • Housewares • Home Accessories • Electronics

CORT makes living smart easy...

CORT.com I 888-360-CORT

Rental Showroom & Clearance Center1123 W GatewayBoynton Beach, FL 33426561.752.2585

Rental Showroom2001 Biscayne Blvd, #113Miami, FL 33137305.576.0660


FLORIDAPANTHERS.COM26 FLORIDAPANTHERS.COM26

THE LONE RANGER

Goalie Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangerskneels on the ice dejected after he and theRangers lost 4-3 in double overtime against theWashington Capitals in Game Four of the EasternConference Quarterfinals.(PHOTO BY BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)

Pi_5_3_FreezeFrame.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 3:51 PM Page 26

In

with

Brochures • Catalogs • Newsletters • Posters • 305-823-1101 • 954-564-7107www.duttonpress.com

Posters • 305-823-1101 • 954-564-7107DUTTON PRESS

In

withlovecolor

Sept2010AD_Layout 1 11/1/10 8:16 AM Page 1

850 of the hottest slots

Over 15 restaurants and nightclubs

Live racing January through Aprilnunuary through April

99900000111 SSSS .. FFFeeedddeeeraaaal HHHigghhhwwwwwaayyyy UUUUSSSS--1, Hallandale Beach, FFFFLLL 33333300000099

gulfstreampark.com | 954.454.7000MMMuuuussttt bbbee 21 yyyeaaaarrss ooorr oooolddeeerr. CCCooonnccceeernnneeddd abboout a gambling problem? Call 1--88888888--AAADDDDMMITTT IT..

South Florida’s Premier


PH

OT

OG

RA

PH

Y: O

MA

R V

EG

A

ICE DANCER

Quote to Love By … From a Panthers Ice Dancer

“Use your talent, your

influence and your experience, not just to accomplish your

goals, but to help release a

dream in someone else.”THE DANCERName: Meg Nickname: Ariel (the Little Mermaid) Besides being an Ice Dancer:I currently work full-time for VPX Sports / Redline.Best part about being an Ice Dancer:The opportunity to act as a role model in my community and share my positive influence withfans of all ages.People don’t know: I'm a huge computergeek...okay maybe everyone knows that.Ultimate Goal: Travel the world as a motivationalspeaker.Your Best Physical Feature: My hair, it is all mine.No extensions here. Guilty Pleasure: I love to sleep in late on Sundays,watch a million episodes of CSI: Miami, and spendentirely too many hours shopping on the Internet. Position you’d play for the Panthers: Forward. I like to score.On a deserted island: Survival is key, a largesource for the creation of fire and a goodknife. I'm not your average girl, I need tosurvive so I can blog about it later.

SHIFTS


Pi_5_3_Shifts.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 4:44 PM Page 30

www.northwestmed.com | www.plantationgeneral.com | www.uhmchealth.com | www.westsideregional.com

It Takes A Team To Be A WinnerWhen it comes to ER teams we both recommend the healthcare professionals at HCA Broward Hospitals. When you have a medical emergency, put your trust in the pros. A dedicated team equipped with the latest technology available to help you win the most important game of all. The game of life!

Visit our websites 24/7 or text “ER” to 23000 to see real time updates of our emergency room wait times every 30 minutes for any HCA Broward Hospital.

The Right Care, Right Here, Right Now

For free physician referral or health information, call Consult- A-Nurse® 866-442-2362

Legendary 2 time Superbowl Champion Coach Don Shula and Helio Castroneves 3 time Indy 500 Champion

BIZ


SHIFTS

IN EARLY APRIL Florida Panthers president & COO Micha el Yormarkannounced that the South Florida Lexus Dealers have become the namingrights partner of the BankAtlantic Center’s ice rink, as part of an extensionand expansion of the Pillar Partner’s longtime sponsorship agreement withthe team.

The Lexus Rink at the BankAtlantic Center, as it will be called movingforward, will be a ctivated in connection with all F lorida P anthers homegames and other related hocke y events and is par t of a fully-integr ated,multi-year marketing partnership with SSE.

“The ne w ‘L exus Rink At T he B ankAtlantic Center’ sponsorshipelement is indicative of SSE’s willingness to find new and unique mediums

to raise the brand awareness of our partners,” Yormark said. “That said, weare excited to continue our longstanding relationship with the South FloridaLexus Dealers and are looking forw ard to continuing and growing thispartnership for many years to come.”

“At Lexus we are excited about the innovative and exclusive nature ofthe new ‘Lexus Rink’ element of our sponsorship with the Florida Panthersand the BankAtlantic Center,” said D'Anne Duclos, General Manager of theLexus Southern Area. “As a longtime partner of theirs, we felt that now wasa good time to add a new and unique component to what has undoubtedlybeen a mutually beneficial partnership for the last decade-plus.”

Highlights of South Florida Lexus Dealers’ continued partnership withSSE, which has been in existence since the BankAtlantic Center opened in1998, also include the innov ative Lexus Lot, dominate in-arena signageincluding new “Lexus Rink” signage, and exposure through all of SSE ’sinternal media outlets including radio, television, online and print. The LexusLot encompasses the most convenient parking spots on the B ankAtlanticCenter property and is available exclusively to Lexus vehicle owners.

Lexus is an inaugur al P illar P artner and remains the official luxuryautomotive partner of the Florida Panthers and the BankAtlantic Center.

The Lexus Lot at the BankAtlantic Center.

The new ‘Lexus Rink At The BankAtlantic Center’ sponsorship element is indicative of SSE’s willingness to find new and unique

mediums to raise the brand awareness of our partners—— P A N T H E R S P R E S I D E N T A N D C O O M I C H A E L Y O R M A R K

Pi


Have you lost more than $50,000 in a bad investment?

Let our law firm attempt to recover your investment losses!No Recovery, No FEE*FREE Legal Consultation

www.stockattorneys.comwww.stockattorneys.com954-255-8181

Toll Free 1-877-STOCK-LAW

Blum & Silver, LLP believe that the hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Beforeyou decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. *The client is responsible for all costs.

11780 W. Sample Road • Coral Springs, FL 33065Satellite office • Wall Street, NY (by appointment only)

AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, 2010

SCOTT SILVER, RECIPIENT SCOTT SILVER, RECIPIENT

SCOTT SILVER, RECIPIENT

SCOTT SILVER, RECIPIENT

PI_BlumSilver_2010.qxp:Layout 5 2/24/11 9:42 AM Page 1


PROSPECTSSHIFTS

Hobey Down SouthTHE HOBE Y B AKER Memorial A ward F oundation — mostfamous for presenting college hocke y’s version of the HeismanTrophy — announced the state of F lorida’s recipients for it’s 2011High School Character Award.

The Award is given in recognition of exemplary char acter andsportsmanship and is sponsored b y PROCON ManagementServices, Inc. and the Florida Scholastic Hockey League.

The 2011 recipients are:Joel Haines >> American Heritage High School Brock Donnelly >> Archbishop McCarthy High School Luke Jeske >> Boca Raton High School Jack Callahan >> Cardinal Gibbons High School Ella Weinke >> Cooper City High School Adam Gilbert >> Coral Glades High School Alex Peller >> Cypress Bay High School Tyler Maragh >> Cypress Bay High School Steven Pavlinec >> Eastside Jacob Solomon >> Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Nicholas Ansonia >> Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Matthew Musso >> North Broward Preparatory School Greg Perlman >> Spanish River High School Wyndham Batchelor >> St. Thomas Aquinas High School Kevin Rodengen >> St. Thomas Aquinas High School Timothy Young >> Taravella High School Zachary Weinger >> The University School Ernesto Adamo >> Western High School

Sign Them UpDURING A THREE WEEK SPAN in April when much of the NHL wasconsumed with the first round of the Stanle y Cup pla yoffs, P anthersGeneral Manager Dale Tallon was doing his part to secure the future by signing three prospects and defenseman Keaton Ellerby to professional contracts.

The 22-year-old Ellerby – who impressed in 56 games last season – earned a one-year, one-way contract while prospects F Quinton Howden, F JohnMcFarland and D Alex Petrovic earned entry-level contracts and an opportunity to make the big club during training camp.

QUINTON HOWDEN ALEX PETROVIC

KEATON ELLERBY

JOHN McFARLAND

CLA

US

AN

DE

RS

EN

/GE

TT

Y IM

AG

ES

BIL

L W

IPP

ER

T/N

HLI

VIA

GE

TT

Y IM

AG

ES

AA

RO

N B

ELL

/OH

L IM

AG

ES

OH

L IM

AG

ES


PGT® WinGuard® and PGT® PremierVueTM impact-resistant windows and doors – keeping homes safe before, during and after the storm.

Versatile companies, versatile products. Everything you need in windows and doors, from a manufacturer and a distributor you want to do business with!

Get more information about PGT impact-resistant windows and doors at www.windowsolutions.netor call 954.759.9100

Window SolutionsREPLACEMENT WINDOWS AND DOORS - HURRICANE PROTECTION

TM



Adding theRight

LW >> Gabriel LANDESKOG

C >> Ryan NUGENT-HOPKINS

Pi_5_3_NHL_Draft.qxp:Layout 1 5/6/11 12:23 PM Page 40

PANTHERS INSIDER 41

NHL DRAFT PREVIEW

As Panthers GM Dale Tallon proved in 2010 — and hopes to do in

2011 — the Draft can set your franchise up for the present, and the future.

PiecesB Y A L A I N P O U P A R T

C >> Jonathan HUBERDEAU

D >> Adam LARSSON


PANTHERS INSIDER42

NE Y EAR LA TER, the plan hasn’tchanged.

For General Manager Dale Tallonand Assistant GM Mike Santos, it’s stillabout building a foundation throughthe draft. The Panthers took a big stepin the right direction with a 2010 dr aftclass that included three picks in eachof the first and second rounds andbrought in 13 prospects overall.

The challenge now is to follow it upwith another great draft, and the Panthers

certainly have set themselves up for success.The wheeling and dealing that enabled the Panthers to accumulate

the 13 pick s last year hasn’t stopped, and the result is a dr aft haul thatincluded 10 selections as of mid-April.

Santos doesn’t hesitate in saying the Panthers would like to add tothat total if at all possible.

“But even with 10 this y ear and the 13 we had last y ear, that shouldbe enough over the next two y ears to build our depth and build ourorganization with the number of players we have,” Santos said. “We hadtwo drafts in one last year. In a seven-round draft, we had 13 picks. Thisyear, we’re almost there again. So essentially, after this year’s draft we’rehopeful to have four drafts in two and what would typically take three orfour years to put together that type of depth in the organization and havethose types of prospects, we’ve hopefully done in a little over a year anda half, so we’ve cut the time in half.”

Santos is a big NFL fan, so it only made sense he’d bring up a teamfrom that sport to illustrate his point when it comes to the ultimate goal.

“It’s not too different than when the Dallas Cowbo ys built theirchampionship teams by trading Herschel Walker,” he said. “They got allthose draft picks and they hit on about 40 percent of them, but that’s allyou need to do. W hen you have more pick s, you have more chance ofhitting a home run. W ith 23 draft picks so far in two y ears, that’s threedrafts in two; if we can get another four or five dr aft picks, that’s fourdrafts in two, and if we hit on 40 percent of those guys like the DallasCowboys, then we’re going to have a hell of a future.”

In their first dr aft with the P anthers, Tallon and Santos focused onadding skilled players with character, but also with a lot of size.

Of Florida’s 13 2010 draft picks, eight stand at least 6-2, topped by 6-foot-4 prospects Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad and Alexander Petrovic.

Not surprisingly, the template remains the same for this year’s draft.“Since Dale and I ha ve been here, we’ve prea ched size and

character and speed, and skill,” Santos said. “But y ou can’t teach size.You can work on a kid’s skating and his speed, you can work on his skill,whether it’s puck-handling or shooting, but you can’t work on a kid’s size.He’s either 6-3 or he’s not 6-3. That’s something we’re definitely lookingat. Now, we wouldn’t pass up on a highly skilled player because he’s notbig enough, but overall our philosophy is going to be to continue to getbigger. The league is getting bigger and the league is getting faster , sosize, speed, character, those are the things we’re going to look for.”

In terms of positions, it’s pretty clear the Panthers need the most helpup front.

The organization is stocked with goaltending prospects, starting withformer second-round pick Jacob Markstrom, and the future also look s

good on the blue line with the likes of Gudbranson, Petrovic and currentPanthers Dmitry Kulikov, Keaton Ellerby and Jason Garrison.

After selecting Gudbr anson third over all last June, the P anthersagain will pick at No. 3 this year, and it would be surprising if they went foranother defenseman at that spot.

There’s always the possibility the P anthers could trade down fromthe No. 3 spot, but wherever they land in the first round, the expectationis that a forward will be the selection.

“There are more forwards than there are defensemen and our needis probably more forwards than defensemen, so it’s a good-looking draftfor us,” Tallon said before adding with a smile, “so I would think we’dprobably be looking more for a defenseman or a forward.”

For his part, Santos would make only one concession.“I can promise y ou it won’t be a goaltender ,” he said. “It only

makes sense that we need to build up our depth at the forw ardposition. If the right defenseman is there ... we also could ha ve theopportunity to trade that pick, to pick up maybe a scorer that’s a littlemore ready to pla y in the NHL than somebody who might need acouple of years of development.

“Our options are open. I guess that’s one good thing about finishingwhere we finished this y ear. We know we’ll get a good pla yer. But theneed is obviously scoring and more skill up front.”

While we don’t know who the Panthers eventually will pick in the firstround — or any of the rounds, for that matter — we can reasonably expectthat it will be another interesting two days for the organization.

NHL DRAFT PREVIEW

THE PANTHERS: 2 0 1 1 D R A F T P I C K S

Round 1: One selection — The Panthers have their own pick, thethird overall.

Round 2: Two selections — The Panthers have their own pick,plus Montreal’s pick, acquired in the 2010 trade involving C Dominic Moore.

Round 3: Four selections — The Panthers have their own pick, apick from Washington from the Denis Wideman trade, a pickfrom the New York Rangers from the Bryan McCabe trade, and apick from Boston from the 2010 trade involving F Nathan Horton.

Round 4: No selections — The Panthers traded their 4th-roundpick to Nashville for C Mike Santorelli.

Round 5: One selection — The Panthers have their own pick.




PANTHERS INSIDER44

THE TOP PROSPECTSNORTH AMERICAN SKATERS

C >> RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS Red Deer, WHL

Final CSS ranking: 1Midterm ranking: 3Ht: 6-0 Wt: 164 Shoots: Left2010-11 stats: 69 games, 31 goals, 75 assists,106 points, 51 penalty minutes

The highest-rated North American skater inthe final Centr al S couting Ser vice r ankings,Nugent-Hopkins is a gifted offensive pla yer withgreat passing ability. “A couple of people high up— and not naming names — said Hopkins has thebest vision since N o. 99 (Wayne Gretzky),” saidNHL Central Scouting’s Peter Sullivan. “That’s thehighest compliment you can get.” At 164 pounds,Nugent-Hopkins will ha ve to get bigger andstronger before he’s ready to play in the NHL.

LW >> GABRIEL LANDESKOGKitchener, Ohl


A native of Stockholm, Landeskog grew upadmiring fellow Swede P eter Forsberg and it

turns out there are a lot of similarities in their games. Like F orsberg,Landeskog is very good at both ends of the ice and he’s very strong onhis skates. Landeskog also is a leader , ha ving been captain forSweden’s under -16, under -17 and under -18 teams, as well asbecoming captain of the Kitchener Rangers at the age of 17. “Doesn’tneed one game in the American L eague next year — he should stepright into the NHL,” said Central Scouting’s Chris Edwards. “I think theteam that gets him next y ear is going to get a pla yer that helps themwin a Stanley Cup.”

C >> JONATHAN HUBERDEAUSaint John, QMJHL


A ke y component of a Saint John teamthat went 32-0- 1 at home, Huberdeau isanother gifted offensive pla yer who, like Nugent -Hopkins, will needto get bigger and stronger . His la ck of size didn’t stop him fromgetting involved in ph ysical action, though. “He’s the type of pla yerwho can change the outcome of a game suddenly and quickly ,” saidCentral S couting’s Chris B ordeleau. “He’s displa yed unbeliev ablyquick hands and an ability to set up and score goals. He definitely hasNHL hands and playmaking ability. He’s also gritty and does not backdown when challenged.”

D >> DOUGIE HAMILTONNiagara, OHL

Final CSS ranking: 4Midterm ranking: 7Ht: 6-4 Wt: 187 Shoots: Right2010-11 stats: 67 games, 12 goals, 46 assists,58 points, 77 penalty minutes

Hamilton’s fa vorite NHL pla yer is Ja yBouwmeester, and there are similarities to the

former Panthers blueliner. The most obvious is the size, but Hamiltonalso skates very well for a taller defenseman. Hamilton’s brother, Freddie,was drafted by San Jose last June, and both of his parents competed inthe Olympics for Canada. “He’s a very special defenseman in ourleague,” said Niagar a head coa ch Mar ty Williamson. “He just has tounderstand the details and he’s going to be a very good pro. ... He’smature beyond his years.”

D >>NATHAN BEAULIEUSaint John, QMJHL


Beaulieu skates with former high pick Dre wDoughty in the summer and has a lot of the sametraits, as an offensive defenseman with good skating ability . Beaulieu’sfather, Jacques, is the assistant coach for London of the OHL and washead coach and GM for Saint John when Nathan pla yed there as arookie in 2008-09. “He’ll be an offensive defenseman … he’s a goodskater, good puck-mover,” said Bordeleau. “He has a good shot and isvery poised with the puck. He’s a veteran who has a lot of responsibilitiesfor Saint John.”

NHL DRAFT PREVIEW, continued on page 48

NHL DRAFT PREVIEW


PANTHERS INSIDER48

NHL DRAFT PREVIEW, continued from page 45

C >> SEAN COUTURIERDrummondville, QMJHL


In addition to possessing the kind of size thePanthers w ant, Couturier is a great offensive

player who doesn’t neglect his own zone. Couturier finished with 96points this past season, the same total he recorded the previous y earwhen he became the first 17-year-old to lead the league in scoring sincea player by the name of Sidne y Crosby. Couturier was born in Arizonaand his father , Sylvain, played 33 games for the L os Angeles Kingsbetween 1988-89 and 1991-92. “Sean has excellent puck-handling andplaymaking ability; he sees the ice and reads the pla y very well,” saidCentral Scouting’s Edwards. “He’s extremely smart and gets himself intogood scoring position. He pla ys a solid two-w ay game and is veryresponsible defensively.”

Other top NORTH AMERICAN prospects

LW >> SVEN BARTSCHIPortland, WHL


C >> RYAN STROMENiagara, OHL


C >> VLADISLAV NAMESTNIKOVLondon, OHL


C >> ZACK PHILLIPSSaint John, QMJHL


THE TOP PROSPECTSEUROPEAN SKATERS

D >> ADAM LARSSONSkelleftea, SWEDENFinal CSS ranking: 1Midterm ranking: 1Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200 Shoots: Right2010-11 stats: 37 games, 1 goals, 8assists, 9 points, 41 penalty minutes

Larsson just turned 18 lastNovember, but he’s been playing inthe Swedish Elite League since hewas 16 — following in the footstepsof longtime NHL defensemanCalle Johansson and currentTampa B ay Lightning bluelinerVictor Hedman. Larsson, whosefather, Robert, was drafted by theKings in the sixth round of the1988 dr aft, has a similar style tothat of Hedman — they’re both tall,smooth-skating defensemen withthe ability to move the puck.“Adam is one of the best skaters in this y ear’s dr aft,” said Centr alScouting’s Edwards. “He has excellent speed and mobility . He alsohas patient puck-handling abilities and can surprise an opponent witha solid hit.”

Other top EUROPEAN prospects

C >> MIKA ZIBANEJAD, Djurgarden, SWEDENFinal CSS ranking: 2Midterm ranking: 3Ht: 6-2 Wt: 191 Shoots: Right2010-11 stats: 26 games, 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points, 2 penalty minutes

D >> JONAS BRODIN, Farjestad, SWEDENFinal CSS ranking: 3Midterm ranking: 4Ht: 6-1 Wt: 169 Shoots: Left2010-11 stats: 42 games, 0 goals, 4 assists, 4 points, 12 penalty minutes

RW >> JOEL ARMIA, Assat, FINLANDFinal CSS ranking: 4Midterm ranking: 2Ht: 6-3 Wt: 191 Shoots: Right2010-11 stats: 48 games, 18 goals, 11 assists, 29 points, 24 penalty minutes

RW >> DMITRI JASKIN, Slavia, CZECH REP.Final CSS ranking: 5Midterm ranking: 5Ht: 6-1 Wt: 196 Shoots: Left2010-11 stats: 33 games, 3 goals, 7 assists, 10 points,16 penalty minutes

NHL DRAFT PREVIEW


2010 >> Florida >> D Erik GudbransonYet to play in NHL

2009 >> Colorado >> C Matt Duchene2 NHL seasons (2009-10 to 2010-11), 1 team(Colorado), 1 All-Star Game, NHL All-Rookiefirst team (2009-10)

2008 >> Atlanta >> D Zach Bogosian3 NHL seasons (2008-09 to 2010-11), 1 team (Atlanta)

2007 >> Phoenix >> C Kyle Turris2 NHL seasons (2008-09 to 2010-11), 1 team (Phoenix)

2006 >> Chicago >> C Jonathan Toews4 NHL seasons (2007-08 to 2010-11), 1 team(Chicago), 2 All-Star Games, Conn SmytheTrophy (2009-10), NHL All-Rookie first team(2007-08)

2005 >> Carolina >> D Jack Johnson4 NHL seasons (2007-08 to 2010-11), 1 team (Los Angeles)

2004 >> Chicago >> D Cam Barker5 NHL seasons (2006-07 to 2010-11), 2 teams (Chicago, Minnesota)

2003 >> Florida >> C Nathan Horton7 NHL seasons (2003-04 to 2010-11), 2 teams (Florida, Boston)

2002 >> Florida >> D Jay Bouwmeester8 NHL seasons (2002-03 to 2010-11), 2 teams (Florida, Calgary), 2 All-Star Games,NHL All-Rookie first team (2002-03)

2001 >> Tampa Bay >> C Alexander Svitov3 NHL seasons (2002-03 to 2006-07), 2 teams (Tampa Bay, Columbus)

2000 >> Minnesota >> RW Marian Gaborik10 NHL seasons (2000-01 to 2010-11), 2 teams (Minnesota, N.Y. Rangers), 2 All-StarGames

1999 >> Vancouver >> C Henrik Sedin10 NHL seasons (2000-01 to 2010-11), 1 team(Vancouver), 2 All-Star Games, Art Ross Trophy(2009-10), Hart Memorial Trophy (2009-10),NHL All-Star first team (2009-10)

1998 >> San Jose >> D Brad Stuart11 NHL seasons (1999-00 to 2010-11), 5 teams(San Jose, Boston, Calgary, Los Angeles,Detroit), 1st-team NHL-All Rookie team (1999-00)

1997 >> Los Angeles >> C Olli Jokinen12 NHL seasons (1998-99 to 2010-11), 6 teams (Los Angeles, N.Y. Islanders, Florida,Phoenix, Calgary, N.Y. Rangers, Calgary), 1 All-Star Game

1996 >> N.Y. Islanders >> C J.P. Dumont12 NHL seasons (1998-99 to 2010-11), 3 teams (Chicago, Buffalo, Nashville)

1995 >> Los Angeles >> D Aki Berg9 NHL seasons (1995-96 to 2005-06), 2 teams (Los Angeles, Toronto)

1994 >> Ottawa >> C Radek Bonk14 NHL seasons (1994-95 to 20008-09), 3 teams (Ottawa, Montreal, Nashville), two All-Star Games

1993 >> Tampa Bay >> C Chris Gratton15 NHL seasons (1993-94 to 2008-09), 7 teams (Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay,Buffalo, Phoenix, Colorado, Florida, Tampa Bay,Columbus)

1992 >> San Jose >> D Mike Rathje13 NHL seasons (1993-94 to 2006-07), 2teams (San Jose, Philadephia)

1991 >> New Jersey >> D Scott Niedermayer17 NHL seasons (1992-93 to 2009-10), 2 teams (New Jersey, Anaheim), Five All-StarGames, Three-time first-team All-Star, one-timesecond-team All-Star, first-team NHL All-Rookie Team (1992-93), James Norris winner(2003-04), Conn Smythe winner (2006-07)

THE THIRD OVERALL PICK IN THE LAST 20 DRAFTSWhat kind of pla yer can the Panthers expect to get with the third over all pick (assuming the y don’ttrade up or trade down)? Here’s a look at the last 20 pla yers selected third overall in the NHL E ntryDraft and the NHL career they’ve had.


tastic Anniversary.

500 Brickell Key Drive, Miami, FL 33131 (305) 913 8383

Celebrating 10 years of legendary service with Miami’s only private beach and Five-star Spa. Explore our anniversary offer at mandarinoriental.com.

PUBLICATION: Panthers InsiderISSUE: 2010TRIM: 8.5 x 11 AD: FANtastic AnniversarySUBMISSION DATE: March 3, 2010CONTACT: Alexandra Wensley / [email protected]


FREE AGENCY PREVIEW

The Panthers and GM Dale Tallon are free to be aggressive come free agency.

Who will they target and will they get what they want?

Agentsof

ChangeB Y A L A I N P O U P A R T

Clockwise from top: C Brad Richards, G Ilya Bryzgalov, D Kevin Bieksa, LW Jussi Jokinen, C Brooks Laich, D Anton Babchuk, LW Ville Leino, D James Wisniewski

Pi_5_3_FreeAgency_2.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 3:02 PM Page 54

PANTHERS INSIDER 55

T’S NOT JUST IN THE DR AFT where the Panthers have positioned themselves to be

able to accomplish a lot.

After clearing cap space last season by dealing several veterans who didn’t figure in the

team’s long-term plans an yway, the P anthers also ha ve put themselves in a position to

reshape the roster through free agency.

In fact, the Panthers should be able to do just about as much shopping on the free ag ent

market this summer as they want.

Some reports suggest the Panthers will have between $25 million and $30 million to spend

on free agents, while NHL salary website capg eek.com projects the team as ha ving more than

$40 million of cap space based on last year’s salary cap of $59.4 million.

Regardless of where the exact figure lands, the Panthers will have a tremendous amount of

flexibility.

“We are in a very unique situation,” said Assistant GM Mike Santos. “And it w asn’t without

thought, it wasn’t without a plan. We wanted to be in this situation. We’ve got enough cap space,

enough payroll or enough mone y that we ha ve to spend this summer that we can g et the big-

time player if we want him out there and he wants to come play for us and we can also get quantity

as well. ... We can get quantity and quality.”

The Panthers typically have signed about three or four free agents every year, but that number

could be significantly higher this summer.

For one thing, the Panthers ended the recently-completed season with only ten players under

contract for 2011-12 — David Booth, Rostislav Olesz, Stephen Weiss, Evgeny Dadonov, Scott

Timmins, Dmitry Kulikov, Mike Weaver, Jason Garrison, Michal Repik and Scott Clemmensen.

The Panthers obviously will re-sign some of their 15 unrestricted or restricted free ag ents,

but not all of them. That means they’ll have to bring in some veterans from other teams.

Fans hoping for the signing of two or three superstars to turn the Panthers into Stanley Cup

contenders overnight will be disappointed because this summer’s free ag ent class lacks the

marquee names.

The most prominent player available probably is Dallas center Br ad Richards, who’s a very

good player but made just his first All-Star Game appearance this season.

“It’s a good free agent pool,” said GM Dale Tallon. “I mean, there are not a lot of superstars,

but there are a lot of good players that’ll make our team better. And that’s what we’re all about —

we’ve got to get better.”

Exactly how many free agents around the league the Panthers go after will depend on how

many of their own free agents they re-sign.

Or it could be vice versa.

“We have such flexibility with the open market this year that really there’s no (Panthers) free

agent that’s guaranteed to come ba ck here,” Santos said. “W e really have the flexibility to see

what we can do on July 1 and decide then whether we want to bring back an existing player or not

bring back an existing player, depending on who we’re able to attract on July 1. If we can get better

at a position, we’ll get better at it, whether we have a free agent that’s on our team now that can

play that position, (or) if we can get a better player, we’re going to get a better player. That’s what

we’re going to do. We’re going to get the best player we can for each position that’s open, whether

he’s in the organization now or he’s not in the organization.”

The biggest names among the P anthers’ own unrestricted free ag ents are goalie Tomas

Vokoun and winger Sergei Samsonov, who was acquired in a trade in late February.

“It’s a good free agent pool, I mean, there are not a lot of superstars, but there are a lot of good players that’ll make our team

better. And that’s what we’re all about — we’ve got to get better.”—— P A N T H E R S G M D A L E T A L L O N

IOP

POSI

TE: G

ETTY

IMAG

ES


Both Vokoun and Samsonov indicated after the

season they wanted to return to the P anthers, but

Tallon and Santos also ha ve to decide if the y’re

good fits for the team at this time.

“Nothing’s changed as far as Tomas and I and

his agent, and what our goals and ambitions are,”

Tallon said. “He has stated that he’d like to remain a

Panther and we will look at every possible angle as

far as getting our team better and who’s the guy

that’s going to be the star ting goalie for us. W e’ve

got a lot of time to make that decision.”

Vokoun and Samsonov like the direction the

organization is heading in, and the goal is to sell

other veter ans on the blueprint put in pla ce b y

Tallon and Santos.

Of course, it doesn’t hur t that T allon helped

build a Stanley Cup winner in Chicago.

“We have to continue to make this a desirable

place to come play,” Santos said. “We know all the

benefits of South F lorida, whether it be the

weather, the no-state-income tax, the beautiful

facilities we ha ve and the great fans we ha ve —

and I don’t just say that; we have terrific fans that

have stuck with us for 10 y ears. W e ha ve to

convince these pla yers that we mean business

and we want to win and we want to win now. And

that’ll be the deciding factor. The players that have

been with Dale and I for a y ear now realize that,

and that’ll be our biggest asset when it comes to

attracting other players.”

PANTHERS TARGETS?Here is a look at the pla yers scheduled to become

unrestricted free agents, as of mid-April, who could

be of interest to the P anthers. T he list doesn’t

include older players since it would be surprising to

see the Panthers go after someone in his mid-30s.

In keeping with a usual NHL lineup, we’ll include

12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies.

FORWARDS

BRAD RICHARDS, Dallas

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 195 Age on July 1: 31

2010-11 salary: $7.8 million

2010-11 stats: 28-49-77, plus-1 in 72 games

The skinn y: Richards has to be mentioned

because he’s clearly the prize of the free agent

class, but it’s been suggested for a while that he’s

almost a lock to wind up with the Rangers.

BROOKS LAICH, Washington

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 200 Age on July 1: 28



The skinny: Laich gets lost on a Washington team

with stars like Ovechkin, B ackstrom, Semin and

Green, but he’s a solid two-pla yer with three 20-

goal seasons on his resume. He’s also in his prime.

It is, however, likely to be difficult to pry him a way

from Washington.

CURTIS GLENCROSS, Calgary

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 200 Age on July 1: 28



The skinn y: Glencross is coming off a season

where he scored a career -best 24 goals and he

finished with a positive plus -minus r atio for the

fourth consecutive season. He’s got nice size and

also is entering his prime.

GERR

Y TH

OMAS

/NHL

I VIA

GET

TY IM

AGES

Curtis Glenncross


ALEX TANGUAY, Calgary

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 192 Age on July 1: 31


2010-11 stats: 22-47-69, even plus-minus ratio in

79 games

The skinn y: Tanguay rebounded from a down

season to score 22 goals for Calgary after signing a

one-year contract last July. With four seasons of at

least 25 goals, Tanguay definitely has the offensive

skills and the Panthers were said to be interested in

signing him last summer . The one dr awback with

Tanguay is his age.

JUSSI JOKINEN, Carolina

Ht: 5-11 Wt: 198 Age of July 1: 28



The skinny: Jokinen couldn’t match his breakout 35-

goal performance, but he still enjoyed a solid 2010-11

season. Jokinen has the kind of offensive skills the

Panthers could use and he’s still a young player.

ALEXANDER FROLOV, N.Y. Rangers

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 210 Age on July 1: 29

2010-11 salary: $3 million


The skinny: Frolov was one of the top offensive

players available as a free agent last summer and he

was a major disappointment after signing a one-

year deal with the Rangers. But you can’t forget that

this is a guy who had seasons of 35 and 32 goals

with the Los Angeles Kings.

VILLE LEINO, Philadelphia

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 190 Age on July 1: 27

2010-11 salary: $825,000


The skinny: The native of F inland originally w as

signed as a free agent by the Red Wings, who have

a knack for finding those highly skilled E uropean

players. Leino had a breakout season with the Flyers

and there’s no telling how high his ceiling is.

TIM CONNOLLY, Buffalo

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 190 Age on July 1: 30


2010-11 stats: 13-29-42, minus-10 in 68 games

The skinny: The fifth overall pick in the 1999 NHL

Entry Draft, Connolly is a steady pla yer with good

leadership skills.

TOMAS FLEISCHMANN, Colorado

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 192 Age of July 1: 27



The skinn y: Fleischmann, who w as tr aded from

Washington to Colorado last November for veteran

defenseman Scott Hannan, has big-time offensive

skills, as evidenced b y his 21 points in 22 games

with the Avalanche. But he will have to be checked

out physically after he missed the last three months

of the season because of a pulmonary embolism.

NIKOLAY ZHERDEV, Philadelphia

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 203 Age on July 1: 26



The skinny: Zherdev’s return to the NHL after his

one season in the KHL w as mostly disappointing,

but he’s still a very young player with three seasons

of at least 23 goals on his resume.

RADIM VRBATA, Phoenix

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 197 Age on July 1: 30



The skinny: Dale Tallon acquired Vrbata in a trade

when he was GM of the B lackhawks, but it w as in

Phoenix where the Czech native blossomed. Vrbata

has had seasons of 27 and 24 goals for the Coyotes.

ERIK COLE, Carolina

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 205 Age on July 1: 32



The skinny: Cole is coming off his best season since

2006-07 and he remains one of the best skaters in

the game. But he has spent all except part of one of

his nine seasons with Carolina, and it figures to be

difficult to lure him away from the Hurricanes.

Other unrestricted free agent forwards around

the league: Jason Arnott , W ashington; Sean

Bergenheim, T ampa B ay; Pascal Dupuis ,

Pittsburgh; Radek Dvorak, Atlanta; Ben Eager,

San Jose; Simon Gagne , T ampa B ay; Michal

Handzus, Los Angeles; Milan Hejduk, Colorado;

Chris Higgins , V ancouver; Tomas K opecky,

Chicago; Alexei K ovalev, P ittsburgh; Jamie

“We are in a very unique situation, and itwasn’t without thought, it wasn’t without a plan.

We wanted to be in this situation.”—— P A N T H E R S A S S I S T A N T G M M I K E S A N T O S

FREE AGENCY, continued on page 60


FREE AGENCY PREVIEW

Langenbrunner, Dallas; Chad LaR ose, Carolina; Antti Miettinen ,

Minnesota; Fredrik Modin, Calgary; Alexei Ponikarovsky, Los Angeles;

Vaclav Prospal, N.Y. Rangers; Michael Ryder, Boston; Teemu Selanne,

Anaheim; Cory Stillman, Carolina; Maxime Talbot, Pittsburgh; Raffi Torres,

Vancouver; Scottie Upshall, Columbus.

DEFENSEMEN

CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF, Vancouver

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 203 Age on July 1: 28



The skinny: The native of Moers, West Germany, scored 14 goals each of the

last two seasons and his plus -minus ratio is a combined plus -53 in that time

span. On the down side, he’s a little price y and might be reluctant to lea ve a

Stanley Cup contender.

TOMAS KABERLE, Boston

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 214 Age on July 1: 33



The skinny: Kaberle’s age and price tag makes him unlikely to land with the

Panthers, but his puck-moving ability makes him worth mentioning nonetheless.

ANTON BABCHUK, Calgary

Ht: 6-5 Wt: 212 Age on July 1: 27



The skinny: The tall Russian with the big slap shot has 27 goals in his last

two NHL seasons and he’s entering his prime. It also should be noted that

Babchuk played in Chicago when Dale Tallon was GM there.

JONI PITKANEN, Carolina

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 210 Age on July 1: 27



The skinny: The fourth selection in the 2002 dr aft (right after the Panthers took

Jay Bouwmeester), Pitkanen has played for the Flyers, Oilers and Hurricanes. He’s

a big body with good offensive skills, although his price tag might be a bit too hefty.

JAMES WISNIEWSKI, Montreal

Ht: 5-11 Wt: 208 Age on July 1: 27



The skinny: Similar in many ways to former Panthers defenseman Dennis

Wideman, Wisniewski is a gifted offensive pla yer who excels on the power

play. He’s another player who was in Chicago when Tallon was there.

KEVIN BIEKSA, Vancouver

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 198 Age on July 1: 30



The skinny: A physical defenseman with some offensive ability, Bieksa tied

for second in the league in plus-minus ratio this past season. He’s played only

for the Canucks since making his NHL debut in the 2005-06 season.

FREE AGENCY, continued on page 60

FREE AGENCY, continued from page 57


Other unrestricted free ag ent defensemen around the

league: Marc-Andre Bergeron, Tampa Bay; Nick Boynton, Philadelphia;

Eric Brewer, Tampa Bay; Jonathan Ericsson, Detroit; Hal Gill, Montreal;

Roman Hamrlik , Montreal; Scott Hannan , Washington; Randy Jones ,

Tampa Bay; Ed Jovanovski, Phoenix; Andrei Markov , Montreal; Radek

Martinek, N.Y. Islanders; Bryan McCabe, N.Y. Rangers; Steve Montador,

Buffalo; Shane O’Brien , Nashville; Craig Rivet , Columbus; Sami Salo ,

Vancouver; Karlis Skrastins, Dallas; Brent Sopel, Montreal; Niclas Wallin,

San Jose; Ian White, San Jose

GOALIES

RAY EMERY, Anaheim

Ht: 6-2 Wt: 196 Age on July 1: 28

2010-11 salary: $500,000

2010-11 stats: 7-2-0 record, 2.28 GAA, .926 save percentage in 10 games

The skinny: That Emery was able to come back at all from a major hip injury

was considered almost a miracle, but then he turned in a great performance

late in the season with the Ducks. Given his hip, he still represents somewhat

of a risk and might have a hard time landing a lucrative contract.

ILYA BRYZGALOV, Phoenix

Ht: 6-3 Wt: 213 Age on July 1: 31

2010-11 salaray: $4.5 million

2010-11 stats:36-20-10 record, 2.48 GAA, .921 save percentage in 68 games

The skinny: While he might not get many mentions when the top goalies in

the league are discussed, Bryzgalov has finished with a sa ve percentage of

.920 or higher three of the last four seasons.

Other unrestricted free agent goalies around the league:

Alex Auld, Montreal; Brian Boucher, Philadelphia; Peter Budaj, Colorado;

Ty Conklin , St. L ouis; Mathieu Garon , Columbus; Josh Harding ,

Minnesota; Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Toronto; Patrick Lalime, Buffalo;

Pascal Leclaire, Ottawa; Joey MacDonald, Detroit; Mike Smith, Tampa

Bay; Jose Theodore, Minnesota; Marty Turco, Chicago

D Karl Alzner >> Washington

D Zach Bogosian >> Atlanta

F Tyler Bozak >> Toronto

F Troy Brouwer >> Chicago

F Ryan Callahan >> N.Y. Rangers

F Kyle Chipchura >> Anaheim

F Andrew Cogliano>> Edmonton

G Corey Crawford>> Chicago

D Drew Doughty>> Los Angeles

F Brandon Dubinsky>> N.Y. Rangers

F Michael Frolik>> Chicago

F Colton Gillies>> Minnesota

D Josh Gorges >> Montreal

D Matt Hunwick >> Colorado

F Tyler Kennedy >> Pittsburgh

F Andrei Kostitsyn >> Montreal

F Andrew Ladd >> Atlanta

F Maxim Lapierre >> Vancouver

F Clarke MacArthur >> Toronto

F Brad Marchand >> Boston

D Brendan Mikkelson >> Calgary

F Kyle Okposo >> N.Y. Islanders

F T.J. Oshie >> St. Louis

F Max Pacioretty >> Montreal

F Zach Parise >> New Jersey

D Roman Polak >> St. Louis

F Brad Richardson>> Los Angeles

D Luke Schenn >> Toronto

F Devin Setoguchi >> San Jose

D Ladislav Smid >> Edmonton

F Drew Stafford >> Buffalo

F Steven Stamkos>> Tampa Bay

D Anton Stralman >> Columbus

F Brandon Sutter >> Carolina

F Kyle Turris >> Phoenix

G Semyon Varlamov>> Washington

F Jakub Voracek >> Columbus

D Shea Weber >> Nashville

F Blake Wheeler >> Atlanta

D Keith Yandle >> Phoenix

UNRESTRICTED

D Joe Callahan >> 28

F Ryan Carter >> 27

F Darcy Hordichuk >> 30

F Marty Reasoner >> 34

F Sergei Samsonov >> 32

D Alexander Sulzer >> 27

G Tomas Vokoun >> 34

RESTRICTED

F Niclas Bergfors >> 24

F Steve Bernier >> 26

F Byron Bitz >> 26

F Shawn Matthias >> 23

F Michal Repik >> 22

F Mike Santorelli >> 25

F Jack Skille >> 24

TOP RESTRICTED FREE AGENTSIt’s a lot more difficult to land a restricted free agent because teams can

match any offer or receive compensation by extending a qualifying offer or

going to arbitration. That said, here is a list of the top players scheduled to

become restricted free agents, as of mid-April.

PANTHERS FREE AGENTS

2010LW Triston Grant >> NashvilleLW Chris Higgins >> CalgaryD Nathan Paetsch >> ColumbusLW Andrew Peters>> New JerseyRW Bill Thomas >> PittsburghD Mike Weaver >> St. Louis

2009G Scott Clemmensen>> New JerseyD Jordan Leopold >> CalgaryD Dennis Seidenberg >> CarolinaLW Jeff Taffe >> PittsburghD Clay Wilson >> Atlanta

2008G Chris Beckford-Tseu

>> St. LouisD Rory Fitzpatrick>> PhiladelphiaLW Cory Stillman >> Ottawa

2007RW Radek Dvorak >> St. LouisC Brett McLean >> ColoradoRW Richard Zednik>> N.Y. Islanders

2006G Ed Belfour >> TorontoD Ruslan Salei >> Anaheim

2005LW Martin Gelinas >> CalgaryC Chris Gratton >> ColoradoC Jozef Stumpel>> Los Angeles

PANTHERS FREE AGENT SIGNINGSTHROUGH THE YEARS

Christian Ehrhoff

(Player’s age listed as of July 1)

GERR

Y TH

OMAS

/NHL

I VIA

GET

TY IM

AGES


RANDY MOLLER

THE PANTHERS EXPERIENCED the usual “ups and downs” as far aswins and losses this year, and as usual, my travels with the team as radio play-by-play announcer had its “hits and misses” as well. As most of y ou know, Ilike to venture out while traveling, and experience the “local flavors”…usuallythe watering holes and dining establishments in each city. I do consider myselfa creature of habit, but in the r are instance, my body and mind drift me todifferent, and sometimes strange places. Here is my annual review.

Edmonton/Vancouver/Calgary road trip: Visiting family and friends usuallygobbles up a lot of my time out in Western Canada, but I was able to come outa winner at one of the Casinos in Edmonton. Vancouver is my favorite city inthe league to visit but our shor t time there only allowed me m y y earlypilgrimage to Chinatown for some Dim Sum (lunch). On the last leg of theroad trip, I went to m y cheap brother’s house in Calgary for a barbecue. T hesteaks were so thin that I could see through them.

Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal road trip: Toronto is the “center of the hocke yworld” and a trip would not be complete without a (re-fresher) visit to theHockey Hall of Fame, Keg Steakhouse, and the new Real Sports Bar whichis hooked onto the back of the Air Canada Centre, home of the mighty MapleLeafs. This sports bar is arguably the largest in the world, topped off by an 80by 60 foot main TV monitor , surrounded b y 50 other screens. It canaccommodate up to 1,500 screaming spor ts fans and the food is prettygood too. In M ontreal, it w as perfect to w alk in “old town” and gr ab asmoked meat sandwich at S chwartz’s. In Ottawa I had m y annual lunchwith the Prime Minister…just kidding.

Anaheim/Los Angeles/Phoenix road trip:The team flew out a couple ofdays early before meeting the Ducks in early December, so I rented a carand went on a mini road trip of my own. Straight East of Newport Beach,California, there is a little two lane road that winds up and over the SanGabriel Mountains and down into Palm Springs. At the summit (4,000ft.), I climbed out of m y rental to discover snow at the side of theroad. One hour later I pulled into Palm Desert for an outdoorlunch, dining at a comfortable 72 degrees. After driving southand turning left (west) at route 7 8, I climbed ba ck up over themountains and enjoyed the sunset in Escondido at the best Mexicanrestaurant I have ever eaten at. The team climbed Camelback Mountain inScottsdale, Arizona in a team building exercise on their off day there, but Icooled my heels haggling over the price of “home made” cowbo y bootsand belt buckles with a local out of the back of his ’67 Ford half-ton truck.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS/LOWLIGHTS

Washington, DC: Beautiful City with massive governmentbuildings. T ake the DC trolle y and vie w the sights. I highlyrecommend it.

Buffalo, NY: Dreary downtown, but chicken wings and LabattBlue will keep you sane on Chippewa Street.

New York City: The team stays in Times Square, whichis very busy with tourists. I head to the V illage to watchlive music and taste the best Italian food on the planet.

Boston: The perfect da y - w alk the F reedom T rail, clam chowder atRemington’s on B oston Common, happ y hour at Y e Old Union OysterHouse (dozens of oysters on the half shell and the freshest Sam Adams ontap you have ever tasted), and dinner at a family owned Italian restaurant inthe North End.

Chicago: I could spend a week here and not touch the surfa ce of the greatbars, restaurants, and neighborhoods…it could be my favorite city if I was ableto spend more time there!

Tampa: Burns Steakhouse, Ybor City.

Philadelphia: Front Street, Cheesesteak s (Gino’s) and Atlantic City is only50 boring driving miles away.

Carolina: Nice people but nothing to do/see, although the press room at theRBC Center has the best press food in the League.

New Jersey: Newark? Take the train into New York City to get the smell off.

Atlanta: Tour the Coca-Cola museum. Stop at The Varsity for a chilidog thengo back to bed.

Columbus: Stay in bed.

Long Island: Walk across the desolateparking lot from the Marriott to theColiseum, win the game and hope to hellto fly out immediately.

See you at the rink on Opening Night.

THE ROAD IT WAS...

Pi


HOCKEYTALK

Pi_5_3_HockeyTalk.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 5:50 PM Page 62

The City of Sunrise Florida. Home to major corporations and businesses, safest and greenestcommunities and a shopping and recreational paradise. Shouldn't you be calling Sunrise home?

Sunrise...where the good life never sets.

Take a walk on the sunny side of life.

sunrisefl.gov


THE CAPTAIN’S ‘C,’ which was awkward for a goaltender to begin with,may have been removed from his chest before the season.

But on April 26, Roberto Luongo proved once and for all that he is indeedthe leader inside the Vancouver Canucks’ locker room.

It wasn’t just on the ice, where the under-fire netminder was showing thehockey world the “Real Luongo.” It was in the locker room, between the thirdperiod and overtime, after Luongo and the Canucks’ Stanley Cup aspirationstook another “ginormous” punch to the gut from the relentless ChicagoBlackhawks.

With the Canuck s and Luongo less than two minutes from exorcizingtheir Chicago demons b y finally doing a way with the white whale that is theBlackhawks, captain Jonathan Toews, 14 months prior an Olympic hero onthis same sheet of ice as L uongo’s teammate for Canada, sent the tense-filled Game 7 to overtime.

Canucks fans already entered the game teetering on the brink of insanityafter the Blackhawks had climbed back from an 0-3 deficit to force a winner-take-all game to advance to Round 2.

So y ou can imagine the sheer panic inside R ogers Arena after thedefending Stanley Cup champions forced do-or-die time.

But as L uongo sat at his stall inside that quiet Canuck s’ locker roombefore overtime, he flashed ba ck to that Olympic experience. In F ebruary2010, it was the United States’ Za ch Parise who scored a late goal to forceovertime. He realized everything aligned identically , thought of Sidne yCrosby’s gold-medal clinching O T goal and finally stood up.What did Luongo say?

“Somebody’s going to be a hero,” Luongo told reporters afterward. “‘Thisis what legends are made of. This is what it’s all about.’

“I said, ‘This is Game 7 OT. It doesn’t get any better than this. This is what we

dream of as a kid. Somebody is going to take the opportunity and be a hero.’”The somebody ? L uongo’s good buddy , Alex Burrow s, who scored

shortly into over time after Luongo made a game-sa ving, — heck — season-saving stop on Patrick Sharp’s point-blank one-timer on a power play.

Burrows may have been the hero, but it was Luongo who stepped up, spokeup and displayed his character for all his teammates to see and rally behind.

Make no mistake, L uongo may have led Canada to a gold medal in theOlympics. But until L uongo proves he can be his team’s ba ckbone in theactual NHL playoffs and deliver the Canucks their first Stanley Cup, Luongowill always have his doubters.

But in this game, Luongo showed he’s indeed a big-game goaltender.The former Panthers goalie was flawless from start to finish, his shutout

ruined only because of a determined goal b y the B lackhawks’ mostdetermined player, Toews.

But Luongo came through in the end, meaning on this night at least, heshut his critics up.

Hey, there is reason for Luongo to have doubters. In an elimination gametwo years ago to Chicago, L uongo gave up seven goals. In an eliminationgame last postseason to Chicago, he gave up five.

Up 3-1, up 3-2 in this series, L uongo was pulled in consecutive games.That even put an element of doubt into his coach, Alain Vigneault, who madethe risky, yet gutsy decision in Game 6 to bench Luongo in what had to be amost humbling experience and start Luongo’s backup, Cory Schneider.

In an unbelievable script not even a Hollywood screen writer could havedreamt up, Schneider got hur t while allowing Micha el Frolik’s penalty-shottying goal. In came Luongo, who ultimately gave up the losing goal in overtimeto Ben Smith on an awkward lunge. So the pressure on Luongo heading intoGame 7 was as great as it’s ever been.

SLAYING THE WHITE WHALE

HOCKEYTALK



MICHAEL RUSSO

Pi

“You always say in tough times, that’s when you see the true character ofsomebody,” Luongo said. “Obviously it was a big game in my career.”

But Luongo knows the pressure is far from over . The opening-roundseries ma y ha ve felt like a Stanle y Cup win, par tly because of what theBlackhawks had done to the Canuck s the two previous springs, par tlybecause the Canuck s nearly coughed up a 3-0 lead to their nemesis, butthere’s three rounds to go.

The Canucks rolled through the cutthroat Western Conference to finishwith the most points in the NHL to secure their first-ever President’s Trophy.

They’re arguably deeper than any team in the NHL. Luongo and S chneider shared the Jennings T rophy for lowest goals

against, with Luongo leading the NHL with 38 wins and near the top in sa ve

percentage and goals against average. Their blue line is overstuffed with depth.One year after Henrik Sedin led the NHL in scoring, Daniel Sedin did the

same, making them the first brothers to follow one another as scoringchamps. Daniel Sedin and Ryan Kesler tied for fourth with 41 goals apiece.

Excluding shootout goals, the Canuck s led the league with 258 goalsand gave up the fewest (180), making them the first team since the legendaryMontreal Canadiens s quads of the late 19 70s to lead the league in bothcategories.

The Canucks barely missed becoming the first team since the 1984-85Islanders to lead the league in power play and penalty killing percentages.

Merely getting through R ound 1 is not a cceptable. Same with R ound 2and 3, too.

After such a magnificent regular season, the Canuck s are starving for aparade down Granville. Luongo is well aware of this fact. So you can bet heknows that at some point in the not -so-distant future, everybody will forgetabout his G ame 7 deliver ance and the noose will once again wr ap tightlyaround his neck.

“It’s only the first round, that’s the cr azy part about it,” L uongo told theVancouver Province. “We have a long way to go.”

Michael Russo covered the Florida Panthers from 1995-2005 for the SouthFlorida Sun Sentinel and now covers the Minnesota Wild for the MinneapolisStarTribune.

“Somebody’s going to be a hero,this is what legends are made of.

This is what it’s all about.”—— R O B E RT O L U O N G O


Hyatt Place Ft. Lauderdale/Plantation is as uniqueas you are, offering everything you need to leaveyou feel more relaxed, productive and comfortable.Mix business with pleasure! Whether you are abusiness traveler, sports enthusiast, or vacationtraveler, we are confident you will love to call theHyatt Place Ft. Lauderdale/Plantation your homeaway from home. Catch great deals at the SawgrassMills Outlet Mall, be entertained by many showsand sporting events at the BankAtlantic Center, orstroll along the beautiful Ft. Lauderdale Beaches.Experience great night life and fine dining alonghistoric Los Olas Boulevard.

Be Sure to ask about our special “BankAtlanticCenter” rates! To book call 954-370-2220 or tollfree at 888-591-1234.

Ft. Lauderdale/Plantation8530 W. Broward Blvd.Plantation, FL 33324

HYATT and Hyatt Place® names, designs and related marks are trademarks ofHyatt Corporation. ©2011 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.


!BlankAd_2halves.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 9:45 AM Page 1

Russo_FINAL.qxd:Layout 1 4/14/09 12:41 AM Page 5

BlankAd_2halves.qxp:Layout 1 12/3/10 9:12 AM Page 1


Pi

OVERTIME

Panthers Insider: You caught a Panthers home game before the regularseason ended. Can you share some thoughts?Bill Daly: I recently attended a Panthers-Penguins game at the BankAtlanticCenter with my wife and young son. It was a fantastic experience. There wasa lot of energy and enthusiasm in the building and every building staff memberwith whom we came into contact was friendly, and went out of their way to behelpful. It was really a fan friendly environment.

PI: The Panthers have been out of the playoffs for quite awhile, but the fansstill come out with consistency, and they seem to enjoy the experience at theBankAtlantic Center, what are your thoughts on that?BD: It’s been a tough run on the ice for the P anthers in recent years, nodoubt. But I get a sense that the fan base has really bought into the longerterm vision and plan that this franchise has implemented this past season.The team has given itself a lot of flexibility and options going into theoffseason and into next season, and there is nothing more valuable thanflexibility under our current collective bargaining agreement.

PI: Despite missing the pla yoffs this season, GM Dale T allon looks like hehas a plan for this team and the y are headed in the right direction. Do y outhink Dale can turn the franchise in to a consistent playoff team and StanleyCup contender? BD: Dale Tallon has established himself as a premiere talent ev aluator inthis League. He has done a lot of good things already in the shor t time hehas been in South F lorida, and I ha ve every confidence that he will besuccessful in building this team into a consistently competitive challenger forthe Stanley Cup.

PI: Hockey isn’t the biggest fish in town. South F lorida is a football marketand the Heat’s big three make a lot of headlines, but youth hockey continuesto grow down here and we’ve seen before that this can be an electric hockeymarket. Talk about what y ou see the future holding for hocke y in SouthFlorida, both at the youth and NHL level?BD: I was particularly impressed on my recent visit with learning about thetremendous growth and development of youth hockey in South Florida, andparticularly the relative strength and number of local high school programs.It is obviously a great credit to the P anthers organization for rea ching outand fostering this growth, but it is also a tremendous testament to the futureof hockey in South F lorida. The interest and par ticipation in hockey fuelsgrowth and increased depth at the national level and ultimately ensures tothe long-term benefit of the National Hockey League as well.

PI: Could you see the Panthers ever playing in or hosting a Winter Classic? BD: I would say that short to medium term hopes about one-day hosting aWinter Classic may be a bit on the ambitious side. One of the things thatmakes the Winter Classic so special is its "outdoor" nature and qualities, andwhile we would love to expand the physical reach of the event, there remainpractical realities that make a South Florida game difficult. Having said that,and especially given the bright future I think this fr anchise and its fans canexpect on the ice, I wouldn't at all be surprised if we sa w the P anthersfeatured in a Winter Classic game in the not too distant future.

PI: On the business and marketing side, the P anthers are always pushingthe envelope. Led by team President Michael Yormark, are they one of themost creative in the industry? BD: What I find really remarkable about the Panthers' team is that despiteits recent difficulties on the ice, the organization is constantly ahead of thecurve in reaching out to and communicating with its fan base, as well asengaging and activating new business partners. There's a real momentumand excitement that is going to serve this team well over the long haul and,certainly, Michael Yormark has a lot to do with that.

PI: From an ownership standpoint, Cliff Viner has been leading the club solelyonly for the last 11 months or so. In that time he’s made a significant hire inDale Tallon, and set a new standard for corporate citizenship and communityoutreach. From the NHL level, can you see the impact Cliff has had?BD: I can't say enough about what Cliff V iner has meant, not only to thisfranchise, but to its role and participation in the National Hockey League. Heis an interested, engaged and committed owner and that is what everyprofessional spor ts league y earns for and aspires to. P anthers fans cancertainly feel comfor table with their team's representation at the NationalHockey League level.

PI: Overall, is there another team in the NHL, or pro sports, that would act asa suitable case study for the type of success the P anthers can achieve andshould strive for?BD: I think we ha ve a number of prototypical examples of what Clubs —when run the right way and doing the right things — can achieve in a relativelyshort period of time. L ook no fur ther than the P ittsburgh Penguins, theWashington Capitals, and the Chicago B lackhawks — all three fr anchiseswere down and out both going into and coming out of our labor dispute in2004-05. Yet all three franchises have not only been able to turn the cornerboth on the ice and in their respective businesses, they are all performing atthe top of the League and consistently competing for Stanle y Cups. That'swhat I think this franchise and its fans have in store for it.

BILL DALYThe NHL’s Deputy Commissioner gives his

thoughts on the Panthers present and future.

Pi_5_3_Overtime.qxp:Layout 1 5/5/11 5:49 PM Page 76

NOW SERVING GIOVANNI’S PIZZAAvailable at all food courts

The Of�cial Pizza of the BankAtlantic Center

SUNRISE165 NW 136th Ave

Sawgrass Gateway CenterSunrise, FL 33325

954.835.1499

BANKATLANTIC CENTEROne Panther ParkwaySunrise, FL 33325

954.240.9658

SAVEOLOGY.COM ICEPLEX3299 Sportsplex Drive

Coral Springs, Florida 33065954.240.9658

PARKLAND7625 N State Rd 7Parkland, FL 33073

954.345.9282

Visit Giovanni’s Coal Fire Pizza at one of these convenient locations:

W W W . G I O V A N N I S C O A L F I R E P I Z Z A . C O M

!"#Since 1952, giving South Florida the best

banking experience has been our number one

© 2011 BankAtlantic. 47797-PI-MA

BankAtlantic.com Call 1-888-7-DAY-BANK 1-888-732-9226Stop by Visit

BankAtlantic - Official Bank of the Florida Panthers®

panthers insider 5-3

Documents

pm page

hd programming

hd equipment

directv service

hd television

hd format

service details

programming provider