We're two days away from July 1st and the time free agents can start signing.
Panthers fans head into the frenzy (and the season on the horizon) with a lot of optimism - and they should. This is the first time in a long time the organ-I-zation looks like they'll be legitimately active to continue strengthening this young, talented team. Even the front office and GM are all-in (or so they say) and signing Q certainly helped back that up.
Towards the tail end of the 2018-19 season, whispers began to swirl about Bob and Panarin signing with Florida. As time passed and we entered the "click bait" season leading up to trades/free agency, everything has intensified.
Social media in particular has played a major role in the speculation of where guys are signing. I can't tell you how many people post pictures of Bob, Panarin and other guys from the beach, etc., to various Panthers fan groups I follow.
It's a constant flow and always followed by a large percentage of people taking it as evidence of them signing with Florida. That very well could be. But the reality is, we have no idea.
I've found that in their excitement, people tend to hear/believe what they want to hear/believe. For example, news broke yesterday of the Rangers making Panarin an offer of seven years and somewhere between $11-11.25 M - just a bit shy of his reported $12 M asking price (which I wouldn't pay). A lot of Cats fans scoffed it off, citing that he has a home in Florida, him and Bob are best friends and want to play together, he was seen in a pool on South Beach, they're a package deal, yadda, yadda, yadda...
The reality is, NY has made a really good offer and the prestige of playing in a major city, for a storied franchise, is something Panarin has expressed interest in for a couple years. Now, that's not to say the Cats haven't made offers to both players, which we know they have based on Tallon's comments a few days ago, but the difference is that we see a hard numbers from the Rags. I'm cool with the Cats brass keeping a tight lid on their work this offseason, as I'm sure it will eventually come out (which Tallon tends to do when the dust gas settled), but the Rangers news gives some perspective/validity to a potential actuality. Don't sleep on the Islanders, either, who are apparently going hard after both guys as well...
For me, Monday can't come soon enough. I love this time of year, and like everyone, I want to see what happens. But I've gone into full-Larry David mode reading and seeing so much speculation on Bob and Panarin that I just want it to be over.
I do believe whatever they do this free agency will be solid, but I maintain my belief that there is a possibility that one or both guys don't sign in Florida. I'm just a "wait and see" kind of guy, though. Either they sign or don't and there's a number of other options floating around that could realistically help the Panthers - see some of the past days blogs in regards to that. Regardless of what happens, I do believe Tallon and co. have multiple plans in place (please sign Tyler Meyers). Maybe all this Bob/Panarin talk is smoke and mirrors for some sort of other deal that's quietly being worked in the background - LOL.
Trade Alert
Feels like an AHL deal. From the Panthers website:
"SUNRISE, Fla. - Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has acquired forward Dominic Toninato from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Jacob MacDonald.
Toninato, 25, appeared in two games with the Avalanche and scored his first NHL goal on Feb. 14, 2019. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound native of Duluth, Minn., played in 57 games with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League, producing 29 points (14-15-29). In the Calder Cup Playoffs, Toninato registered two assists over four games.
He has played 39 career NHL games with Colorado (2017-18 to 2018-19), recording three points (1-2-3). Over his AHL career, Toninato has posted 41 points (21-20-41) over 88 games.
The University of Minnesota-Duluth alum was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round (126th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
You've Been Qualified
in other news, there was some movement on the RFA front when the Panthers tendered qualifying offers to guys, while passing on four."
Extended:
Anthony Greco
Jayce Hawryluk
Dryden Hunt
Juho Lammikko
Denis Malgin
Maxim Mamin
Ian McCoshen
Sam Montembeault
Thomas Schemitsch
MacKenzie Weegar
Not Extended
Henrik Haapala
Vincent Praplan
Michael Downing
Ludwig Bystrom
I'm particularly pumped on the Hawryluk, Hunt, Weegar and McCoshen offers. I think these dudes are part of the future plans for FLA and will only get better as they play more. Monty is obviously a no-brainer.
Development Camp
The young guns have taken to the ice and there's been a lot of excitement with guys like Keeper, Noel, Tippet and lucky #13 draft pick, Spencer Knight.
FYI - Sunday's scrimmage will be available via livestream on the Panthers Facebook page. Awesome!
If anyone has attended any of the camp, please feel free to chime into the comments and give some insight/opinions and share any pictures or videos you might have. Always cool seeing the drills and scrimmages.
Alrighty...that's all for now. Enjoy the quite before things heat up..!
Go Panthers!
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