It comes with a heavy heart that I am leaving Hockeybuzz after 10 great years on this very influential site.
I have been honored to be the only Florida Panthers writer since the beginning.
Over the last six months or so I've been debating about the direction I want to take my writing as well as streamline all that I am onto one platform. I assure you it wasn't an easy decision, because if there is anything I am...it's loyal. Sometimes to a fault.
When it comes to HB, I will be eternally grateful for the opportunities it opened up for me. Because of the popularity/reach of the site, I have been credentialed with the Panthers for eight seasons. Although I will be more independent from this point forward, it is because of HB that I was able to develop great relationships within the Panther organization that will allow me to remain credentialed moving forward.
Although I majored in communications in college, I'm a golf pro and never put into practice what I learned in college until writing for the Panthers. From getting into the locker room to covering practices to getting exclusive interviews with some of the best players in the world, it was, and often still is, surreal to me.
My association with HB made all this possible. I could never have envisioned the fun and experiences I've had as a result.
When I was badgering Eklund years ago to help me get credentialed, I was just looking for an in. I just wanted to be around the team and get "in the room." Little did I know the friendships that would follow would become the very best part of the journey.
Jameson Cooper, Adelyn Beidenbach, Thomas Drance and staff/management with the Panthers have treated me incredibly over the years, especially as an out-of-town writer. Bill Whitehead and Alain Poupart have been my favorite people to catch up with when I'm down in Sunrise and have always been the epitome of professionalism.
But two guys that I am forever blessed to call friends are George Richards (now with the Blue Jackets), and Harvey Fialkov. George basically "taught me the ropes" when I first started. Not only is he a great mentor, but we've now been all over the country together and had such great times. When he left for Columbus this season, admittedly I was heartbroken. George is widely known as one of the friendliest and respected sports journalists everywhere. I will be forever thankful for his friendship that will hopefully be forever.
Harvey came on as a Panthers beat writer a few years after I started, and his unique style and New York charm always kept me laughing. The grizzled vet is always the bulldog in getting the info he needs, and to see the dichotomy between how he and George worked was very enlightening to me. Some of the stories from the road will live with me forever, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
I wanted to thank my readers here, who are why we do what we do. To be able to provide content and to get your "mostly" constructive feedback has been a pleasure. Lol. Writing for the Panthers has its own set of challenges, and thank you for being part of this fruitful journey.
Going back to the beginning, I could never have foreseen the future.
Because I have other passions in life, such has helping people fire their boss and become financially free, as well as other sports and entertainment, I will soon be on my own site combining all my expertise. Follow me at the Twitter icon on the top of this post to get the updates on my new site and coverage.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Again, thanks to Ek, Eric, and the entire Hockeybuzz team for an unforgettable ride. It continues elsewhere, but this will never be forgotten.
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Media
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