Making a quick update to the previous blog...
Hot off the presses courtesy of the Panthers website:
SUNRISE, Fla. - Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that Mike Kitchen, Andrew Brunette and Derek MacKenzie have been named assistant coaches on Head Coach Joel Quenneville's staff. Robb Tallas will serve in his 11th season as the Panthers Goaltending Coach.
"We have assembled a talented coaching staff with unique perspectives and a wealth of hockey experience," said Quenneville. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work with a proven coach and a quality person like Mike Kitchen again, as well as Andrew Brunette who is a bright, young, hockey mind who I coached as a player. It's exciting to welcome former Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie to our staff as he enters the NHL coaching ranks following a great playing career. Together with longtime goaltending coach Robb Tallas, we are motivated by the task ahead of us. Our staff is eager to begin working towards our goal of bringing playoff hockey back to South Florida."
Kitchen, 63, has over 25 years of NHL coaching experience having served as an assistant coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs (1989-90 to 2003-04), St. Louis Blues (1998-99 to 2003-04), Florida Panthers (2007-08 to 2009-10) and Chicago Blackhawks (2010-11 to 2016-17). He served as head coach of St. Louis from 2003-04 to 2006-07.
The native of Newmarket, Ontario, Kitchen previously served as an assistant coach under Quenneville in both St. Louis and Chicago. With the Blues, Quenneville and Kitchen led the club to a franchise record 114-point campaign and the President's Trophy in 1999-00. Kitchen and Quenneville won the Stanley Cup together with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015.
He recently served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2018 Spengler Cup Tournament.
Originally selected by the Kansas City Scouts in the third round (38th overall) of the 1976 NHL Draft, Kitchen appeared in 474 career NHL games for the Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils (1976-77 to 1983-84), producing 74 points (12-62-74).
Kitchen and Quenneville, both defensemen, played four seasons together with Colorado/New Jersey (1979-80 to 1982-83).
Brunette, 45, has spent the previous seven seasons with the Minnesota Wild organization serving in multiple different capacities including Director of Player Personnel, Assistant General Manager, Assistant Coach and Special Assistant to the General Manager.
The longtime NHL forward appeared in 1,109 NHL games for the Washington Capitals (1995-96 to 1997-98), Nashville Predators (1998-99), Atlanta Thrashers (1999-00 to 2000-01), Minnesota Wild (2001-02 to 2003-04, 2008-09 to 2010-11), Colorado Avalanche (2005-06 to 2007-08), and Chicago Blackhawks (2011-12). He was originally selected by Washington in the seventh round (174th overall) of the 1993 NHL Draft.
The native of Sudbury, Ontario played his final NHL season in Chicago under Quenneville.
MacKenzie, 37, completed his final NHL season in 2018-19 with the Panthers after a season-ending shoulder injury. Throughout 2018-19, while recovering from injury, MacKenzie assisted the Panthers coaching staff in an unofficial assistant coaching role.
The native of Sudbury, Ontario played five seasons for the Panthers (2014-15 to 2018-19) serving as captain for two seasons (2016-17 to 2017-18). MacKenzie played 304 games with Florida, producing 54 points (20-34-54).
A veteran of 1,161 professional games, MacKenzie played 611 career NHL games for the Atlanta Thrashers (2001-02 to 2006-07), Columbus Blue Jackets (2007-08 to 2013-14) and Florida Panthers (2014-15 to 2018-19), registering 125 points (51-74-125). He was originally selected by Atlanta in the fifth round (128th overall) of the 1999 NHL Draft.
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It's been fun reading all the speculation and rumors that come out this time of year. Some of it seems legit and most is probably bogus.
Aside from the Bob and Breadman rumors (which seem not as strong as before), there's really nothing out there regarding the Panthers. I don't think that's a bad thing. I'm sure there's a lot of work going on behind closed doors.
I spoke with The Windy City Benders Podcast ringleader earlier this week about some of these rumors. Zach's a good guy and loves to talk hockey. So in the spirit of speculation, I asked him his thoughts on the Cats this offseason.
From Zach:
"Dale Tallon’s offseason plan is loud and clear, sign Bobrovsky and Panarin. With just over 21 million dollars in cap space and minimal players to resign this is extremely doable. But lets say Panarin signs else where, what should be plan B? Well let me throw out the idea of Phil Kessel being that back up option. Kessel is one of the most reliable players playing in all 82 games for the last 9 seasons (this includes the 48 game shortened season.) Also in that span hasn’t put up fewer than 52 points (also in the shortened season). Kessel would be a huge addition to this Panthers team and would propel them from hopefuls to contenders.
Now what would it take? Pittsburgh is looking to shed salary and go younger to try and get themselves back to playoff glory. So how about Phil Kessel and a pick for Frank Vatrano, a prospect, and a conditional pick which will vary on the Panthers 2019-2020 season.
Vatrano covers a few of the Penguins wants - young player and lower salary. You might be asking why trade a young player for an aging Kessel? If the Panthers can bring in Bob their window to win is officially wide open. You have Huberdeau, Barkov, Trocheck, Hoffman, and Ekblad all in their primes. Do you really want to waste a few years of these guys prime years and waste a few very expensive years of Bob to let another player develop? Kessel also brings very valuable Playoff experience.
You bring in Bob and then trade for Phil you then have cap space to fill in the depth roles and get that back end stronger. Add a determined Joel Quenneville who is out to prove he is still the best coach in the NHL. You are looking at a very dangerous Florida Panthers team."
We know the Panthers needs are defense and goaltending, but if the rumors of them being in on Panarin are true, maybe they are looking to add a high end winger, too.
The Kessel ideal is kind of a fun thought to me. I'm not sure what exactly Pittsburgh would be looking for, but if they're looking for a young/cost-effective guy and maybe a prospect and pick, Zach could be on to something. Personally, I really like Vatrano and his shoot-first mentality. I could see him being in Florida longer term, but who knows.
The other interesting thing regarding Kessel is that he apparently nixed that deal to MINN (if the stories are true). Add to that the apparent strained relationship with him and head coach Mike Sullivan, and that he wants to play for AZ and Tocchet (rumored). I wonder if the Penguins will end up getting to the point where they take less in order to move him. A team could potentially capitalize on that. Would love for some Penguins fans to provide any insight into the whole thing since they're closer to it.
What do you guys think is a fair return for Kessel?
2010 Draft and Shehan
I came across a
cool article today from The Rat Trick that takes a trip back in time to 2010 and examines Tallon's first draft as Florida's GM. It's a good weekend read.
They also posted an
article I'm hoping to get some thoughts on from you guys. It's a piece that builds a case about moving on from Riley Sheahan - pointing that he'll be a FA this summer and they should let him walk since there's younger/cheaper guys that can take his role. Personally, I'm a big fan of Sheahan and hope the Panthers resign him. I think he's a great, stabilizing presence on the lower lines, and while he's not going to "wow" you with flashy play, he's a rare breed of hard-working, defensive-minded center and does a lot of things that don't get recorded on the scoresheet.
Guess we'll see in about a month...go Panthers!
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