Jay Bouwmeester became one of the top stories during the deadline, but ended up staying put in order to help for the playoff run. The problem is Bouwmeester's open-ended thoughts to the media. He was asked just before the deadline by the Florida Sun-Sentinel what the likelihood of him returning in a Panthers jersey would be for the 2009-10 campaign.
"I don’t know. Down the stretch here, there’s been a lot on your mind. To be quite honest, it’s something I’m going to have to sit down and do some serious thinking about. For me to say one way or the other right now is not really fair."
This is the kind of response that Manny Ramirez gave right before his deal to the LA Dodgers last season. Responses like this lead the reader to believe that he is, to put in layman's terms, looking for better opportunities (**cough, cough more money**). With his current $4.88 million price tag, it would be hard for the Panthers to give him a raise. With just over $2 million left in salary, Florida has more holes to fill than just a star defenseman. Stud backup goaltender Craig Anderson will be an unrestricted free-agent, as well as defensemen Nick Boynton and Jassen Cullimore and forward Ville Peltonen, among others. Every one of these players plays an important role in the success of the Panthers.
It was also reported right before the trade deadline that Boynton had a run-in with head coach Pete DeBoer that cost him a three-game period where he was benched. The head coach announced shortly after the incident that, “Everything is back to normal. I think we're back where we were. Both of us had a cooling-off period, so it's business as usual.” Even if this was the truth, this could still result in Boynton wanting to go elsewhere. The defense needs a good look from management.
The first option would be to trust your young players to pick up the slack. The team is filled with veteran defensemen who can mold players for the future, including Bryan Allen, Keith Ballard and Karlis Skrastins. Youngster Keaton Ellerby has been awaiting his chance to make an NHL club since he was drafted by the Panthers tenth overall in the first round of the 2007 Entry Draft. Ellerby has been called out by his coaching staffs in the past for taking unneeded penalties, but he is a tough kid who is willing to tangle with anyone. His temper calmed down last season much to his credit, when he only racked up 44 penalty minutes in 75 games played for the Rochester Americans of the AHL.
Another option would be to look for another defenseman via free-agency at a decent price. Francois Beauchemin of the Anaheim Ducks is a free-agent at the end of this year, and he would add Stanley Cup experience as well as grit and toughness behind his team's net. Jordan Leopold of the Calgary Flames is a free-agent as well. Leopold was acquired at the deadline from Colorado to add good puck control as well as speed on the back line. This is something that could not hurt the Panthers, who could possibly lose the speed of Bouwmeester and Boynton in one off-season.
On offense, the Panthers did just fine with the loss of former captain Oli Jokinen last summer. The Panthers saw center Stephen Weiss have a strong 61-point season, but saw everyone contribute. Richard Zednik had a strong comeback year, scoring 17 goals in 70 games. But rumors are circulating that Zednik has decided to sign a contract with Yaroslavl of the KHL for next season. If this is true, the Panthers would free up another $1.63 million. The team still lacks a proven goal-scorer up front. If the salary room can be made by other means, free-agency could be important for the offense as well. Bill Guerin will be a free-agent yet again and signing him could be a big improvement for the Panthers squad. Bill is still signed for $4.5 million this season, but his price is likely to drop since he will be turning 39 years old in November.
With the great mix of veteran leaders, young prospects and strong goaltending, the Panthers could be a powerful contender for the playoffs yet again next year. The team will be making quite a shake-up this summer, but the right moves could put this team over the hump. Another late-season disappointment is not in the plans of this young franchise.
Keywords: bill guerin, bryan allen, craig anderson, Florida Panthers, francois beauchemin, jacques martin, Jay Bouwmeester, jordan leopold, karlis skrastins, keaton ellerby, keith ballard, manny ramirez, nhl, nick boynton, oli jokinen, richard zednik, stephen weiss, tomas vokoun
