***Official Florida Panthers Thread*** | Page 3 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

***Official Florida Panthers Thread***

I think Huberdeau is as shocked as anyone. He loved living in SoFLA, that much is obvious. I think he is probably going through stages of grief right now. He absolutely was willing to stay here, I think the team saw an opportunity to get younger on a known contract and blindsided him with it.

As for the move itself, I'm probably not high enough on Tkachuk to like it. Huberdeau was a known commodity and was worth a lot of points in the regular season just on account of his ability to dominate 3vs3 overtime with Barkov. The Panthers had a stupidly good OT record the last couple of years and it was pretty much entirely because opposing teams simply couldn't handle those two in 3vs3 situations. I also don't think Huberdeau is a playoff problem as some have suggested. He was excellent in the previous series against the Lightning, and the entire team suffered in this season's playoffs (coaching).

I think Weegar has proved beyond a doubt that he's a second pairing guy, and even something of a liability in big game situations, so I have no issue with the team trading him. I'm glad they did, to be honest. I understand that the team is probably better off taking 25 year old Tkachuk on a firm contract than having 31 year old Huberdeau asking for even more money, but I'm concerned about trading away yet another first round draft pick. I also wonder if this could hurt the locker room.

Unless the Panthers find a way to move Hornqvist and get Chychrun (pipe dream, IMO), they're flat out gonna be worse in 2022-23 in order to try to extend the window beyond that. Duclair is probably pretty difficult to trade right now due to his achilles injury, but he'd be the absolute next guy I'd look to get rid of. He's worthless in playoff hockey, and the Panthers certainly have enough regular season scoring.
 
What do you Panthers fans think of the big trade?

Matthew Tkachuk is a rare talented, gritty player but to give up Huberdeau and also Weegar. I was shocked. Then add a first rounder and a minor leaguer and I just do not know that they became a better team now or of course in the future.

Do you know if Huberdeau was indicating he would not resign there?//?

@Trucanes99 @J. David Wannyheimer

I'm not in love with the trade but you can understand why the Panthers did it for a couple reasons. Huby and Weegs were both going to be FA after next season and you can potentially lose them for nothing in return. You flip them for a young superstar (6 years younger than Huby) and sign him to an 8 year extension. Giving Calgary a 1st round pick and prospect on top of two established players like feels like a bridge too far, but when you consider Huby and Weegs might not sign with them after next season, they had to do something to protect future assets.
 
Well, unfortunately, I was right about Paul Maurice. Horrible, horrible coach. It's true that the team's dealing with inconsistent goaltending (not PM's fault), injuries and illness. But there are plenty of other teams dealing with all of those things and they are still outperforming the Panthers relative to talent level. The team hasn't won three games in a row all season and we're now approaching Christmas. That's absolutely dire.

To make things worse, Barkov getting blatantly chopped in the knee on a face-off probably sticks the proverbial fork in this season. Seeing the way his knee bent, the best case scenario probably involves Barkov missing a couple of months, by which point the team will be sunk.
 
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we suck again GIF
 
Crazy how they could go from a top team to sucking. Tkachuk for Huberdeau and Weegar should not be the reason. Their goals are down and just not getting a team effort? So maybe that is because they blindsided team favourites with a trade for a new guy, a guy which was hated by all opposing teams?????
 
Crazy how they could go from a top team to sucking. Tkachuk for Huberdeau and Weegar should not be the reason. Their goals are down and just not getting a team effort? So maybe that is because they blindsided team favourites with a trade for a new guy, a guy which was hated by all opposing teams?????
I blame the coach, similar to what is happening with the dolphins...
 
Tkachuk has been the best player on the team through the first half of the season. He's certainly not the reason for the decline, seeing as he has more points than Huberdeau and Weegar combined at the moment. And as much as I love Huberdeau, that contract he signed in Calgary is truly awful, and I'm glad the Panthers aren't the team on the hook for that.

Lots of factors here:

1. Barkov dealing with pneumonia, off-ice drama (he knocked up an instagram whore, custody battle ongoing), clearly affecting his play, not an impact player.
2. Ekblad's done. Last leg injury was it for him, he can't move anymore. Confidence is shot, too. He's honestly third pairing at best right now.
3. Lost Mason Marchment, huge blow. Marchment has sweet hands, is very physical, and plays like he wants to kill someone at all times. When healthy, high impact player.
4. Too many minutes for the Staal brothers.
5. Reinhart can't finish, at all. Not sure how you could anticipate that or really deal with it, but it's happening.
6. Goaltending was inconsistent earlier in the season, cost a few points. Bobrovsky has been great over the last month, but the team could have used that in November.

But mostly, it's the coach. Paul Maurice is the losingest coach in NHL history, and for good reason. He's not good at motivating or managing his players, he runs terrible special teams, and he's not good at line matchups, either. Guy is just a bad coach. I was generous when I called him mediocre before the season began, it seems. He's a good talker, though, and now the Panthers are suffering for it.

I really dislike the decision to cut Balcers and keep Eric Staal, by the way. Balcers is an interesting player, very physical, hard worker with skating ability. Eric Staal is good at faceoffs but can't skate and is playing way too many minutes -- it looks like he's playing lazy because he has nothing left in the tank.

I don't see any way this team makes the playoffs. Bill Zito should probably be fired for not protecting the 1st that was traded to Montreal. If the Habs somehow get Bedard out of that pick, Zito should be flayed alive at the arena in Sunrise. Free tickets to all STHs.
 
Yah Tkachuk is the real deal it looks like...maybe the carrier of any team.

Got Barkov in my pool and he is finally coming along...

Good luck Panthers...if nothing else, get in and beat the Lightning!
 
They are absolutely not making the playoffs, lol

Right now the only thing I want to see from this season is Paul Maurice being fired during or immediately after it ends. This team simply can't afford to give this dolt more rope.
 
The Panthers are starting to get closer. If they get in , they could be tough. If they do get in, it will likely be at the expense of my favourite team. Washington.

Glad Barkov is heating up as I have him in my hockey pool.
 
Well, I was wrong about Tkachuk, he's up there with Kucherov and Pastrnak as the best winger in the NHL right now. I was wrong about Ekblad, he's been good down the stretch. I was wrong about the team failing to make the playoffs, too. Very happy about that. If Bergeron doesn't return, the Panthers could damn well win this round.

I remain unimpressed with Paul Maurice, but credit where it's due: the team has outplayed Boston in two road playoff games, and if not for some bad puck luck in game one, would be up 2-0 coming back home.
 
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