The 2014-15 NHL season was something of a reboot for the Florida Panthers. The season was certainly filled with ups and downs but for the most part, the season showed the club is on the right track and not one headed into the bay and deep water. As the season grew late, the Panthers found themselves in a three-way race for the last wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators.
If not for the hockey gods anointing the Senators with some magic it might as well have been the Panthers in the first round and not the Sens. But it was Bruins who dealt the crushing blows in the final weeks to the Florida effort to get into the post season as they were falling from the race as well. 
For the season, the Panthers were ranked 25th in offense with 2.42 goals per game; they were 16th in goals against with a 2.60 average. The Panthers were declawed on the power play ranking 24tht and had a 16.3% success rate while the penalty kill was equally dreadful with an 80% rate of success. In 20 games with the Panthers, Jaromir Jagr, who was traded away at the trade deadline by the New Jersey Devils, amassed 18 points with six goals. He was a boost in the arm of the Panthers but his numbers also showed how poorly the offense clicked for the rest of the roster.
Nick Bjugstad, Brandon Pirri, Jimmy Hayes, Aleksander Barkov, and Jonathan Huberdeau were the top five goal scorers for Florida. Pirri may have been second in goals but he also kicked in only two assists on the year for 24 points. Only Pirri and Bjugstad scored over 20 goals.
On defense, Aaron Ekblad was the class of the blue line, playing in 81 games and adding 12 goals and 39 points on the year while being a team best +12 for defensemen. The blue line was fairly sturdy all season with only Willie Mitchell having issues playing in just 66 games.
In goal, Roberto Luongo, Dan Ellis and Al Montoya backstopped Florida to a 38-29-15 record but without a competitive offense, especially early in the season, there was little fear in the opposition.
The Panthers need help at the forward position with a player who can feed the puck to teammates and set up scoring plays. Two assists in an entire season is no way to build an offense. Offense, the way Pro Hockey News see’s things in their NHL Mock Draft, the Panthers will be able to select a good center, one who may develop quickly.
Through the first ten picks of the PHN NHL Mock Entry Draft, the best available players may have been selected but there are gems remaining on the table. The Panthers need offense and a big body to battle in the corners and be willing to head for the greasy areas of the rink, aka the crease.
At 6’ and 183 pounds, Kyle Connor, may fit the needs of the Panthers. The left winger ended his third year in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms. In 53 games this season, he is listed as having accumulated 80 points with 46 assists. He is not described as hard nose but is willing to engage. His ability to see the ice and find open teammates may be the elixir Florida needs when their players are dishing out two assists a year.
He has been described as “lanky” but still generates considerable power in his legs for speed and his agility has not been questioned. He has won gold for the USA junior program twice and silver in various tournaments.
So, come draft day, Pro Hockey News expects to hear the following announcement.
“With the 11th pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, your host Florida Panthers select, from the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL, left-wing Kyle Connor.”
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