SUNRISE, Fla – After a 103-point season in 2016, the Florida Panthers looked a franchise that finally turned the corner. Unfortunately for the Panthers, it never came to pass. Florida has missed the playoffs the past three seasons and six of the last seven. Since the Panthers inaugural season in 1993 the Panthers have only made the playoffs five times. Only once did they get past the first round. There’s no sugar coating it, the Panthers have not been a successful franchise.
In the off-season, Dale Tallon, the Panthers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, took a very bold step by hiring Joel Quenneville as his new Head Coach. Quenneville is the second winningest Head Coach of all-time. The task ahead for Tallon and Quenneville is to finally get this team over the hump. You can bet there are some free agents who will be on the market in the off-season whom Tallon has his checkbook open for.
Before free agency hits, the NHL Entry Draft will take place. Florida holds the 13th overall pick in the draft. Despite being in a very good position, Tallon has to ask himself can his fan base wait on another young prospect. Should the Panthers look to move this pick for an established NHL player? Roberto Luongo is nearing retirement and goaltending will be a major priority. The only goaltender in the draft who should go in the first round is Spencer Knight but he can’t fix the Panthers goaltending issues anytime soon.
This is a very forward-driven draft. Finding a defenseman won’t be too hard to find at #13. If that’s where the Panthers want to go. Plenty of defenseman are waiting as well such as Victor Soderstrom, Philip Broberg, and Thomas Harley. On PHN’s mock draft, the Panthers find themselves with an interesting situation. Forward Vasily Podkolzin, who has been considered a top five talent has seen his stock slip. Florida needs a defenseman, but could they pass on him as well?
Joel Quenneville doesn’t have a Patrick Kane or a Jonathan Toews but he does have an Alexander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdaeau, and Mike Hoffman. All three scored 30 or more goals. Evgenii Dadonov almost hit the 30 goal mark with 28 goals and Frank Vatrano punched in 24 as well. Last year, the Panthers drafted forwards with their top four picks. The previous year two forwards were their top two picks. Their top pick the year before was a center. I think you get the picture.
The Panthers should use the draft to add to their blueline. The defense is led by Aaron Ekblad and with Quenneville on board the Panthers will most likely go after a defenseman in free agency or via a trade. Still the question remains about who to take in the draft?
The best-player-available approach has been the Panthers game plan for years. Nothing will change that in this year’s NHL Draft as well. Florida needs a bookend for Ekblad but they can start working the blueline after the first round if they decide to take Podkolzin in the first, which is why we are going to say Tallon makes the following call on draft day.
“With the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft the Florida Panthers select, from St. Petersburg, Russia in the KHL, Vasily Podkolzin.”
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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