Curious moves by the Panthers

[yave1964]

First let me say there is absolutely nothing wrong with Teddy Purcell or Happy Hudler, you could even go so far as to say that in the right role there is nothing at all wrong with Jakub Kindl.

  It is not any one of these deadline acquisitions by the Cats, it is the cumulative effect of ALL of them.

  Purcell has been good with 11 goals and 32 points but is soft as a candy bar left in a car on a spring day, 10 PIMs, 27 hits and 14 blocks rank him as one of the softest players in the game.

 Hudler has 10 goals and 35 points but is soft as well, 17 PIMs, only 14 hits and 4 blocks. He throws himself in front of less rubber in a whole year than......Well insert your own punchline. I am trying to keep it clean.

  Watrching Kindl play every night for years he has frustrated, against some teams he is a world beater but rough him up early and he caves.

 

So getting ready for the playoffs against the tested Lightning and the Nasty Bruins and Rangers and the veteran Wings and/or whoever they face, Florida went out and added the softest collection of players available at the deadline in memory. Chicago added veteran playoff warrior Ladd and Weise who is a nasty bit of work, Florida added the stay puff marshmallow men.

 Not Impressed. One and done. Whoever they face in the first round beats them in six games. You heard it here first.

[pilldoc]

@yave1964

 

You beat me to the punch.  I just logged on and saw the moves that the Panthers made.  Very curious to what they are thinking.  I agree, I'm really not that impressed and their are no big names or role players to get them over the hump.  They gave up a 2nd and a 3rd in this years draft.  Now granted, the draft may not be as deep as last year, but good players can still be had in rounds 2 and 3.  I think Florida will gravely miss those picks.   Very interesing....curious to see how this plays out.

[yave1964]

33 minutes ago, pilldoc said:

@yave1964

 

You beat me to the punch.  I just logged on and saw the moves that the Panthers made.  Very curious to what they are thinking.  I agree, I'm really not that impressed and their are no big names or role players to get them over the hump.  They gave up a 2nd and a 3rd in this years draft.  Now granted, the draft may not be as deep as last year, but good players can still be had in rounds 2 and 3.  I think Florida will gravely miss those picks.   Very interesing....curious to see how this plays out.

Now dont get me wrong, I love Hudler and like Purcell and dont hate Kindl as much as many Wings fans do, it isnt any one of the deals, it is the combination of ALL of them.

  A young team like Tampa added Garrison, Coburn and Callahan to the mix with a great bunch of kids, what Florida has done is added  some of the softest guys in the game to a young inexperienced team. It makes less than zero sense to me. If they had added a Hudler OR Purcell and then added a Weise for the bottom six, well that would have made sense. This simply does not.

[Howie58]

Greetings:

 

I agree with what's been said.  But this management team...and ownership...may think this is a chance to make a statement about survival and a future in South Florida.  For them, this makes sense.  No insight otherwise.

 

Howie

[ruxpin]

@yave1964

 

Just like @pilldoc, I was coming here specifically to dump on Florida's deals much for the same reason you and he stated.  I'll add to it that they are not really a favorite going in, the moves didn't change that, and now they've blown a gaping hole in their draft pick stock in the near future.  

 

I like nothing about this.   I mean, I don't care; I'm not exactly a Panthers' fan, but these moves don't make sense to me.

 

@Howie58  I think you nail it on why they would go for it when they think they have even an outside chance.   But this is a horrible misfire, IMO.

[ruxpin]

16 hours ago, yave1964 said:

it is the combination of ALL of them.

 

Exactly this.  It's the cumulative effect, both in what came in and in the picks that went out.   I just think they could have gotten more for the assets they moved.

[hf101]

16 hours ago, yave1964 said:

A young team like Tampa added Garrison, Coburn and Callahan to the mix with a great bunch of kids, what Florida has done is added  some of the softest guys in the game to a young inexperienced team. It makes less than zero sense to me. If they had added a Hudler OR Purcell and then added a Weise for the bottom six, well that would have made sense. This simply does not.

 

I dunno, Florida added what they needed which was 2nd tier scoring with speed, they all ready have the gritty guys.  Hudler's stats are not representative this season of his worth as he spent much of the season on the IR. He was huge last year in Calgary's playoff run.  Purcell adds a right handed shot to the mix.  And Kindl for some defensive depth isn't horrible.  

[ruxpin]

1 hour ago, hf101 said:

 

I dunno, Florida added what they needed which was 2nd tier scoring with speed, they all ready have the gritty guys.  Hudler's stats are not representative this season of his worth as he spent much of the season on the IR. He was huge last year in Calgary's playoff run.  Purcell adds a right handed shot to the mix.  And Kindl for some defensive depth isn't horrible.  

 

Last year was an aberration for Hudler.  He had a career year.  This year is actually indicative of what he brings.  And he's only actually missed 8 games, so it's not like he's missed a ton.  He just hasn't been much value in the games he's been in.   Purcell does add a right handed shot.   It's not bad.

 

None of these are bad by themselves, but as a total it does nothing to increase their chances.  

 

I need to walk back the draft pick thing, though.  Somewhere I saw 1st round picks involved.  I'm looking on TSN while writing this and there's nothing higher than a 2nd.  I don't think the picks they gave up are horrible.  I just don't think they did much of value to help themselves.

 

And I have no faith in the Panthers going very far.  Luongo's age is going to (or is currently) catch up to him and the team will falter. 

 

[hf101]

As for draft pick loss, apparently Brandon Pirri is on the market, the Panthers could get a 2nd back.

[pilldoc]

2 hours ago, hf101 said:

 

I dunno, Florida added what they needed which was 2nd tier scoring with speed, they all ready have the gritty guys.  Hudler's stats are not representative this season of his worth as he spent much of the season on the IR. He was huge last year in Calgary's playoff run.  Purcell adds a right handed shot to the mix.  And Kindl for some defensive depth isn't horrible.  

 

I hear what you are saying and I see your point of view.  However, I look at these moves and ask myself these questions....

1) Do these moves push the Panthers over the top which will allow them to go deeper in the playoffs?  No

2) If not for a playoff push, does this make the team grow stronger and deeper for next year?  No

 

In all honesty I don't see it.  To me these seem like Homer like moves,  just giving up draft picks for players for as @ruxpin puts it...

 

1 hour ago, ruxpin said:

None of these are bad by themselves, but as a total it does nothing to increase their chances.

 

Again...I see your point, but for me personally, I just don't see these as wow moves.

[Podein25]

In my opinion the Panthers would have been better off to give up a 1st and get Ladd - which they decided was too much - rather than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th (2018) to get two softies. He's not RH, but can play anywhere.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

43 minutes ago, Podein25 said:

In my opinion the Panthers would have been better off to give up a 1st and get Ladd - which they decided was too much - rather than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th (2018) to get two softies. He's not RH, but can play anywhere.

 

This is an interesting take...one I agree with.

Ladd for ONE pick might have been better for this group, as currently constructed, rather than giving up several picks for some guys who MAY help, but are not exactly 'playoff type' players....though Hudler may fit in the best of the three.

[Howie58]

Reading the Miami Herald this morning led me to believe this is in part an "Optics" move.  Tallon was quoted as saying this had the permission of the new owners in an attempt to add strength for the playoffs....sounds like they wanted BS for the next meeting with the seasons tickets holders....

 

Howie

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

One thing I WON'T fault the Panthers for:

 

They are at least, trying to do something to get some notice for their team in South Florida.

They know they have a nice core group, are seriously deficient in some areas still (mostly consistent offense), but are trying to show the league and fans, that they are no longer willing to just sit back and see what happens.

 

Granted, some of these moves are a bit questionable, but still, at this stage in their development, I think it's Tallon's way of saying, "Hey, the Lightning aren't the only good young team in the South".

 

Bolts marketing and team awareness is pretty strong in Florida...Panthers need to try and match that.

[JagerMeister]

I believe the purpose of Hudler's acquisition was to have a sufficient playmaker for Bjugstad. I don't mind the trade at all.

[yave1964]

2 hours ago, JagerMeister said:

I believe the purpose of Hudler's acquisition was to have a sufficient playmaker for Bjugstad. I don't mind the trade at all.

And again, I dont mind the trade, I dont mind the trade for Purcell, I mind them both, if that makes sense.

  They went out and added literally two of the softest players in the game. If you want to add a soft scoring winger to improve your depth, so be it, good move. Then go add a Weise or a Dorsett or a Frolik to mix it up a bit, to give yourself someone to grind in the postseason. Trust me, as a Wings fan, I never saw anyone as soft as Hudler come postseason, he folded like a cheap suit. Regular season, good solid very serviceable player, postseason not so much. Just saying adding two soft forwards and a rail thin 7th defenseman to a team having a brilliant year seems curious.

[JagerMeister]

On 2/29/2016 at 4:16 PM, yave1964 said:

And again, I dont mind the trade, I dont mind the trade for Purcell, I mind them both, if that makes sense.

  They went out and added literally two of the softest players in the game. If you want to add a soft scoring winger to improve your depth, so be it, good move. Then go add a Weise or a Dorsett or a Frolik to mix it up a bit, to give yourself someone to grind in the postseason. Trust me, as a Wings fan, I never saw anyone as soft as Hudler come postseason, he folded like a cheap suit. Regular season, good solid very serviceable player, postseason not so much. Just saying adding two soft forwards and a rail thin 7th defenseman to a team having a brilliant year seems curious.

Perhaps they know they won't ascend that far into the playoffs...? They are pretenders IMO likely going to lose first series.

Also, they don't need grit. They already have Shawn Thornton....

[OccamsRazor]

On 2/28/2016 at 7:16 PM, yave1964 said:

And again, I dont mind the trade, I dont mind the trade for Purcell, I mind them both, if that makes sense.

  They went out and added literally two of the softest players in the game. If you want to add a soft scoring winger to improve your depth, so be it, good move. Then go add a Weise or a Dorsett or a Frolik to mix it up a bit, to give yourself someone to grind in the postseason. Trust me, as a Wings fan, I never saw anyone as soft as Hudler come postseason, he folded like a cheap suit. Regular season, good solid very serviceable player, postseason not so much. Just saying adding two soft forwards and a rail thin 7th defenseman to a team having a brilliant year seems curious.