Florida Panthers 2009 Season Preview, Picks & Odds

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Florida Panthers 2008-’09 record:
41-30-11, 93 points (3rd in Southeast, 9th in East)

Florida Panthers 2008-’09 playoffs:
Did not qualify

Florida was actually a competitive team last season, which is more than they can say the rest of the decade. The Panthers took the risk of not trading star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester at the deadline and went for broke, only to fall short of the final playoff berth on a tiebreaker with Montreal. The Panthers’ 41-30-11 record gave the team 93 points but Montreal’s 3-1 record in head to head play was the difference and the season ended early in south Florida.

Florida Panthers 2009 Preview

Florida Panthers General manager: Randy Sexton (30-114-15, 4th NHL year, 2nd team)

Florida Panthers Coach: Peter DeBoer (41-30-11, 2nd NHL year, 1st team)

Florida Panthers Captain: Bryan McCabe

Florida Panthers Top Returning Scorer: C Stephen Weiss (14 goals, 47 assists, 61 points)

Florida Panthers Top Returning Goalie: Tomas Vokoun (26-23-6, 2.49, .926)

Florida Panthers Key Additions: G Scott Clemmensen; D Ville Koistinen; D Jordan Leopold; D Clay Wilson; LW Jeff Taffe; D Dennis Seidenberg; C Stephen Reinprecht.

Florida Panthers Key Subtractions: D Jay Bouwmeester; G Craig Anderson; D Karlis Skrastins; D Nick Boynton; RW Anthony Stewart; LW Tanner Glass; D Steve Eminger; D Jassen Cullimore; LW Ville Peltonen; C Brett McLean; LW Richard Zednik; C Drew Larman.

Florida Panthers Top Line: LW David Booth, C Stephen Weiss; RW Nathan Horton

Florida Panthers Top Defensive Pairing: Keith Ballard, Bryan Allen

For the Panthers’ offense to break out this season, two things need to happen. One is that speedy young winger David Booth needs to continue his development and break into the 40 goal range. The other is that prodigiously talented center Stephen Weiss needs to finally become the elite playmaker that he has the potential to be. Weiss’ 2008-09 season was actually pretty good, scoring 14 goals and assisting on 47 others, but it still seems like he’s only scratching the surface of his potential after half of a decade in the league. With a strong group of depth players around him, including Corey Stillman, Nathan Horton and new acquisition Stephen Reinprecht, his development could allow the Panthers to go from average to excellent on offense. Despite finishing in the middle of the league in scoring, the Panthers didn’t have a single player in the top 60 in scoring last year and are badly in need of a superstar’s touch up front.

The defense is much more of a concern. New captain Brian McCabe is a solid but unspectacular veteran and really you can say the same thing about the rest of their defenders. This is an average group of defensemen outside of up and comer Keith Ballard and the Panthers will have to hope that some of their young prospects, most notably Keaton Ellerby, will be able to contribute this season because there isn’t any elite talent on hand. It isn’t a surprise that the Panthers gave up more shots than anyone in hockey last season.

In goal, the Panthers are lucky to have Tomas Vokoun, who gets a bad rap because his record was barely .500 last season. In reality, Vokoun was sprayed with 32 shots per appearance last year and his .926 save percentage was actually quite impressive. Expect more of the same with the defensemen in front of him this season and he’ll have to stand on his head once more to keep the Panthers in games.

2009 Florida Panthers Goaltending:

Vokoun became the 53rd goalie in NHL history to reach 500 career games played as he nearly backstopped the Panthers to the playoffs. Altered his game over the years to where he’s more of a stand-up netminder than his past almost-exclusive butterfly style. Among the game’s greatest improvisers, will make spectacular saves when it looks a certainty that he’s beaten.

2009 Florida Panthers Player To Watch:

RW Michal Repik. Played on top line with Rochester (AHL) last season right out of junior and led club with 49 points. Capable of playing either wing, scored twice during a five-game call-up to Panthers. Incredible speed and change of pace in his skating. Only 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, but unafraid to venture into high-traffic areas to get puck and create scoring chances.

2009 Florida Panthers Offense:

Booth has gone from three goals in the 2006-07 season to 22 the following season to a team-high 31 last season. Under DeBoer in his first season as coach, the Panthers posted their best record in nine years. Florida earned points in 31 of its last 45 games.

Florida Panthers 2009 Season Predictions

The Panthers continue to ride the treadmill and last season’s second-half surge will likely be scuttled by the offseason loss of Bouwmeester and the uncertainty over the club’s ownership situation.

We predict that the Florida Panthers will finish 1st in the NHL Southeast, 5th seed in East: 97 points.

Florida Panthers Betting

Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Odds: +6000
Florida Panthers Eastern Conference Odds: +3000
Florida Panthers Southeast Odds: +1000

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