The Florida Panthers really fell off the map in the 2016-17 season. Two years ago, they actually won the Atlantic Division as they finished with 103 points. Last year, they finished third-last as they were only able to pick up 81 points. There were a number of big issues as they dealt with a slew of injuries and also suffered between the pipes. While Roberto Luongo has mostly been reliable as a member of the Florida Panthers, he had one of his worst seasons last year. His 2.68 GAA was his worst since the 2005-06 season.
Now the Panthers are a team in transition following a tumultuous season in which issues both on and off the ice hindered their potential. The Panthers brought back Dale Tallon as general manager and brought in Bob Boughner to take over as head coach. The hope is that the organization can turn the page and get back on track towards contending for a Stanley Cup in 2017-18. There is a lot of young talent on this team but they need to stay healthy and find some solutions in net before they can start talking about the playoffs again.
How They Finished Last Season
The Panthers went from playoff contenders to outsiders looking in after injuries and poor performances took a toll on the club last season. Florida finished with a 35-36-11 record, which translates to 81 points. After finishing 14 points out of a playoff spot, there are plenty of question marks about whether or not this team is good enough to contend for a postseason spot in 2017-18.
What Changed In The Offseason
The Panthers allowed a number of key players to leave in the offseason, including most notably free agent forward Jaromir Jagr. Jagr is still unsigned but Florida opted to go in a different direction with a focus on getting younger and faster in the offseason. The Panthers also lost Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Florida replaced those departed players with veteran free agent Radim Vrbata and KHL star Evgeny Davydov. The hope is that Vrbata and Davydov can combine to bring more offensive punch to the table than Jagr, Marchessault and Smith did last season. The Panthers also selected the offensively gifted Owen Tippett with the 10th-overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. It will be very interesting to see if Tippett is able to make his way on to the Florida lineup at the beginning of the season. James Reimer signed a five-year contract with the Panthers last season and could play an even bigger role with the club behind Roberto Luongo, who is now 38-years-old.
Most Valuable Fantasy Hockey Asset
After two straight seasons recording at least 54 points, Jonathan Huberdeau missed 51 games last season with a leg injury. He returned to play at a 68-point pace the remainder of the way and if he can stay healthy this season it could result in career-high point total. Huberdeau has the talent to excel in Florida this season. As long as he can avoid another significant injury he should be in line to crack the 60-point mark in 2017-18.
Regular Season Win Total Outlook
The best-case scenario for the Panthers is that they stay healthy and get career-best performances from young players like Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov to challenge for a playoff spot this season. The more likely scenario is that this is a transition year for a franchise that is turning the page following an ugly chapter last season. Luongo was limited to 40 games a year ago and it’s unlikely that number will be any higher this year with Reimer in position to take on a bigger role. Florida is banking on a number of unproven assets to lead the way to the postseason and there is no guarantee everything goes their way. With a number of teams improving in the Atlantic throughout the offseason, it will be difficult for the Panthers to improve on the 35 wins they record last season. With a total of 38.5 in this spot, take the under on the Panthers for this bet.
Pick: Under 38.5 Wins
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