Florida Panthers

The Panthers came in on a high, winning three of their first four games. Brian Campbell leads the NHL with seven assists, and he's a defenseman. They had just swept last seasons Eastern Conference finalist Tampa Bay in a home and home series. Things have not looked this promising in quite some time.

The Florida Panthers started out in 1993 in a land nobody had ever considered fertile ground for a hockey club, let alone an NHL franchise.

Florida shot out of the gates and made the Stanley Cup Finals in only its third season.  Colorado ended the dream with a 4-0 series victory. 

The Florida Panthers are not an elite NHL franchise. 

They do not garner anywhere close to the same amount of attention received by Eastern Conference teams such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals or New Jersey Devils. 

A dark horse pick for Florida if Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are off the board when they draft is Swede Mika Zibanejad.

The 6'1" (and a half!) center only had nine points in 26 games this year. But look past the stats. He was playing in the Swedish Elite League, where most players are in their late twenties and early thirties.

My favorite, Gabriel Landeskog (and rumored Florida Panther target), ranks second for North American skaters, Sean Couturier falls to sixth and Dougie Hamilton jumps into the top five as the draft's second best D.

http://zelepuckin.blogspot.com/2011/04/panthers-fire-coach-peter-deboer.html

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Original article posted at zelePUCKin http://zelepuckin.blogspot.com/2011/03/florida-panthers-why-you-should-root.html

Ten points out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference and with only four wins in their last 15 games, the Florida Panthers are once again destined to miss the NHL playoffs.

If they do, they'll be making history.

Having failed to make the postseason since the 1999-2000 NHL season, the Panthers are primed to become the first team in NHL history to miss the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons.

Deplorable, even for one of the NHL's worst franchises.

Rumors have become reality.

According to TSN.ca, the Florida Panthers have dealt veteran defenseman Bryan McCabe to the New York Rangers in exchange for Tim Kennedy and a third round pick, confirming the recent rumors.

The 35-year-old has posted five goals and 17 assists in 48 games this season for 22 points. He has recorded a plus-three rating as well.