In some ways, nothing ever changes for the Florida Panthers. The team starts poorly, makes a late-season push and inevitably falls short of the playoffs.
But a shift of some sort is already underway, with perhaps more serious changes to follow.
By their usual early-season standards, the Panthers have been pretty sturdy of late, pulling to within spitting distance of a playoff spot. Much of the success is due to unheralded backup-turned-starter Craig Anderson and his league-leading .940 save percentage.
Anderson’s play has led some people, including two THN staffers, John Grigg and Rory Boylen, to debate whether it’s time to move Tomas Vokoun and address needs elsewhere.
Meanwhile, No. 1 defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has long been rumored to be on the block thanks to his pending unrestricted free agent status this July. It has been reported the Bouwmeester sweepstakes is heating up and it’s increasingly likely the big blueliner will be out of Florida before the trade deadline passes.
The Hockey News ranks the teams 1-30 each Monday based on a combination of last week’s play and a squad’s overall outlook.
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