Every day in every way, the current Florida Panthers remind me of the 1975 New York Islanders. A mere 48 years ago, Al Arbour's skaters were running neck and neck with Atlanta for the final playoff berth. Nobody thought Radar's stick handlers would get past the first round. Ditto for Paul Maurice's Cats.

1. Every day, in every way, the current Florida Panthers remind me of the 1975 New York Islanders.

2. A mere 48 years ago, Al Arbour's skaters were running neck and neck with Atlanta for the final playoff berth.

3. Just like this year's Wild Card Gallop, the Isles squeezed through right before the curtain came down on the regular 1974-75 season.

4. Nobody thought Radar's stick handlers would get past the first round. Ditto for Paul Maurice's Cats.

5. Big difference: the Isles went out in Game Seven of the third round. These amazing Panthers are in the Final Round. Yikes!

6. When the Nassaumen won their first -- and three more -- Stanley Cups, Arbour's most intimidating defenseman was Gord Lane.

7. Florida's answer to Lane is Radko Gudas, who makes opponents wish he would disappear. Ditto for Gordie, who played at the edge of the rulebook.

8. When it comes to pure clutch, Matthew Tkachuk is doing a better-than-fair imitation of Bob Nystrom, circa 1980.

9. I don't know about you, but I was not one bit unhappy to see the Hurricanes being swept out of the third round.

10. Maybe I was sensing incorrectly, but I could sniff a holier-than-thou attitude about the Canes during our first round against them.

11. That, and a bit of crybaby stuff via their coach Rod Brind'Amour; not at all my favorite bench boss.

12. There's more than a little bit of Al Arbour in Paul Maurice; especially when it comes to humor.

13. I could see Radar pulling off a "Bar Mitzvah" gag in a post-game presser the way Cool Poppa Paul did after Game Three.

14. Right or wrong; after virtually every playoff game -- then and now -- there's at least one referee call that hisses people off; but particularly the losing team.

15. Some observers are wondering about the media silence vis-a-vis the Islanders' high command.

16. How about the idea that there's nothing to report; so why report nothing?

17. If -- as reported, or hinted -- Peter Laviolette gets the Rangers coaching gig, it will refresh the Isles-Blueshirts rivalry; not that it needs much more mustard and horseradish.

18. I know at least two dynasty Isles who are thinking about doing books. (Right now, the rule is no names at The Cafe Discreet.)

19. I'm rooting for Florida in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final because I was impressed with their eleventh-hour surge into a playoff berth; and the continued surge right up until today.

20. Panthers GM Bill Zito did the same wise thing our Lou Lamoriello did: Battlin' Bill made sure he had two top goalies on his roster. Right now, Comrade Bobrovsky gives the Cats a reasonable chance for Stanley!