It’s a difficult thing for a team to admit when their season isn’t going as they wanted. However, for the Florida Panthers, that should be easier to take considering they have an extremely hopeful future ahead of them.
The Eastern divisions of the NHL are in a fierce battle for playoff spots. As it looks currently, both wild card spots will be awarded to Metropolitan Division teams. This makes it even more difficult for the already-struggling Florida Panthers to muscle their way out of their current low standing position and into a postseason slot.
For the pessimistic fans out there, you probably knew this season wasn’t going to be exactly “amazing” for the Panthers. However, this level of play seems to be below their standards. Nonetheless, where they stand now puts them in a difficult position.
So what can they do to fix it? Quite frankly, there isn’t a lot going for them right now. So for the optimistic fans, sorry that your hopes for this season were let down. However, here’s something ever Panthers’ fan should be smiling about.
The Future
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There is nothing more exciting than the future, right? Well, for the Panthers, that has to be exactly what they’re thinking.
They have numerous players marinating in the AHL. These include 2017 first-round pick Owen Tippett, 2016 second-round pick Adam Mascherin, 2014 second-round pick Jayce Hawryluk, and Henrik Borgstrom (now in college, meaning he has the potential to go pro soon).
Some of those players, including forwards Tippett and Hawryluk, are primarily goal scorers. Combine those players with Dryden Hunt, Denis Malgin, and Henrik Haapala, who are all in their twenties, and the Panthers are looking at an extremely promising group.
As for the goaltending situation, the Panthers currently have Samuel Montembeault in their system. With Roberto Luongo’s injury this season, next season might be an excellent time to allow Montembeault to showcase his talent.
Next: 3 Bold Predictions For The Panthers
Unfortunately, sometimes it takes injuries to reveal the depth in some teams’ systems. To this point, eight players, five of which have never played a single game with the Panthers, have been named. That’s a ton of promise right there. So while things may seem impossibly difficult right now, the present isn’t the most important thing to concentrate on.
Florida should concentrate on making those players grow and develop their strengths currently (wherever each is playing) and over their offseason.