Now that Roberto Luongo, what do you think the Florida Panthers will look like? I will take a shot at it


Todd Bertuzzi - Olli Jokinen - Nathan Horton
Rotislav Olesz - Stephen Weiss - Anthony Stewart
Gary Roberts - Jow Nieuwendyk - Jozef Stumpel
Martin Gélinas - Chris Gratton - Jon Sim

Jay Bouwmeester - Mike Van Ryn
Bryan Allen - Sean Hill
Ric Jackman - Joel Kwiatkowski

Alex Auld
Jani Hurme


If Alex Auld play above average, the Panthers will be in the playoff. Todd Bertuzzi will compliment Olli Jokinen and Nathan Horton very well, while Bryan Allen is a Top-4 D. Florida just lost is franchise goaltender, but I won't give them beat too fast.

To me, this lineup is great. What do you think?

Post your lineup if you feel like!

No way Horton plays on the top line. I don't believe Horton played with Jokinen that much last year. Keenen will even out the talent on his lines.

Bertuzzi - Jokinen - Roberts/Stumpel
Stumpel/Roberts - Nieuwendyk - Horton
Gelinas - Gratton - Olesz
Stewart - Weiss - Sim

Bouwmeester - UFA (possibly Jovanovski)
Allen - Van Ryn
Jackman - Hill

Alex Auld
UFA Goalie (or they could get Esche)

The Panthers need a solid backup in order to help Auld. Auld was overplayed in Vancouver (he started over 60 games) and he started to play horribly at the end of the year. No way can the Panthers ride him like they did Luongo. The Panthers need their young guys to step up their play (especially on the 3rd & 4th lines). I think Florida has a chance at the 8th seed, depending if they can sign a good defenseman and a decent backup. I still think that it's no lock they get to the playoffs, afterall they don't have the most stellar defense in the league to shelter Auld. If Luongo barely managed to have under 3.00 GAA (he got 2.97), I can only imagine what Auld will get.

Horton played a lot with Joey Nieuwendyk last year.

I am not familiar with Alex Auld. I hope he can do something in net. Florida's back up goalie didn't play much last year.

John

according to floridas website they seem to have offered qualifying offers to the major players on there team
to bad wouldnt mind getting boumeester via three way trade  somehow
still thinking that keenan has something planned to land pronger though

   

From what I read, it seems like Loungo turned down some pretty good offers. He made some demands that weren't met and now he is out of there. I am sure the things he wanted won't be met by the Cannucks either. Now he doesn't have any of the things he wanted.

Real good Louie!

As far as Pronger coming to Florida, I am not so sure about that. I can tell you this much - I hated him when he played for the Blues. It seemed like every year the Blues and Wings were paired up in the playoffs.

Jay Bouwmeester is my Favorite Panther. He is the nicest guy to meet in person & is developing in to a good all around defenseman.

Just my two cents.


John

Luongo signs with Vancouver for 4 years ($27 million I think). He gets a no-trade clause for the final 3 years. I just think Luongo was tired of losing and wanted to go somewhere that had a chance to win the Cup, not making the playoffs.