Every Thursday, I’ll be discussing 5 different topics that are currently on my mind regarding the state of the Florida Panthers.
1. G.I. Tro
Vincent Trocheck, aka G. I. Tro, has been on an absolute tear this season. With 11 points in 14 games (2 goals, 9 assists), it seems like G.I. Tro has adjusted to the speed of the NHL after an impressive rookie season in the AHL. Last season, we saw flashes of his game when he put up 8 points (5 goals, 3 assists) in 20 games. Trocheck has been a focal point in the Panthers offense and he is showing no signs of slowing down. In his most recent game against Detroit, not only did he have his first 3 point game but he also played near top line minutes (15:22 TOI). If Trocheck keeps this up, could be a dark horse in the Calder race this year?
2. Jussi J
Due to injuries through this season, the Panthers have dressed Jussi Jokinen as a center on multiple occasions. What’s great about Jokinen though is that he is a swiss army knife and can play many roles on the team. Whether it’s time on the powerplay or penalty kill, Jokinen can slot into nearly any situation. When his number is called, he steps up and plays a solid game for the Panthers and it’s nice to see some roster flexibility with him in the lineup. So far, Jokinen has yet to play a game where he’s under 50% in the faceoff dot and he is one of our top offensive players with 13 points (2 goals, 11 assists) in 22 games. The Jussi J signing looks better and better as the season goes on. Full credit to Dale Tallon for the great signing.
3. Improvements on the PK
The Panthers penalty kill has been such a sight for sore eyes this season. After an awful start, where the team’s PK was dead last in the NHL, the Panthers have made a solid improvement on the kill and have steadily solidified their defensive game . As of right now, the team ranks 16th in the NHL, with an 80.2% PK. I’d say that you could attribute this to solid play from MacKenzie, Kopecky, and Mitchell among others. They look calm and structured out there and it’s definitely a contributing factor to the team’s improved record this season.
4. Ekblad continues to impress
I know Panthers fans keep gushing about Aaron Ekblad but it’s hard not to. With two goals in the past two games, Aaron Ekblad has 13 points on the season (4 goals, 9 assists) in 23 games played. He’s tied 3rd in rookie scoring and he’s tied 25th overall in defenseman scoring. Besides his offensive prowess, Ebklad has looked pretty sound defensively, especially considering that he’s only 18-years-old. Watching him play defense is such a treat, his work on the boards and his well-timed poke checks continue to make an impression on me. If he continues to develop like this, I’d say the Panthers picked a future star with their 2014 #1 pick.
5. Young Panthers and their “struggles”
Dear Panthers Fans,
Huberdeau is having a solid season with 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) in 20 games. He has recently ramped up his offensive play after missing a handful of games from the flu and he’s starting to develop chemistry with Bjugstad. The biggest change I’ve noticed from he recently though is he is playing with a lot more confidence in his game. You’ve seen some slick stick work from him and a more impressive forecheck as of late. Another player you shouldn’t worry about is Aleksander Barkov. It’s easy to forget that Barkov is still a teenager, yet he’s assigned to play against the oppositions top competition and still hasn’t played a full season yet. Is his offensive game struggling? Yes. However, he has some very impressive possession numbers and he is doing a great job at shutting down opposing top players. His offense will come and with the way his defensive game has been, you can’t be disappointed in the teenager. He is a great player and “demoting” him to the AHL (as I’ve seen suggested), is a step in the wrong direction in my opinion.
If you’d like to discuss any of these thoughts, hit me up on Twitter!
Patric M. can be reached for contact on Twitter.
