The Florida Panthers have 17 games left to go in the 2014-15 season and regardless of the outcome I think it is safe to say the Panthers season has been a huge step forward for this team. Most people predicted teh Cats to struggle again to find traction in the standings, but here we are with a month to go in the season with the Cats on the cusp of clawing back into contention for the Cup. Today we shift our focus to the moves the Cats recently made in the days leading up to the trade deadline.Sean Bergenheim
Bergenheim is a polarizing figure. On the one hand he has been outstanding when he gets to the playoffs. He also has exceptional underlying numbers and produces at a decent rate considering the ice time he gets. Minnesota did well to pick him up for a 3rd round pick. On the other hand Bergenheim has been known to openly complain and even asked for a trade out of Florida. There was some bad blood between the Panthers and Bergenheim stemming from the fact that he injured himself playing in Europe during the lockout. The Panthers suspended him for not playing with insurance. He fought the suspension and won saying that he was injured in Florida the year before. So essentially the Panthers paid him full salary for getting hurt playing overseas. Bergenheim found himself in and out of the lineup this season and the Panthers had no interest in bringing him back with his attitude and injury issues so getting a decent pick for him was a pretty safe bet considering the Panthers have an abundance of forwards.
Tomas Fleischmann
‘The Flash’ has been anything but the past couple of seasons. After signing a four-year deal with the Panthers, Fleischmann went on to lead the team in scoring in his first two seasons. Unfortunately for ‘The Flash’ and for the Cats his game went off a cliff. He has been utterly terrible. On a team starved for offense, Fleischmann couldn’t bring any. The Panthers shipped him off to Anaheim where he will be united with former coach Bruce Boudreau where they hope to get him producing again playing with Perry and Getzlaf. Again the Cats received a 3rd round pick for a player that wasn’t producing and that they had no room for in the future. I like Fleischmann. He puts his life on the line every time he steps onto the ice due to being on heavy blood thinners. The dude also wears a rubber suit while flying to prevent his blood from clotting. I admire his dedication to the game. But I also am pleased with the return the Panthers got. Especially because Dany Heatley was included in the trade. If Heatley tears the AHL a new one he may get a chance in Florida this season. If not, it will still give me a chuckle knowing he was part of the deal to ship out Fleischmann. #50in07
Jaromir Jagr
Any time you can add a future hall of famer that is still producing for a 2nd and 3rd round pick you do it. The Cats crave offense and a spark to their PP and Jagr is going to provide that. He’ll be rejuvenated playing for a team fighting for their playoff lives. It will be awesome to have the old guy around the young core of this team for the stretch run. There is also talk about keeping Jagr around for next season, which I am completely on board with. If he provides 45-50 points next season and helps keep the PP stay in the top half of the league I think then it’s a great fit. I think resigning Jagr will also keep the Kessel trade talk at bay as well. With the picks shuffled around essentially the Panthers traded two players in Bergenheim and Fleischmann they weren’t utilizing to get an upgrade on the top line and powerplay. I’m guessing the interview process with Tallon to bring in Jagr probably went pretty smooth, just like George's with Kruger. Let’s just hope there’s not a boombox incident we're not aware of...
