Panthers' postseason drought now just one off the NHL record of...

why bother to even comment because I am so sad... oh well, Let's Go Penguins!!!!!!!!

Dismantle the pussycats, Bulldoze the building, and make way for the Marlin stadium in Sunrise. What a waste of space and money for South Florida.

They are the joke of the league. No prospects in the minors, lazy players on the big club and - ZERO- Management from the owner on down ! No playoffs for this club for another 10 years !

panther man wrote:

MESSAGE TO ALL PANTHER FANS DON'T GO TO TONIGHTS GAME
AN EMPTY ARENA SHOULD SEND A MESSAGE TO MANAGEMENT THAT THEY SUCK.

Sorry, but I will be at the game tonight cheering for the Panthers. It was an exciting season but they fell short. Many changes need to be made in the offseason, including the firing of JM. But, I remain a Panthers fan and won't run and hide like some of you Nancys.

ice hockey in South Florida? whos the idiot who came up with that? WHO CARES

ur an idiot wrote:

ice hockey in South Florida? whos the idiot who came up with that? WHO CARES

His name is H. Wayne Huizenga

Louie wrote:

<quoted text>
Sorry, but I will be at the game tonight cheering for the Panthers. It was an exciting season but they fell short. Many changes need to be made in the offseason, including the firing of JM. But, I remain a Panthers fan and won't run and hide like some of you Nancys.

Common Louie, you're a smart guy.
You're better than that.
All due respect, an empty building would send a message.
It's the only way to send any message to AC.
And lot's people have cancelled season-tix last few years.
Certainly showing up every game, year after year hasn't worked.
You could be the Point-Man to send the message to AC.
If he loses guys like you, maybe he'll sell, or drastically change things.
Otherwise, it'll be more of the same year after year....

I grew up watching and playing hockey. I love the sport but this is Florida. The only people that care for the Panthers are people who move here to retire. I don't no a single kid that follows hockey here in Florida. If you don't believe me, drive by a school on jersey day and see if anyone is wearing a Panthers jersey. I still don't get why we have a team here. Sell the team to and Canadian city and I bet they sell out every game.

By the way Go Habs!!!

Ignorance is bliss wrote:

I grew up watching and playing hockey. I love the sport but this is Florida. The only people that care for the Panthers are people who move here to retire. I don't no a single kid that follows hockey here in Florida. If you don't believe me, drive by a school on jersey day and see if anyone is wearing a Panthers jersey. I still don't get why we have a team here. Sell the team to and Canadian city and I bet they sell out every game.
By the way Go Habs!!!

Will the support here ever match that of a city in Canada...probably not but the Panthers had a good thing going here when they had a team capable of making the playoffs. The sad truth is the team has been mismanaged for years (even when they had a good team the management still wasn't that good IMO that's why it all fell apart so quickly) and that erodes the fan base no matter where you are at. I've been an NHL fan for years now and remember times when support for some of the teams in great markets was just as weak as it is here when those teams went through tough times. I still think with the right management South Florida could be a great hockey market. The fans are here, a lot of them are just phissed off and very bitter.

DK Schrute wrote:

<quoted text>
Will the support here ever match that of a city in Canada...probably not but the Panthers had a good thing going here when they had a team capable of making the playoffs. The sad truth is the team has been mismanaged for years (even when they had a good team the management still wasn't that good IMO that's why it all fell apart so quickly) and that erodes the fan base no matter where you are at. I've been an NHL fan for years now and remember times when support for some of the teams in great markets was just as weak as it is here when those teams went through tough times. I still think with the right management South Florida could be a great hockey market. The fans are here, a lot of them are just phissed off and very bitter.

DK, you make some excellent points. The population in south fla is so large that even if the majority of the population here are not hockey fans like say in Edmonton, there are still plenty of hockey fans around here to support the team. When the team starts making the playoffs the fans will come out of the woodwork, because once a true hockey fan, always a true hockey fan. Plus, with the rough economy, there is still more money here than in many other smaller markets. The Cats have got to turn this into a franchise that makes the playoffs, then you will see plenty of fans. The focus has got to be on winning, not just throwing t shirts and having ice dancers and lots of noise. This past season was the most exciting for the Panthers in a long time, and I've been watching since the beginning back in the Miami Arena.

AC Ponzi Schemes Inc wrote:

<quoted text>
Common Louie, you're a smart guy.
You're better than that.
All due respect, an empty building would send a message.
It's the only way to send any message to AC.
And lot's people have cancelled season-tix last few years.
Certainly showing up every game, year after year hasn't worked.
You could be the Point-Man to send the message to AC.
If he loses guys like you, maybe he'll sell, or drastically change things.
Otherwise, it'll be more of the same year after year....

My dearest Irvinian, you know I hold you and all the denizens of Irvine in high regard. I understand the point of a boycott, but I don't see it doing anything but eventually sending this team to another city (Irvine?), which is not what I want. Rather, I think that us fans need to continue to support the team and demand changes and a winning attitude. I do think that JM's time should be over here. It's been long enough, and he hasn't gotten this team into the playoffs. But even you have to admit that this past season was one of the best and most exciting Panthers teams in years. I enjoyed the team this season, and they played well together as a team. DeBoer did wonders with this team. You have to give me that, now don't you, my dear Irvinian?

Louie wrote:

<quoted text>
DK, you make some excellent points. The population in south fla is so large that even if the majority of the population here are not hockey fans like say in Edmonton, there are still plenty of hockey fans around here to support the team. When the team starts making the playoffs the fans will come out of the woodwork, because once a true hockey fan, always a true hockey fan. Plus, with the rough economy, there is still more money here than in many other smaller markets. The Cats have got to turn this into a franchise that makes the playoffs, then you will see plenty of fans. The focus has got to be on winning, not just throwing t shirts and having ice dancers and lots of noise. This past season was the most exciting for the Panthers in a long time, and I've been watching since the beginning back in the Miami Arena.

Thanks, even though the season was ultimately a failure because they didn't make the playoffs there were some positives. I know we hear this every year but despite not agreeing with Martin's vision of the team I think progress was made which I haven't felt the last couple of playoff misses. We seem to finally have found a good coach, David Booth had his first 30 goal season which 2 years ago no one would have predicted, Weiss had a career high in points and stepped up some what, Frolik was a find and a good amount of the guys played hard. Ultimately the lack of forward depth due to the overspending on the D caught up to them in the end and the goalies despite having good numbers were too up and down. I know when Anderson comes in and wins a couple of games everyone on here goes nuts for him but he had a couple of chances to be the #1 guy and couldn't do it.

Bottom line;

If you put one or two 30 goal scorers on this team with Weiss, Booth, Horton and Frolik... no one will be able to touch us. Make Weiss the captain and keep the A's on Stillman and McCabe. I say keep Zednik and Dvorak for energy on the 3rd and 4th line but all that crap will work itself out in the coming weeks. As for defense, the time has come to say goodbye to Jay Bouuuuuuuuuuwmeester. Goodluck to him and his future en devours. But people need to stop complaining about what happened with him and the deadline because nothing can be done now. I supported the trade, most of us did, but it didn't come. We paid for it. Oh and Booth isn't going anywhere so everyone who has been saying otherwise can stop. I do think it is time to get rid of Kreps, Peltonen, Tarnasky, Mclean... especially Mclean. Repik has earned a top spot here. This is clearly just my opinion. We'll see though, when it comes down to it Kreps is pretty solid in the face off circle.

I am just praying that management signs some free agents this year. We have the money and we have the NEED for top line talent. Looking at the list of potential upcoming UFA's, things should be exciting.

As for the people saying the season finale should have been boycotted... wow. You deserve to be gagged. We all knew going into that game that the Panthers weren't going to get in, but we true fans walked through those doors with our heads held high. Although, the entire game I could not stop thinking about games a few weeks ago against the Lightning and the Blue Jackets. And the Thrashers... we see now how important every game is. But I was in my usual section 131. And I will be next year.

Who you guys taking in the playoffs?

Sat's game against the Caps was exciting and shows how much talent the Panthers do have. Anyone remarking that it's crazy to have a hockey team down here is kind of silly too. Hello! I think there are plenty of northern transplants living in S. Fla. and there are local ice and roller hockey teams. I'd rather sit in a nice, air-conditioned arena than watch men run around a bunch of bases in the hot sun for nine innings, anytime!

Louie wrote:

<quoted text>
My dearest Irvinian, you know I hold you and all the denizens of Irvine in high regard. I understand the point of a boycott, but I don't see it doing anything but eventually sending this team to another city (Irvine?), which is not what I want. Rather, I think that us fans need to continue to support the team and demand changes and a winning attitude. I do think that JM's time should be over here. It's been long enough, and he hasn't gotten this team into the playoffs. But even you have to admit that this past season was one of the best and most exciting Panthers teams in years. I enjoyed the team this season, and they played well together as a team. DeBoer did wonders with this team. You have to give me that, now don't you, my dear Irvinian?

Watch out Louie. The poster Potvin will say you're not a fan if you call out the GM, demand changes and/or a winning attitude as he has with Red and others.

Jack Tupp wrote:

<quoted text>
Watch out Louie. The poster Potvin will say you're not a fan if you call out the GM, demand changes and/or a winning attitude as he has with Red and others.

Jack, I think that the buck stops with the GM. If the GM cannot produce, he has to go. JM has improved this team this past season, but he has not succeeded in getting the Cats into the playoffs. And the offense was always the weak point with this team and not enough was done by JM to address that problem. So I do think it is time for JM to move on. I actually like the guy as he is a true hockey guy who knows the sport and has been around the NHL a long time. But really, there is a time for everyone to move on and JM's time has arrived, if for no other reason than to give the fans some hope that real changes will be made to get the team into the playoffs next season. I'd like to hear real arguments from anyone who disputes my premise that JM should go---maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. What are your thoughts on JM as GM here in Fla?

Louie wrote:

<quoted text>
Jack, I think that the buck stops with the GM. If the GM cannot produce, he has to go. JM has improved this team this past season, but he has not succeeded in getting the Cats into the playoffs. And the offense was always the weak point with this team and not enough was done by JM to address that problem. So I do think it is time for JM to move on. I actually like the guy as he is a true hockey guy who knows the sport and has been around the NHL a long time. But really, there is a time for everyone to move on and JM's time has arrived, if for no other reason than to give the fans some hope that real changes will be made to get the team into the playoffs next season. I'd like to hear real arguments from anyone who disputes my premise that JM should go---maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think so. What are your thoughts on JM as GM here in Fla?

Jacques has always been an underachiever, given the talent he has had to work with in St. Louis and Ottawa. What he is doing, or not doing, now in Florida is just par for the course. A lot of feathers, but not much chicken.
Florida needs a guy like Pat Quinn to come in and adjust some attitudes in the dressing room and the front office as to what it takes to become a perennial contender.