Happy Thanksgiving! Panthers lose, but steal a point

The Cats didn't give fans much to cheer for throughout yesterday's pre-Thanksgiving matchup against the Devils, but made up for it in the closing minutes of the third period, breathing life into a dead offense, with David Booth banging home a goal with seven seconds remaining to tie the score at 2. Hadn't seen that kind of excitement in the team, or the building, in a long while. The loss was only delayed, finally sealed in OT, but the final ten minutes of the last period were definitely something to build upon. That one point the team scrambled for was as impressive as they come. Nice job against a hot New Jersey squad. Showed some real heart.

Stephen Weiss: 2G,

David Booth: 1G, 1A

Jay Bouwmeester: 1G, 1A

Bryan McCabe: 7(!)SH

Thanks, Illegal Curve.

Cats win - barely - in Tampa Bay, 4-3 (SO)

I blew that one, alright. Don't know why I thought the Canadiens/Hurricanes game of last night was going to be on Versus, but I'd swear I saw it somewhere...Hmmm. Maybe it was the cheap Merlot.

On to happier thoughts. Bryan McCabe is beginning to make JM the GM look brilliant, garnering two goals in what appeared to be a game headed for blowout status. Vokoun's 49(!) saves stopped all three shots in the shootout frame, and Nathan Horton woke up just in time to score the winner.

Tampa kept it interesting, blasting home three unanswered goals late in the game, so they walk away with a point, but hey...statistically Ottawa is worse than the Panthers! Steve Stamkos obviously felt comfortable (9 shots) with his new linemates. The Lecavalier/St. Louis/Stamkos combo could be quite potent over time.

Sunday's Forgotten Man

Yes, it's an old picture. Sue me.

Lost in the orgasm of David Booth tributes, let us not kick aside the herculean efforts of goaltender Craig Anderson, whose 44 saves were as good as another three goals-for. You have to see what he did in order to fully appreciate it. Classic Andy; we are beyond lucky to have him.

Enjoy the video since it contains FSN play-by-play broadcaster Steve Goldstein's epic Darth Sideous impersonation.

Continue to bathe in the sunshine and rainbows knowing that Stephen Weiss and Jassen Cullimore had two assists and a plus-2 apiece, with McCabe and Frolik each picking up an assist.

Post-Game Roundup

Not gonna spend much time gloating over this one. It was certainly not a gimme: 50 shots against T-Vo made this a spectacular evening. BTW: the Cats had 35. Back on the road tonight at St. Louis, 8:30 pm.

Full recap - with video highlights (which I'll include on a daily basis from here on out) over at NHL.com...a sight that continues to impress me with the features they offer. HOWEVER, I've got a beef with them which I'll go into later today.

GR at The Herald checks in with the Miami view of the evening's events. Line of the night, via Vokoun, following his 47-save winning effort: "It was a war." He wasn't kidding.

The Sun-Sentinel had no recap of the game (what...it's a long drive from Lauderdale???), but did weigh in earlier yesterday with an update on The Dueling Bryans, Allen (surgery Monday) and McCabe (skating to resume next week).

More to come...

End of Days: Booooth! First Two-Goal Game (and a winner in OT!)

Winger David Booth, in just-released third-jersey attire, leads his rag-tag, fugitive band of Panthers to the dressing room following a career-performance against the Atlanta Thrashers. Get some, Minnesota...

The pressure continued on both ends through the third period, a mirror-image of the first two. Upon reaching OT, David Booth seemed to never leave the ice. He had The Look, and his mates recognized it. Great stuff: first dual-goal for The Dude, first NHL victory for coach Pete DeBoer, fisrt win of the season for the Cats, and after 60-plus minutes on the ice within 24 hours, Jay Bouwmeester gets a few moments off.

As for Bryan McCabe, possible two weeks on the shelf. Great news...could have been far worse. Get well soon, Bryan!

Gonna absorb the happenings and get back with more info.

Go Cats!

McCabe: Back Not Broken

Panthers defenseman Bryan McCabe did not break his back, as revealed by an MRI today.

More to come.

GAME NIGHT! Thrashers at Cats

Shot just minutes ago, the crowd outside BankAtlantic Center continues to grow, winding its' way through downtown Sunrise, in anticipation of the Panthers' Home Opener.

Just got home from work...a longer day than expected, so this first post of the day will accurately be portrayed as a "phone-in". Set the bars low, people, cuz this guy needs a shower.

Bryan McCabe's status remains unclear, and I'll post up anything new upon hearing it.

Atlanta beat Washington(!) last night in Blueland...7-4. That Theodore signing is reaping rewards for the Caps, eh? Couldn't see that one coming.

Awright. Enough. Gotta get cleaned up for tonight's gala event. Be back in a while!

Renewed Interest in the "C"

"How to draw Olli Jokinen."

It wasn't me, folks. Go here...

Do the Panthers head into the season minus a captain? The talk of the league seems to be centering on captains.

It appears every member of the Cats has worn an "A" over the past two weeks. When asked my opinion, I honestly had no clue; the possiblities are varied and many. However, I've made up my mind.

Weiss has always been a favorite of the pundits. Stillman's got the hardware. McCabe's been a captain. I've seen it written that Ballard has the goods to make for a successful leader.

But it's Horton's ship. Now is the time to turn it over to him, the defacto head of the party, so to speak. A tremendous commitment has been made by the club to build a team around his presence, and anything less than handing him the keys would be a mistake.

Is there risk involved? Of course. He could revert. His mentor was, after all, the last captain of this club. Bad habits? Uninspired play? All a possibility. But I doubt it. Give the kid a chance.

So, The Litter Box officially endorses Nathan Horton for the captaincy (I'm gonna take a boatload of heat if this experiment doesn't work out...).

On the Glass - Sunday: Cats fall to Isles, Notes

It's still the preseason, right?

Good thing, too. Otherwise we, the Illustrious Twelve, might be looking a bit confused, as in "Is this 2005, 2006, or 2007 all over again?"

Fear not, loyalists. Just workin' out the kinks. Behold the third kink in a row, last night's neutral-site game against the Isles in PEI. A 4-2 loss. Not much good can be taken away from this one. Collectively, the Cats have netted 6 goals in the past three contests, while giving up 15. At least yesterday they were only down by two at the final buzzer. Craig Anderson took the loss. Oh well. Today holds game 6 of 6 straight. In Montreal. I don't know whether this Panther club is composed of heroes or fools. We'll see.

Anyway, for a local gander at the loss, The Guardian provides a bit of insight.

"The first-ever NHL pre-season game on Prince Edward Island attracted 3,129 fans to the 3,500-seat Credit Union Place."

Back in South Florida, The Miami Herald looks at Bryan McCabe's whirlwind first few weeks with the Cats.

"McCabe said one of the reasons he wanted to play for the Panthers was that he liked what he saw in the Panthers' young core. Nathan Horton, Stephen Weiss and Rostislav Olesz are locked in long-term, and McCabe has talked about Florida finally making that next step and getting into the playoffs."

The Palm Beach Post has crickets.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel offers up an interesting article covering not only the game, but the welcoming party which came before it.

"We got off our flight [Friday], spent over nine hours traveling here and to have people show up like that is exciting," (Gregory) Campbell said. "For us to have a warm welcome like that after a long day is pretty special."

As for the game itself:

"Three Islanders goals were on the power play, including two on 5-on-3s. New York outshot the Panthers 29-20."

Not so welcoming. Is it discipline, or a lack thereof? How many years have we watched this club take bad penalties? Granted, some nights it's injuries. On others it's the officials. Still others display a lack of skill or competition with the rival team. A bad omen, especially against a - sorry, Isles fans - beatable New York squad. C'mon Pete...get 'em into game shape. Year after year we hear the blather about getting off to a quick, successful start. And every year it fizzles. Cut the kids, assemble an NHL lineup tonight against the Habs and rock their world.

It's not the Years, it's the Mileage

Coach Peter DeBoer (left, in white) marches his weary Panthers split-squad eastward to Prince Edward Island following a stinging defeat Friday in Calgary. Florida plays its' fifth game is five days Saturday evening against the Islanders.

Game four of JM's "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" tribute tour suffered a severe flat tire Friday night, as his Cats were emasculated at the hands of - gulp - Mike Keenan and his suddenly fiery Flames.

Tied at 2 after twenty minutes, the primarily minor-league-staffed Panthers collapsed into a defenseless shell, ultimately surrendering 6 more markers to Calgary's top-tier summer acquisitions.

Is the travel beginning to catch up to them? The prospect of two more games in as many nights? The expected confusion resulting from a new coach, his new systems, a bunch of kids looking for ice time to prove their worthiness, a number of freshly-minted arrivals from other clubs? Perhaps all of the above. Or worse, perhaps a message sent via express mail to Martin, the architect of this "Cannonball Run"-style schedule.

As professionals, I cannot believe for more than a moment that anyone wearing the Florida uniform "gave up". But people - even highly compensated athletes as stereotypically humble as hockey players - have their limits.

On a night where Tomas Vokoun - in his first start of the preseason - must face over 40 shots, nothing appeared to have gone as expected. DeBoer must make the inevitable personnel cuts, releasing kids to their junior or minor league assignments, and pull his troops together. The time for experimentation has officially ended, in my mind.

The Calgary Sun has reason to gloat about their home team's performance. Also at the Sun, Bryan McCabe's new situation has garnered their attention.

A bit further to the southeast, the Palm Beach Post has nothing. Nothing. But we knew that.

The Miami Herald's George Richards looks at D Jassen Cullimore's attempt to reclaim his spot in the lineup, as well as a capsule summary of last night's disaster. What more can really be said?

"Peter DeBoer's first comment on Friday's 8-2 loss at Calgary: 'Burn the tape.' "

Can we love this guy even more?

Richards' blog looks ahead to PEI (which will NOT be live blogged. Serious jones.) and Montreal.

Steve Gorten at the Sun-Sentinel doesn't have a new story for today, but his blog recap from last evening tells the tale.

And so ends the nightmare. On to PEI.

Shootout Hero: Bryan McCabe?! Cats Cap Oil in EDM

First off, I've got to admit that I missed the first, second, and 15 minutes of the third period last night. Not to worry, I was having a grand evening. Upon arriving home and locating - with a bit of difficulty - the appropriate sports radio station in Edmonton (excellent broadcast but they may want to consider hyping the game a bit on the website), I discovered the Panthers and Oilers to be locked in a 2-all battle.

After last night's victory in Calgary, I half expected reality to come crashing down, the Cats sinking into the Third Period Psychosis which has plagued them for so long. It'll happen; they'll settle back, get defense, on their heels, take a bad penalty, and play scared...somehow knowing the shoe is going to drop. Ask any Florida fan about it. It lives. It breathes. It should have it's own sweater with a number on it - probably 666. But...

...they didn't lay back. Their heels never dug in. The wafting ghosts of JM the Coach and Olli the Captain never appeared. There was a certain...confidence? Yeah, I guess that's what it's called.

C'mon...it'll happen in the OT. Nope.

Five minutes later, we're on to the shootout. Ok...here's where we excel: dropping it in the SO. How many points has this squad surrendered in the shootout over three years? Countless. Somehow, they stayed cool. You could feel the calm, the steadiness. Coach DeBoer had his troops mentally prepped. For the first time in a decade, one got the impression that the Cats wouldn't be rattled.

Goals by Nathan Horton, Cory Stillman, and Bryan Freaking McCabe(!) put the Cats over the top against a more or less split squad of Oilers in the shootout. Florida rookie goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu (referred to consistently by Oiler broadcasters as "BeckMAN-Tseu") absolutely shined in the fight-dominated 3-2 win (Tanner Glass is gonna feel this one for awhile).

Preseason, yes. But nice nonetheless.

It's a rematch tonight, as the Panthers set up for exhibition game three.

And on to the newsies:

NHL.com's News, Notes, and Numbers from the night.

TSN reproduces a Canadian Press summary of the game.

The Miami Herald's George Richards saw a bit more of the game than I did.

"Chris Beckford-Tseu started in net for the Panthers in their preseason game at Edmonton, surrendering two goals in regulation but saving his best in the end. Beckford-Tseu gave up two goals in the shootout, but stopped Edmonton on its final three shots for the winner."

The Sun-Sentinel's Steve Gorten gives his view of the action.

"The Panthers had two power plays in overtime, but came up empty and are now 0-for-14 on power plays in two preseason games." Scary, but not disastrous yet.

The Palm Beach Post has this.

More to come later today, kids, as we prep for another night of Alberta action.

Monday Primer: Vokoun, Camp Day Two, Zeds

Autumn is a mere one hour away, or at least it was when I began banging out this post, which reminds me that I should have had today's morning submission completed many hours ago. This whole "employment" thing is really getting in the way. On to more interesting matters...

Steve Gorten profiles Richard Zednik's return to action in an upbeat article from the Sun-Sentinel.

"General Manager Jacques Martin described Zednik, 32, as "anxious" to pick up where he left off last season. The streaky scorer posted six goals and three assists in the four games before Feb. 10."

Sick numbers during an impressive run.

On the same path, the Columbus Dispatch looks at the NHL's - and specifically, the Blue Jackets' - on-ice emergency procedures in the wake of Zednik's Bad Day. A number of various scenarios are played out in an effort to increase efficiency during an unforseen event.

"'My vote is, leave the helmet on, barring any type of facial trauma,' said Dr. Joseph Ruane, team doctor and a sports-medicine physician."

Interesting stuff.

George Richards details T-Vo's increased comfort level over last season.

"''Last year was a year of transition for me,' said Vokoun, a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team in 2008."

Forgetting the obvious but lame reasons why goalies can't be captains, I REALLY wish DeBoer would break with tradition and name T-Vo as commander-in-chief. His passion and frustration with losing made him an early fan favorite around these environs. He reminds me a bit of Mike Liut and his canned rage. Now that's passion.

A change of scenery will work to Bryan McCabe's advantage, says David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail.

"He got through the whole situation without getting down," Belak said. "I don't know how anyone could have handled it as well as he did."

"...He brings a lot of leadership to this team, which is what we need. Last year's team was a little quiet. It was kind of divided in the locker room."

You don't say?

Good Morning, Losers!

Steve Simmons of the London Free Press opines:

"If you want to know why the Maple Leafs gave up on and gave away Bryan McCabe, here it is in a nutshell: McCabe got to pick where he wanted to play and he chose the Florida Panthers. Translation: He doesn't give a hoot whether he wins or loses and the Leafs were well aware of that. Who would want an apparent leader who is happy playing for a team in a messed-up market that never contends?"

Going purely on the use of the term "messed-up market", couldn't that firmly apply to Toronto the past few years?

Not That Anyone Recalls The Incident, But...

Thanks (and BIG thanks for the mention!), Earl Sleek at AOL Fanhouse.

Stoosh Kills Two Birds with One Stone

They really didn't like this guy. Nice touch on the Florida dig. Quaint.

Thanks, Pensblog

Dust Continues to Settle

Hadn't seen this bit of info before now, but certainly found it interesting if true:

"The New York Rangers. The Florida Panthers.

Those were the teams Bryan McCabe presented to the Maple Leafs as preferred destinations for a trade this summer after realizing the Toronto organization no longer wanted him."

Hmmm. Don't usually see those two lumped together, except when discussing playoff underachievers.

Mike Zeisberger has the call from The Sun.

Editorials Trickling In

In response to a particular under-the-radar transaction today, a number of media members are beginning to weigh in with their opinions on what went down. Interestingly, though not unexpectedly, the focus of most often turns to the presumed falling-out period between the Leafs and their former defenseman.

There's a lot of animosity toward McCabe, but no less than that directed at Mats Sundin, Kyle Wellwood, Darcy Tucker, et al, for not waiving their no-trade clauses at the latest trade deadline, the very same no-trade clauses the Toronto Maple Leafs - or more accurately, deposed GM and Teacher's pension fund puppet John Furguson Jr. - included in their contracts. Presumably without MAC-10s to their heads.

Ask any of those "fans" who pummel these folks: "As a player, would you have taken the same deal?"

The what-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitude has become a constant in the Toronto media, and among fans. Read any talkback on TSN, Sportsnet, Slam! Sports, etc. Quite an education in obsession and, in some cases, rage.

Without further ado, and more importantly, before I have to get up for work in three hours, a couple of editorials on what is shaping up to be the biggest story - and worst-kept-secret - of the late summer.

WES GOLDSTEIN (CBS SPORTSLINE) produces a nice middle-of-the-road piece on what McCabe is facing in a so-far-happy move to South Florida.

"I loved my time in Toronto because there's no place like it in the hockey world, but I'm really excited about being in Florida," McCabe said.
"They've brought in a lot of young talent and I really truly believe they have an opportunity to absolutely make the playoffs and hopefully make a run for the ultimate prize. Hopefully me and the other new guys can help put them over the top."

FROM THE WORLD OF OPEN-SOURCE, The Bleacher Report's Bryan Thiel puts up a good review of McCabe's time in TO and what he may bring to the Cats.

"But Florida is getting something special. Whether he scores 20 goals for them or not, McCabe will bring his all, and he'll be committed."

THE THROW-IN FOURTH ROUND PICK is a make-nice, sorry-for-the-trouble gift horse from Cliff Fletcher, Leafs' GM, as reported by the Sun-Sentinel's Steve Gorten.

"Either way, the Panthers at least get something back for the disasterous trade they made in February, giving up a third-rounder for forward Chad Kilger"

Lots more to come, kids, in the next few days. If nothing else, dealing with Toronto is always an exercise in a ginormous preponderance of opinions. TLB will stay on it. Mostly. Cuzz I'm getting carpal-tunnel syndrome from typing "Toronto" and "Bryan McCabe".

Custance on The Deal, and Fan Reactions Gone Horribly Wrong

A POSITIVE NOTE Craig Custance of The Sporting News has a surprisingly upbeat - given the molotov cocktails recently tossed - take on the trade that brings former All Star defenseman Bryan McCabe to Florida.

"The trade gives the Panthers a defenseman who can move the puck to the club's young forwards. Factor in the draft-week deal with the Phoenix Coyotes for defensemen Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton to go with franchise defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, and (GM Jacques) Martin has the Southeast Division's strongest blue line and one of the league's deepest."

A breath of fresh air, and an opinion that Cat fans will warm to.

CONSPIRATORIAL OMISSION? As of 10:15 pm, The Panthers official site has not updated the roster to include McCabe. Mike Van Ryn is however off the list. Number 24 remains available.

And no, I do not see this as anything more than a website update not yet completed. The deal's done.

YOU WANT WHAT IN THERE??? A talkback from obviously HUGE McCabe fan FU8AR on the SportsNet website speaks for itself:

A reasonable McCabe deal with Florida would need to be McCabe and a third round draft pick for Bouwmeester, Matthias, and a 1st round draft pick.

Speechless. Was that his mother? And yes, he/she ultimately gets worked by his own brethren.

Considering the drivel shown below which the Leafs willingly partook in, I imagine "surprise" is not an emotion I should revel in when thinking of the educated Toronto fanbase:

How Big is YOUR Cone of Death? Oh, and Some Guy Named McCabe

Should be a slow week, weather-wise, for South Florida. And indeed, those are THREE individual storms. Good stuff.

J-BO COMMENTS ON GLUT OF D-MEN In other "news", The long-anticipated McCabe and fourth-rounder for Van Ryn has thankfully, officially, been completed. Bravo JM for a job I personally view as well done, and all the best to MVR in Toronto.

I find the most interesting aspect of this entire affair to be the response of Jay Bouwmeester to the deal which may have sealed his fate in Florida:

"It's been a revolving door with players, coaches and general managers. Hopefully they can get something to stick."

You'll notice his employment of the word "they" when referring to his current hockey club. Make of that what you will. The guy has been through more regime changes than the Louisiana house of representatives, so one can understand his ambivalence, but just sayin'. A fascinating read on the link above.

Standing By...

As expected the 'net is bogged down with stories reporting the almost-guaranteed deal between Florida and Toronto. The links to them are truly without end.

"Say...which deal would that be?" Have we had anything else to discuss recently?

According to many sources the Leafs will give up a draft pick in addition to Bryan McCabe for Mike Van Ryn. The only new item here is the pick.

Like the rest of the hockey world, I stand in anxious, sweaty anticipation of this deal, if for no reason other than it'll hold us over until the Rookie Tournament.

But there is another reason: this is one great acquisition. McCabe really is a big-name player, and not due simply to his few on-ice gaffes of recent seasons. His day was up in Toronto easily a year ago. A reinvigorated BMac could possibly morph into the best offensive-defenseman the Cats have ever had. He's got the tools, the talent, and the opportunity of a lifetime to prosper away from the glare of the Ontario media, who have been brutal, as have Leaf fans.

Just waiting for the press release...