The Panthers came through 1-1-1 on their 3 game homestand, a true mixed bag. The last two games, back-to-back, left a sour taste in the mouth of many a fan. However, fans should not be discouraged. Though we obviously want, and need, more out of the team, the situation is not bad or hopeless. Step away from the ledge. Today, we have quick bulletins, and a discussion of how the Panthers performance thus far stacks up over team history.
Links and Bulletins
- Looks like we’re going to be a little light on the bulletins this week. *sad trombone*
- ICYMI, we have a new edition of the Pirates Periodical.
- Jayce Hawryluk finished his week with a goal and two assists against Kootenay and Moose Jaw in the WHL.
- Lawson Crouse had 2 goals, and Juho Lammikko had a goal and an assist as Kingston dropped two games 6-3 to Peterborough and Oshawa this week in the OHL.
- Samuel Montembeault made 45 saves on 48 shots, ending the week 1-1-0 for Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL
The Week Ahead
We have Road Warrior Cats this week, as the Panthers sweep through the State of California.
11/4/15 – Florida Panthers @ Anaheim Ducks
The Panthers start their week off in Anaheim. They face a Ducks squad that has had a tumultuous start to the season. The Western Conference Finalists from last season currently sit last place in the Western Conference, having scored just 14 goals over their first 11 games. Rumors of head coach Bruce Boudreau’s demise have swirled around the team, but he remains behind the bench. They recently went win-less on the 5-game road trip. However, they won their first game back home against the Nashville 4-2. This team is sure to be ornery.
11/5/15 – Florida Panthers @ San Jose Sharks
The Sharks are looking a bit better early this season, after they missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade in 2014-15. San Jose is holding 3rd place in the Pacific Division at the moment, in a tight four team pack at the top of the Pacific Division. They will face a struggling Columbus Blue Jackets squad before taking on the Panthers this week
11/7/15 – Florida Panthers @ Los Angeles Kings
After a down year that saw their team fall apart and miss the playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings appear ready to make some noise this season. They are tied in points with the Vancouver Canucks, and lead the Pacific Division on their superior 7-3-0 record. They will face a couple of tough Central Division foes in the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues to start off their week.
The Hat Trick
The First 11: Now that the 2015-16 season has seen its first month enter the books, lets take a look back on this first segment of the season. The Panthers have earned 12 points through the first 11 games of the season thus far. This matches last season’s total through 11 games. The Panthers 5-4-2 record this year though, is better than last year’s 4-3-4 mark. Ideally, you’d like to see more movement in a positive direction. Generating one more win is mildly encouraging, but the Panthers need to see growth in points. However, the current standing should not be wholly discouraging.
The current pace is not too far removed from where Panther playoff teams of years past have been after 11 games. The Panthers have recorded 13 points or more in this opening segment of the season in their 4 playoff seasons. They also had a 13 point start in 2005-06 that went without a playoff appearance. However, the Panthers had just 9 points through 11 games when they missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker in 2008-09. Historically speaking, the Panthers right now sit at the bottom cusp of where playoff hopes lie.
The Next 11: The important thing for the Panthers is to keep a solid effort going through out the season. After all, it was a rough January that likely sunk the Panthers playoff hopes last season. That’s why it is important to be solid in every segment of the season, and it starts with the next 11 games.
Historically, the Panthers playoff teams have performed at a similar level to the previous 11 games. All playoff teams have scored 13 points or more in their appearances, but three of the four teams had 15 points or more. That’s a high bar, and this year’s Panthers will probably need a similar performance over these next games. The 2008-09 Panthers are a cautionary tale of what may happen if they do not. They collected just 10 points over their next ten games, barely improving upon their last 11 games.
The Panthers will enjoy a slight home ice advantage in their schedule coming up, with seven games slated for BB&T Center. They will play the struggling Anaheim Ducks twice and Calgary Flames once. They will also play the Buffalo Sabres. There will be stiff challenges though. The Panthers will face the Los Angeles Kings and the Tampa Bay Lightning twice each, and the New York Rangers once. This will not be an easy road. However, we should gain a lot of confidence in this team if they survive this trial. The Panthers just need a hero.
Where Do You Stand?: Now that we have discussed how the Panthers performance fits within the context of team history, let us discuss in terms of how they compare to other teams through history.
Currently, the Panthers sit 4th in the Atlantic Division, behind Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Boston. They are also 9th overall in the Eastern Conference. Last year, their record was good enough for 7th in the Atlantic, ahead of only woeful Buffalo. They were also 12th in the Conference, notably ahead of playoff team Washington, who was 13th. It is interesting to note that the same three teams that at the top of the Atlantic today are the same that were top three last season at this time. The Atlantic though is much tighter than last year. The spread between last year’s 7th place Panthers and 2nd place Montreal was seven points(12 to 19). This year, the spread between 7th place Buffalo, and 2nd place Tampa Bay is four points(10 to 14).
Should this be the trend for the season, the Panthers will need to win to keep pace with the pack, but the opportunity to advance upward with solid play will be there as well. The Panthers fate is in their hands.
Make sure to tune in next week for another edition of Monday Mania!
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