Panthers play risky game

The Florida Panthers were thought to have extinguished the stigma commonly pasted on expansion teams in their first years as an NHL franchise. Just two seasons removed from their inauguration, the Panthers had not only established themselves as a legitimate force, but threatened to become world champions in 1996.

However, years succeeding that majestic ascent have not been as kind – and more often than not, the franchise has had to deal with financial and competitive dearth. Perhaps that is in line with the laws of gravity, one may say, but the subsequent declination of the Panthers and the departure of Roberto Luongo left the club in a state of demoralized stagnation.

From second in the Southeast Division to a destitute fourth place over a period of eight seasons, the Panthers were bereft of any collective upside other than a few scattered gems obscured by perennial disappointment, including Scott Mellanby and Pavel Bure. A depleting fan base reflected futile attempts to redress their ineptitude.

But after years of festering discontent and apathy, those very same fans are in the heart of a playoff race, as the Panthers look to claim their first berth in eight seasons.

“Time and time again, these non-traditional hockey markets like Carolina, Tampa, Nashville, Dallas and even Atlanta prove that fans and the city will support good, playoff hockey,” said Craig Custance of The Sporting News. “It’s when you have long stretches of mediocrity without post-season hockey that you find the most serious issues.”

The importance of post-season contention was measured when general manager Jacques Martin opted to retain defenseman Jay Bouwmeester at the March 4 trade deadline, a precarious decision given the fact that he will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and could potentially leave the club without garnering any return.

“If you trade him for a package of players and prospects, there’s no reason that team still can’t make the playoffs, although it would have been hard,” said Custance. “By keeping him, there’s no guarantee Florida makes the playoffs and there’s a chance Florida doesn’t make the playoffs and loses Bouwmeester. If that happens, it’s a disaster. If they make the playoffs and sign Bouwmeester to a long-term contract after the season, then I’m completely wrong. But it was certainly a risky decision.”

Instead of being primarily concerned with long-term success, Martin tilted the pinball machine in hopes that the ball wouldn’t slip through the flippers. James Mirtle, sports writer and editor at the Globe and Mail, also believes that may perpetuate problems for the Panthers. Even if they qualify for the playoffs, he contends that nothing less than a shot for the Stanley Cup would deter him from testing the markets elsewhere come July 1.

“Bouwmeester wants to get as much money as he can,” said Mirtle. “He wants to go to somewhere he can win. And I think he’s already made that decision in his mind. The best way for Florida to keep him there would be to have a deep playoff run. If the team really shows it can win a couple of rounds in the playoffs, then that might be the only thing [that could sway Bouwmeester's opinion]. It looks unlikely, because they would be playing a top team.”

The urgency of a playoff push is apparent, despite the provocative no-move maintained by Martin. But as a team considered one of the struggling Sun Belt franchises, it could be said that the Panthers are obliged to force their way into the top eight of the Eastern Conference, making this season even more apprehensive and taxing for the team and its prospects.

In the midst of economic uncertainty, public motions for relocation – all of which have been downplayed by commissioner Gary Bettman – have gone astray. But Mirtle finds such pleas to be inaccurate, especially for Florida.

“The Panthers are locked in an agreement with the [BankAtlantic] centre because they’re the only tenant,” said Mirtle. “It’s the same for a lot of teams in [the Sun Belt]. The cities don’t want to have an arena sitting empty. Florida would have to pay a lot of penalties to get out of there.”

Of course, all of this could be averted if there are some fruits to bear in the next few seasons, and post-season contention this year could propel the Panthers away from any ominous conjectures. With a modest increase in home game attendance now lying at 14,901, the heat of a playoff pursuit has, to a degree, made hockey interesting again in Florida.

That said, the complexion of the Panthers’ future may very well begin to take shape as we speak. Another year of penury – should they fall short of the playoffs – could be devastating to a club which has had only one brief courting with Lord Stanley’s mug.