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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Pavel = Playoff-bound Panthers
By Rob Parent
Special to ESPN.com
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Pavel Bure says, "Normally, I don't like to play exhibition games," yet in a few rare appearances this preseason, he scored six goals. Bure, the league's purest offensive magician, is probably the game's most exciting player. To the Panthers, he is one-fourth of the club payroll and all of its playoff hopes combined into one precious package.
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Wed., Sept. 27
The Panthers have changed their team entirely. But Pavel Bure remains the key. When Bure is healthy, he lifts the whole team. He gives you 50 goals and a huge presence on the power play. They have been a team that's been very good defensively, but Pavel adds the scoring dimension no one else can. If Roberto Luongo can live up to his huge potential in goal, and they have a healthy Bure scoring, the Panthers will be a good team. |
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So, it'll be send Pavel right, send him left, send him up the middle. And it'll work, for the Panthers have surrounded him with a variety of talented forwards, including linemates Ray Whitney and Viktor Kozlov, and power-play complements Rob Niedermayer and Olli Jokinen.
Unfortunately, in games that Bure and his front-line bandmates don't cash in, there isn't much else to do but drop back and make kick saves. The Panthers are a team that not only doesn't get offensive support from its people on the blue line, but also can't count on much defense from them, either.
Florida's defense is anemic. Be it Robert Svehla, Jaroslav Spacek, Mike Wilson, Lance Pitlick – you name it, the opposition will take it – scoring chances are always to be watched for. The combination does make for exciting games, but is not made for postseason competition.
This time, however, there is a secret weapon in wait.
His name is Roberto Luongo, and yes, he is a kick and does make saves.
"He wasn't being lucky out there," Carolina coach Paul Maurice said after watching Luongo in a recent preseason game. "He was in control. That kid is phenomenal, and he's going to be a great goaltender for quite some time."
What he'll be is Trevor Kidd's understudy for much of the year. But unless Kidd has a steady and stellar season, look for the kid behind Kidd to start showing up in the crease more and more as the season progresses. Luongo, fresh from being dumped by the impatient boss running the New York Islanders' non-production factory, is primed for a big season in net for the Panthers.
What he might wind up being is a last-line option they'll count on to steal some wins for them in the playoffs.
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Bottom Line on the Panthers
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Pavel Bure
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Defense
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Depth up front
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Goaltending
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SEASON OUTLOOK: Scott Mellanby is trying to fend off age and regain some lost form. Rob Niedermayer is trying to fend off the critics and finally establish himself as a premier forward. If these two checking pillars have solid seasons, it would take a lot of pressure off the defense and give the Panthers a Southeast Division title they should win. One interesting subplot this season will be the way Terry Murray relates to the players he coaches. There is grumbling around the locker room that Murray's incommunicative style is wearing thin, while Murray's older brother – GM Bryan Murray – is supposedly mulling over a contract extension for him. If the head coach, always one of the best prepared in the league, can lighten up a little with his players, it would prevent an open revolt which would tear the Panthers apart. |
Rob Parent covers the NHL for the Delaware County (Pa.) Times. His NHL East column appears every week on ESPN.com.
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ALSO SEE
Atlanta Thrashers preview
Tampa Bay Lightning preview
Washington Capitals preview
Carolina Hurricanes preview
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