On Frozen Pond

NO SIGN, NO KNIGHT: Panthers Trade Prospect Corban Knight to Calgary

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

Unable to sign him and unwilling to let him walk away as a free agent, the Panthers traded prospect Corban Knight to Calgary on Tuesday for a fourth round pick in the June 30 draft.

Knight, a fifth round pick in 2009, was quoted in Sunday's Edmonton Journal that he and his agent had spoken to the Panthers but "it turned out it wasn’t going to work out for both parties.''

Knight said he told the Panthers he wasn't going to sign by the August deadline, so Florida dealt him to his hometown Flames.

"When Florida did not sign Corban this spring we contacted them and asked for permission to speak with him,'' Calgary general manager Jay Feaster said in a statement.

"Florida granted teams, including ours, that opportunity on the condition that we were prepared to trade for his rights. During the past ten days we spoke with Corban and his agent, and were pleased to learn Corban wanted to start his pro career in Calgary.''

Knight, 22, scored 16 goals in each of his junior and senior seasons at North Dakota. As he completed four college years, Knight would be a free agent following his senior year -- something the Panthers avoided with blue-chip prospect Nick Bjugstad.

Florida signed Bjugstad and allowed him to play at the NHL level for the final weeks of the 2013 season instead of possibly losing him in 2014.

Knight signed a two-year deal with the Flames not long after the trade was announced.

Photo courtesy University of North Dakota

HUBERDEAU WINS TOP ROOKIE AWARD: Jonathan Huberdeau's Calder Trophy first for Florida Panthers

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

Jonathan Huberdeau's season started as good as it could get as the Panthers rookie scored his first NHL goal on his first NHL shot.

On Saturday, his season ended in fine fashion as well.

Huberdeau, the third pick of the 2011 draft, was given the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie for the 2013 season. Huberdeau became the Panthers' first winner of the award as he beat out Montreal's Brendan Gallagher and Chicago's Brandon Saad.

"It was a surprise. There were two other guys who had great rookie years,'' Huberdeau said from Chicago not long after accepting the award on the Hockey Night in Canada set at the Stanley Cup Finals.

"I wasn't expecting anything. I'm pretty happy.''

The vote was close as expected, with Huberdeau and Gallagher both receiving 54 first-place votes from the 179 members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association who voted.

Huberdeau, who tied all rookie scorers with 31 points and was second on the Panthers, ended up winning the award by 100 points.

Huberdeau set two franchise records, becoming the first Panther to
score on two penalty shots in one season (Feb. 21 at Philadelphia and March 5 vs. Carolina). Huberdeau's 31 points were most for a rookie in franchise history, edging out Radek Dvorak (1995-96).

"I think he's a great player,'' Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby said. "He's a great young player with a lot of skill. He seemed to adjust pretty quickly.''

The 2013 season was a long one for Huberdeau, one of four Florida players to play in all 48 games during the lockout-shortened campaign.

Huberdeau ended up playing a total of 84 games during 2012-13 -- 30 with his junior team in Saint John, New Brunswick, as well as six for Team Canada at World Juniors.

One of the first things Huberdeau bought once he got his first NHL paycheck was a new Ford Mustang convertible. Huberdeau knows exactly where his Calder Trophy can sit.

"For sure,'' he said. "I can put it in the back seat.''

Huberdeau opened his offseason by having hip surgery, a procedure he said will keep him off the ice for a few more weeks. Although Huberdeau said the injury wasn't anything major, it was serious enough to warrant surgery.

The Panthers expect Huberdeau to be fully healed for the start of training camp in September.

"The rehab is going well. I'm ahead of the process and am taking my time and doing it properly,'' Huberdeau said. "We knew it was something that was bothering me during the season, but I had it checked out more throughly at the end. I made the decision to have surgery because I'm young. The rehab would be easier now than later.''

HUBERDEAU UP FOR MAJOR AWARD: Calder Trophy Winner Announced Saturday Night

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau could become the franchise's first winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy for the league's top rookie on Saturday night.

The NHL will announce winners for a number of awards -- including the Calder, Hart (MVP), Norris (top defenseman) and Vezina (top goalie) -- prior to Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Winners for other awards, including top coach, were scheduled to be announced on Friday.

Saturday's awards will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network at 7 p.m.

Huberdeau, the third overall pick in the 2011 draft, tied for the rookie lead with 31 points off 14 goals. The other finalists are Montreal's Brandon Gallagher and Chicago's Brandon Saad.

PANTHERS MAKE A DEAL: Florida Acquires Bobby Butler for T.J. Brennan

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

The Panthers made a minor deal on Friday, sending defenseman T.J. Brennan to Nashville in exchange for right winger Bobby Butler.

Brennan, acquired this past season from Buffalo, played well in his short stint in Sunrise. Butler has bounced around the past few seasons. After playing for the Senators in 2011-12, he played for New Jersey and the Predators last season.

Both Brennan and Butler are restricted free agents come July.

Assistant general manager Mike Santos said Thursday that Florida doesn't have to tender its RFA players -- such as Jacob Markstrom, Peter Mueller, Shawn Matthias and, now, Butler -- until July 2. Santos added that the Panthers will tender those they want to tender prior to that deadline, however.

Butler, 26, is a Massachusetts guy who has 48 NHL points off 20 goals in 120 games. Butler scored four goals in 34 games between the Devils and Predators last season.

PANTHERS GET THEIR SCOREBOARD: County Tourism Taxes to Pay for New HD Scoreboard for 20th Season

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

Florida Panthers president Michael Yormark looked as if he had been called into the Principal's office for good portions of Tuesday's meeting with the Broward County Commission.

Yormark's mood changed once the scoldings ended.

After being dressed down and forced to apologize for the team's incomplete financial records, Yormark walked out of the Broward Government Center with a $4.2 million grant for a new scoreboard at the county-owned BB&T Center.

The motion to give the Panthers the money from the Tourist Development Tax's reserves passed by a 6-2 vote.

Sue Gunzbuger and Tim Ryan voted against and Stacy Ritter abstained as her husband Russ Klenet has lobbied for the team in Tallahassee.

"This was bigger than a scoreboard. It's about tourism and economic development,'' Yormark said outside the commission chambers.

"It's about creating more visibility for Broward County. We had a very strong case. We have developed a strong partnership with Broward County. .-.-. I thought we were going to get a fair shot. And we did.''

The day wasn't a lopsided victory for the Panthers, but it was close.

County auditor Evan Lukic spoke before the Panthers made their presentation for a new scoreboard and master control center to replace equipment the building opened with in 1998.

Lukic's report spelled out a number of financial discrepancies between the three companies which comprise the Panthers organization: The Arena Operating Company, Sunrise Sports & Entertainment and the Florida Panthers hockey club.

Lukic contends the AOC overpaid the Panthers by $4.2 million on arena returns yet underfunded its reserve accounts.

According to Lukic, one account that should have $2 million has a balance of just $163.81. Another account should have $3.3 million; Lukic says the balance is $6,712.41.

Yormark promised the situation would be taken care of by August 31 telling the board to "hold me accountable.''

"You've given us your word,'' commissioner Lori Wexler said, "and we've heard that before."

Yormark and the Panthers aren't arguing Lukic's finding but say it's simply an "internal accounting issue" which doesn't affect how the Panthers pay the county or does business. "We've been a wonderful partner with the county,'' Yormark added.

Lukic said without proper documentation from the Panthers, the county doesn't know how much money it should receive from the team.

Gunzburger said the Panthers paid the county $26,000 last year -- just the second time Broward County received anything since the arena opened.

The Panthers and the county have a complex profit sharing agreement in which Broward County basically gets 20 percent of every dollar over the first $12 million the team clears.

Ryan proposed lowering the threshold to $9 million although that was voted down by the same 6-2 tally the scoreboard was approved by.

"We work extraordinarily hard to drive the maximum profitability out of that building,'' Yormark said. "Our hope there is more distribution. Last year there was a small one. We're going to continue to grow our revenue.''

Although Lukic spoke out against the county paying for the scoreboard -- something he said the Panthers should pay for since the county wouldn't benefit from the purchase -- the commission didn't agree.

"You can't win them all,'' Lukic said. "I don't vote. I did my job today.''

A big turning point toward the Panthers getting the money came when Nikki Grossman, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the commission a large Jehovah's Witness international convention wouldn't come to South Florida without updated audio and video capabilities at the arena.

Although Wexler and others scoffed at the $96 million in economic impact the Panthers and Grossman claim the convention will bring, they mostly agreed the impact would be big enough to move forward.

The convention is expected to be held over four weekends next summer with potential return in 2015 and '16. The commission was told the event will bring 12,000 hotel nights to the county next June.

David Zimmerman, general counsel for the NHL, told the commission the NHL would bring its draft weekend to Sunrise within the next three years and promised South Florida was back in the rotation for future All-Star Weekends.

"This is the first time in which the status of their scoreboard crept into my vision,'' Grossman said afterward. "If we could have fit the Jehovah's Witness convention into the convention center, we wouldn't be here. They needed the larger venue and needed the scoreboard for their communications with other conventions.''

Yormark said the scoreboard would be ordered immediately and the old one would be dismantled and hopefully donated to a local high school soon.

The new scoreboard, Yormark said, would be in place by the Panthers' first preseason game in mid-September.

"When you look at what we've done to our building over the past decade, this is the final piece,'' Yormark said. "To have this behind us, to open our 20th anniversary season with a new scoreboard is exciting. The experience is going to be enhanced.''

PANTHERS GO FOR COUNTY FUNDS: Team Looks for New Scoreboard as NHL Promises Return of Draft, All-Star Game to Sunrise ... County Auditor Questions Team

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

-- First photo below is courtesy of the Panthers and part of their presentation to the Broward County Commission.

-- Second image is from the Panthers and the events they say they will bring to Sunrise and their take on the economic impact. These are their numbers, not mine.

PANTHERS LOOK FOR SCOREBOARD MONEY FROM COUNTY

The Panthers go before the Broward County Commission on Tuesday as they try to get a much-needed scoreboard for the Sunrise arena.

Michael Yormark says the Panthers can get a state-of-the-art board and a new master control center for $4.2 million.

If the county agrees to pay for the scoreboard, it will be in place by this coming season.

If they don't ...

"We've put enough money into the building,'' Yormark said, adding the team is spending $1 million to replace the original flooring in the main concourse this summer.

"We're not in the position to buy one. If the scoreboard just collapses next year, which I'm sure it will, we just won't have a scoreboard.''

Yormark said Monday that an NHL rep will be with him at Tuesday's commission meeting in Fort Lauderdale.

Why?

To tell the commissioners that if the scoreboard is approved, the NHL promises to bring the draft to Sunrise within the next three years.

It will also put Sunrise back in the mix for a future All-Star Weekend.

Yormark said Monday that while Sunrise wouldn't be at the top of Gary Bettman's All-Star list, the Panthers would be near the top if the commission approves the money.

High-profile regular season college basketball as well as NCAA and Conference USA men and women's basketball tournaments are also on Yormark's radar for the arena.

The Panthers hosted the All-Star Game in 2003 and are thought to be down on the list to host again just because so many other markets want it. That could change on Tuesday.

Yormark also said the Panthers would bid for the NCAA's Frozen Four.

"Our proposal is to bring value back to Broward County and to our hoteliers,'' Yormark said. "Hopefully the commissioners see that in good faith. We're not just trying to take money. We're trying to bring money and business back to Broward County.''

The Panthers will have to contend with county auditor Evan Lukic who will speak before the Panthers get up to the dais.

Lukic told me that the team should pay for such an upgrade themselves.

"They are responsible for replacing the scoreboard,'' Lukic said. "We are not. They have other means in which to pay for it.''

Lukic is also going to report to the commission that the Panthers haven't lived up to their contract as far as keeping reserve funds paid up.

Lukic contends the AOC overpaid the Panthers by $4.2 million on arena returns yet underfunded its reserve accounts.

Yormark and the Panthers aren't arguing Lukic's finding but say it's simply an "internal accounting issue" that doesn't affect how the Panthers pay the county or does business.

According to Lukic, one account that should have $2 million actually has a balance of just $163.81. Another account should have $3.3 million; Lukic says the balance is $6,712.41.

"It's set up so the AOC would always have sufficient funds,'' Yormark said. "This is just semantics. Have we ever missed a payment? No. Have we always met our obligations? Yes. There are no issues here. We haven't missed a payment on anything for 15 years.''

Writes Lukic: "Although the AOC has historically paid its obligations to the County on time, AOC has not properly funded the reserve accounts. This violates the Agreement, reduces the security for required payments to the County and reduces the ability of the AOC to fund additions and capital repairs.''

As far as paying for the scoreboard goes, Yormark says that bill should go to the county.

The Panthers, in the middle of a 30-year lease with the county, have the same scoreboard the arena opened with in 1998.

The new scoreboard would feature super-sized high definition screens sandwiched between two LCD ribbon rings.

The arena, Yormark says, desperately needs the upgraded video and audio capability.

"We have puts tens of millions of dollars into this building since it has opened,'' Yormark said.

"The county has not put one dollar into this building as a gift or as capital improvement. Not one. We've taken loans out, but we're responsible for those. It's their building. They own it.

"The scoreboard is a permanent fixture. If the Florida Panthers leave tomorrow, we couldn't take it with us. We've been a great partner. They haven't had to put any money into this building in 15 years.''

The current scoreboard has had a number of malfunctions over the past few seasons and Yormark said spare parts are growing scarce.

LOTTERY LOSS: Florida Panthers Drop to Second in NHL Draft as Avs Win Lottery

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

Panthers general manager took a cloverleaf up to the Toronto area on Monday hoping his franchise got lucky and kept its top standing in the upcoming NHL draft.

It didn't.

Despite finishing dead last in the NHL, the Panthers lost the draft lottery to Colorado. The good news for the Panthers is they couldn't fall any further than second overall. Florida holds the second pick with Tampa Bay choosing third,

The NHL draft will be a one-day affair this season and will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on June 30.

As Tallon said at the Panthers' season-ending media session on Sunday afternoon, the team figures to score no matter where the ping pong balls landed on Monday.

The 2013 draft is considered to be talent-heavy on the top end with at least three players projected to be NHL ready now or in the near future.

"We're going to get a really good player within the first two picks,'' Tallon said Sunday. "We're going to get a hell of a player.''

The top-rated North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting is defenseman Seth Jones, a native of Arlington, Texas, who is the son of former NBA player Popeye Jones.

Seth Jones played for Portland of the Western Hockey League and led all rookie defensemen in the WHL with 14 goals and 42 assists. Jones also was the youngest member of Team USA's gold medal team at the world juniors.

Center Nathan MacKinnon and winger Jonathan Drouin -- who both played for Halifax of the Quebec junior league -- are also in the running to be the top overall pick.

Drouin led the Mooseheads with 41 goals and 105 points to earn league MVP honors; MacKinnon had 32 goals and 75 points for Halifax.

"We're really on course. We're in good shape,'' Tallon said. "The NHL combine is at the end of next month and we'll have our organizational meetings there. I've been watching the top three and have a good feel for who they are.''

The Panthers have been lucky in the draft lottery before, securing the top spot in both the 2002 and 2003 drafts.

Florida, however, never used those top picks and instead traded them away.

In 2002, the Panthers didn't need a goaltender so they traded the top pick to Pittsburgh who took Marc-Andre Fleury. Florida slid down to No. 3 and took the player it wanted in defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.

Two years later, Florida decided it wanted Nathan Horton. Columbus wanted Rick Nash and dealt with the Panthers to move into the top slot. Both teams got the players they wanted with Nash becoming an All-Star selection for the Blue Jackets -- and a player they ultimately traded to New York last summer.

Both Bouwmeester and Horton asked for trades and were later dealt. Bouwmeester will make his postseason debut with the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday against the defending champion Kings; Horton won the 2011 Stanley Cup championship with the Bruins.

Since 2001, the Panthers have had eight top-10 picks.

Of those, all but Rostislav Olesz were in the league last season but just three remain with the organization.

Florida had all five of its top selections from 2008-11 in the lineup at some point this season -- including No. 3 picks Erik Gudbranson (2010) and Jonathan Huberdeau (2011).

Whomever is taken on June 30 could be in the lineup come October although the Panthers made both Gudbranson and Huberdeau wait a year before coming up to the big club.

"You see it coming but I want to win now and I don't want to wait for years to pass,'' defenseman Brian Campbell said of Florida's youth.

"Look at a guy like Huberdeau who solidified his spot here and is a top six forward in this league. We expect great things from his next year. He had a good year. Now he should want to have a great year.''

FLORIDA PANTHERS 2013: What Went Right (Not Much) and What Went Wrong (Where to Stop/Start?)

FIVE THINGS THAT WENT WRONG

-- Injuries took apart the Panthers as they led the league with 338 man games lost. Sure, some minor players were gone, but Florida really struggled without the likes of Stephen Weiss (17 games played), Kris Versteeg (10), Jose Theodore (15), Ed Jovanovski (six) and Sean Bergenheim (none).

-- The Panthers felt good after a rousing 5-1 win over Carolina to open things up, but things went south in a hurry. Florida lost its next five games and never recovered, finishing last among the 30 NHL teams.

-- Goaltenders Theodore and Scott Clemmensen got off to rough starts with Theodore tearing two groin muscles right as he was turning things around. Jacob Markstrom came up and showed promise as the future starter.

-- Florida's penalty kill was not only last in the league, but it was statistically the worst since at least 1997-98 (that's as far back as the NHL stats go). The Panthers gave up power play goals almost 26 percent of the time.

-- The Panthers got shutout seven times this season as consistent scoring was a problem throughout. The Panthers ended tied for last in goals scored and 29th in 5-on-5 scoring.

FIVE THINGS THAT WENT RIGHT

-- With so many injuries, the Panthers were forced to plug holes with younger players. The experience could prove beneficial in the future as Markstrom, Drew Shore, Nick Bjugstad and Quinton Howden found what it takes to succeed at this level. Jonathan Huberdeau looks like a future star as he tied for the rookie scoring title.

-- Without Weiss, Versteeg and Bergenheim, the Panthers got strong offensive seasons from Tomas Fleischmann (who led the team in scoring for the second straight season), Tomas Kopecky, Huberdeau and Shawn Matthias.

-- Florida's power play went through stretches without production, but for the most part was pretty good. The Panthers ended with a 20.4 percent success rate -- ranked sixth in the league.

-- Believe it or not, finishing last for the first time in franchise history may prove to be something that went right. The Panthers will find out Monday whether they will pick first or second in this top-heavy draft. Florida ended the season with 10 players on the roster who are 25 or younger and will add to that youth in June.

-- If you are going to have a season like this, at least let it be a short one.

PANTHERS CLEANOUT: Stephen Weiss, Jose Theodore Hope to Return ... Panthers Looking for Top Pick in Draft

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

Before speaking to the media Sunday afternoon, Stephen Weiss pulled off his baseball cap and tossed it into the locker stall that used to have his name on it.

Weiss says he hopes that locker space becomes his once more -- and says the Panthers have shown interest in bringing him back.

There are a few factors which could end Weiss' career with the Panthers. The main one, of course, being money.

If the two sides don't come together, it's extremely possible Weiss' return to the BB&T Center for Sunday's season-ending locker clean out day could be his last with the Panthers.

Florida ended the 2013 season with a 5-3 win over the Lightning on Saturday.

"I think the consensus is they want me back and I want to be back,'' said Weiss, who made his debut with the Panthers in 2002. "It's just a matter of the numbers game. .-.-. It's a business. Sometimes those things don't fit and don't make sense. I understand that. We'll see what we can do.''

How to handle the Weiss situation is just one of the many issues facing general manager Dale Tallon heading into this offseason.

Tallon, coach Kevin Dineen and many players talked about how the direction of the franchise shouldn't be judged on 2013's last-place finish. The Panthers lost a number of key players - Weiss included - for much of the 48-game season because of injuries.

Weiss is Florida's only major unrestricted free agent going into the offseason although the team seems to have interest in bringing back goalie Jose Theodore to compete with Jacob Markstrom.

Shawn Matthias, Jack Skille, T.J. Brennan, Matthias and Peter Mueller are restricted free agents.

"I want us to get better. I want to win,'' Tallon said. "I want to build on what we did last year and not tear down everything just because we had a 48-game season that wasn't an effective one. I'm going to erase this and keep adding pieces to the puzzle.''

The Panthers finished last in the NHL for the first time in franchise history and Dineen says things will change in Sunrise. Dineen and his coaching staff won't be one of the changes.

Dineen and his assistant coaches are signed through next season and Tallon said they would all return for the 2013-14 campaign.

"To be in the situation that the Panthers did this year, you have to address things as a team and we're going to continue to do that,'' Dineen said.

NEWS AND NOTES

The Panthers have a 25 percent chance to claim the top pick in the upcoming draft with the lottery held Monday night in Toronto.

Tallon says he is taking his lucky cloverleaf to Toronto for the televised event. If Florida doesn't win the top selection, it will pick second.

"We should get some exciting new pieces,'' Tallon said. "I'm excited about our future. The past is the past.''

-- Winger Kris Versteeg had knee surgery on March 25. Vertseeg says he has been off crutches for the past two weeks but won't be cleared to skate until August.

Versteeg also said he probably won't be ready for the start of the season. A November return, he said, is possible.

-- Theodore reiterated his desire to return to the Panthers next season but made it clear he would be fighting for the starting job and wouldn't just accept being Markstrom's backup.

Scott Clemmensen is signed through next season and could return if the Panthers decide not to bring Theodore back.

-- The Panthers will have a number of players competing in the upcoming IIHF World Championships starting in Sweden and Finland later this week.

Those participating: Nick Bjugstad (Team USA), Brian Campbell (Canada), Jacob Markstrom (Sweden), Marcel Goc (Germany), Tomas Kopecky (Slovakia) and Tomas Fleischmann (Czech Republic).

-- Jonathan Huberdeau ended the season tied atop the rookie scoring leaderboard after Edmonton's Nail Yakupov scored three goals in his season finale late Saturday night.

Yakupov scored six goals in the final three games and tied Huberdeau -- who had three assists Saturday -- with 31 points.

-- Dineen said training camp for the 2013-14 season would start Sept. 11.

OnFrozenPhone: Jacob Markstrom

Jacob Markstrom speaks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwPPzJBHotM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

OnFrozenPhone: Jose Theodore

Jose speaks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMtYWgsBy1g&feature=youtube_gdata_player

OnFrozenPhone: Ed Jovanovski

Ed Jovanovski speaks on Sunday's locker clean out...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nusi2A-6N3s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

OUT WITH A BANG: Panthers Rally to Beat host Lightning 5-3 in Southeast Division Finale ... Huberdeau Takes Rookie Scoring Title

PANTHERS 5, LIGHTNING 3

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

TAMPA -- It was most fitting that, as not only the NHL's southernmost teams but ones at the bottom of the league standings, the Panthers and Lightning officially closed the book on the Southeast Division (circa: 1998-2013) on Saturday night.

Although it may not be remembered long by haughty league historians or, well, most anyone else, the Panthers won the final Southeast Division game by beating the Lightning 5-3 in the season finale for both at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

With little on the line, Saturday's spotlight was on Lightning scorers Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos as they jockeyed for the league scoring title.

St. Louis won the title by scoring once and assisting on another to end with 60 points. Stamkos ended with an assist to finish with 57 points.

The Panthers ended with a little pride as they finished this brutal season ranked dead last in the 30-team NHL but with wins in two of the final three.

Jonathan Huberdeau finished his rookie of the year campaign on a high note by assisting on three goals to claim the freshman scoring title.

"They worked hard. We got a snapshot of our potential [Saturday] and got a gritty effort,'' said coach Kevin Dineen, who led Florida to the division title in his first season behind the bench last year.

"We got some real timely plays. It was good to get that comeback, show some belief and keep pushing in the right direction.''

With realignment coming to the league next season, Florida and Tampa Bay will remain together although they'll be heading deeper north more frequently in what could be called the Snowbird Division.

The Lightning and Panthers join Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa in 2013-14.

Washington won the division for the seventh time in the 14 year history which was highlighted by Stanley Cup championships by the Lightning and Carolina. Florida, like Atlanta, won the division just once.

"I think we're looking at a much tougher division when you look at who is coming and who we're going to be playing against,'' Brian Campbell said of moving divisions next year. "It's going to be an even bigger challenge for us.''

On Saturday, the Lightning took a 2-0 lead in the opening period before Nick Bjugstad notched his first NHL goal in his 11th game near the close of the first.

"We fought back and played hard at the end. That was good,'' Bjugstad said. "If I didn't score in 11 games, it would have been a long summer. I didn't even think about that shot; I just put it on net.''

Florida tied it on Tomas Fleischmann's first of two early in the second before the Lightning made it 3-2 when St. Louis cleaned up a loose puck behind Jacob Markstrom (28 saves).

The Panthers then outscored the Lightning 3-0 in the third as Scottie Upshall, Fleischmann and Marcel Goc all scored within a span of 14 minutes to put the Lightning away. Goc's ninth of the year went into an empty net with 48 seconds left.

NEWS AND NOTES

Jack Skille was scratched from Saturday's game as Dineen gave Eric Selleck a second NHL game. Selleck was knocked out during a fight in his NHL debut on March 19.

Selleck came up big in the third as it was his shot that Upshall followed up on to tie the score at 3 with 14:30 left.

"This last month was a long road,'' Selleck said afterward. "To get in and then get a point was great. This was a great win for the boys. This gets the confidence up for me moving forward.''

Dineen said not playing Skille was "an organizational decision," which he later explained as someone had to sit to allow Selleck to play following his concussion. "Believe me, I had a good talk with Jack,'' Dineen said. "There as no message being sent.''

Skille is a restricted free agent so it's up to the Panthers whether or not the seventh overall pick by the Blackhawks in 2005 will return. Florida acquired Skille late in the 2011-12 season for Michael Frolik.

-- General manager Dale Tallon didn't travel with the team to Tampa on Friday and stayed behind in South Florida as Sunday officially closes out the 2013 season.

Because Tallon has to be in Toronto for the draft lottery on Monday, the Panthers will hold medicals and exit interviews starting Sunday morning with the day lasting into the early afternoon.

Players will be free to head home - or go anywhere they like, really - once they leave the arena on Sunday.

COMEBACK KID: Peter Mueller Florida's Masterton Nominee ... Kevin Dineen Laments Last Place Finish, Long Summer ... Cats End 2013 Saturday in Tampa

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

Despite basically being locked down in a dark room because of severe headaches stemming from a concussion, Peter Mueller says he never doubted he would return to the NHL.

Two different concussions cost Mueller the entire 2010-11 season and more than half of the following season. A promising career looked derailed because of the head trauma.

"It never crossed my mind,'' he said. "I just knew, somehow, I was going to make it back. I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel.''

Mueller, now 24, battled back and played in 32 games with Colorado last season.

The Avalanche let him go after he scored seven goals with nine assists and he signed a one-year deal with the Panthers. Mueller didn't miss a game due to injury with Florida this season and has eight goals with nine assists in 42 games.

On Friday, Mueller was named Florida's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

The award is given to a "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.''

Mueller was Colorado's Masterton nominee last year as well.

"Hopefully this the last time I'm nominated,'' said Mueller, who missed five games this month to be with wife Taylar as she recently gave birth to their first child.

"In some ways it's an honor because it shows that with hard work and dedication through the offseason you can get back to where you were. It's been a tough stretch for me but I'm very fortunate to be where I am. I'm in good health and getting better every game.''

Tomas Fleischmann, Florida's nominee last season, played with Mueller in Colorado and saw first-hand what he was going through. Colorado obviously had doubts Mueller would ever be the player he was projected to be when he was the eighth overall draft pick by Phoenix in 2006.

"He's a really great player and you can see what he does offensively,'' said Fleischmann, who coincidentally signed with Florida after being let go by the Avs.

"I saw him in Colorado and felt really bad for him. He went through a lot but has accomplished a lot.''

Mueller is a restricted free agent after this season ends; both he and the Panthers expect him to return next year.

LAST PLACE 'STINGS'

Coach Kevin Dineen said following Thursday's 4-0 loss to the Maple Leafs that finishing this season as the last-place team in the NHL "stings" but fans should have faith general manager Dale Tallon will make the right moves in the offseason to get the team back on track.

Dineen spoke on Thursday night -- one day before Friday's one-year anniversary of the end of Florida's 2012 season which came in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Florida's 2013 season ends Saturday in Tampa.

"We're at the bottom of the pile,'' Dineen said. "That's a lot of hockey teams [above Florida]. You're always looking to try and reinforce some positives, but that is a brutal reality for our team. That's something we have to sit on for four months here.

"There are areas we certainly need to address and make sure we're back to where we were recently. .-.-. It's going to be a long summer.''

-- Rookie center Nick Bjugstad will continue his season after Saturday's finale as he was chosen to represent Team USA at the upcoming World Championships held May 3-19 in Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland.

Bjugstad was part of the USA team in the past two world junior teams. Florida athletic trainer Dave Zenobi will also be part of the team.

"I feel fortunate to be able to go and continue to improve by playing high-speed hockey with some older guys,'' Bjugstad said.

Center Drew Shore will not play at the worlds as it appears he will need offseason wrist surgery.

-- Jonathan Huberdeau will conclude his rookie season Saturday against the Lightning. Huberdeau has played in all 47 games to date and is expected to be a finalist for the Calder Trophy which goes to the league's top rookie.

Huberdeau is first in goals among rookies with 14 and is tied with 28 points.

SATURDAY: PANTHERS AT LIGHTNING
When, Where: 7 p.m.; Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa
TV/Radio: FSN; WQAM-560
The series: Florida leads 56-42-10
The game: This is the season finale for both teams and the final game between the two as Southeast Division rivals. Florida and Tampa Bay will stay together in a new division next season.

ONE AND DONE: Panthers to Finish Last in NHL after Leafs win Florida's Home Finale 4-0 ... Last Place a Franchise First

LEAFS 4, PANTHERS 0

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

As the Miami Heat continued its defense of the NBA championship on Thursday in Milwaukee, the Panthers made history of their own in their home finale in Sunrise.

This 'accomplishment' won't be celebrated nor honored with rings or banners.

By losing 4-0 to the Maple Leafs at BB&T Center, the Panthers will finish a season ranked last in the NHL for the first time in franchise history.

The Panthers had earlier clinched last place in the Eastern Conference for the second time in franchise history and second time in the past three years. Florida won the Southeast Division last season but have now finished last in the division in three of the past four years.

Florida has a 25 percent shot - best among non-playoff participants - to land the top pick in the 2013 draft when the lottery is held Monday night in Toronto. The Panthers can fall no lower than second overall in what is considered a very talented top-end draft.

The Panthers will play the final game of this abbreviated 48-game season, one that started on Jan. 19, Saturday in Tampa.

"It hasn't been an easy year for players or management and more importantly our fanbase,'' coach Kevin Dineen said. "For all of us, it was a pretty active season where things happened fast and furious. Days off were few and far between for all of us. That was the nature of the season.

"Unfortunately for us, once we got down we couldn't stop the ball rolling.''

Thursday, the Leafs - who lost in Tampa on Wednesday night - took a few minutes to get going but took a 1-0 lead after Leo Komarov fired a shot past Jacob Markstrom on the team's first shot 5:39 in.

Ten minutes later, Clarke MacArthur made it 2-0 when he followed up Jay McClement's shot off the rush and put the loose puck past Markstrom.

As has been the case the past few weeks, the Panthers didn't create much offense and only threw up five shots toward James Reimer in the opening period before ending the night with a 34-17 edge in shots on goal.

Things didn't get any better for the Panthers in the second as Phil Kessel got a pair of goals to give the Leafs a 4-0 lead headed into the final 20.

Kessel's first goal came when rookie Alex Petrovic unwisely passed to Peter Mueller instead of shooting in front of the cage. The Leafs picked up the puck and came on the rush with Kessel scoring off Nazem Kadri's rebound.

“These are hard lessons to learn,'' assistant coach Gord Murphy told Fox Sports during the second intermission.

"That’s what being professional is about, showing up every night and being consistent. They relaxed a little bit and thought it was going to be easy. These are hard lessons for these young men.”

Reimer made 34 saves to earn his career-best fourth save of the season and 10th of his career. Florida, which has lost seven of eight, has been shutout seven times this season.

NEWS AND NOTES

With Quinton Howden back from an illness and Tyson Strachan back from an upper body injury, the Panthers released Scott Timmins and Colby Robak from their active roster.

Timmins, 23, played in five games for the Panthers this season; Robak, who turned 23 on Wednesday, played in 16 games.

-- Erik Gudbranson worked out with the team during Thursday's morning skate but didn't play for the fourth straight game after being hurt in the final minute of last week's loss to the Rangers.

The Panthers have lost 331 man-games to injuries so far this season.

-- Tomas Kopecky, who came into Thursday's game leading the team with 15 goals, was named MVP of the 2013 season via an online vote.

-- Add another injury to the Panthers long list of them in 2013: On Wednesday night, in-game host Bill Murphy was hurt as he crashed into the boards during a pickup game at the BB&T Center.

Murphy missed his first game since 2002 as he suffered a broken clavicle and fractured a few ribs. "It could have been a lot worse,'' Murphy said Thursday morning from his home in Plantation. "I was actually pretty lucky.''

ALL OVER THE PLACE
Florida Panthers' season rankings since 2008-09

2012-13*: 30th in NHL/15th in Eastern Conference
2011-12: 14th/6th
2010-11: 28th/15th
2009-10: 28th/14th
2008-09: 14th/9th
(*) - 2013 season abbreviated to 48 games because of the NHL's lockout

PANTHERS WANT TO FINISH STRONG: Maple Leafs Here for Home Finale ... Cats to Honor Miami Canes Basketball Team ... Markstrom Stands Tall v Lundqvist ... Bouwmeester Headed to Playoffs

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

The Panthers play their final home game of the abbreviated 2013 season Thursday night and, unlike Tuesday, won't be able to postpone any playoff party for the Maple Leafs.

Toronto had been the only team since the 2004-05 lockout to not make the playoffs after Florida made it last season. For the first time since 2004, the Maple Leafs have secured an invitation to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

On Tuesday, the Panthers put off the Rangers' postseason berth with a 3-2 win at BB&T Center. New York, currently sitting in eighth in the Eastern Conference, just needs two of its available four points to advance assuming Winnipeg wins its season finale Thursday against the Canadiens.

After Florida's win on Tuesday, which snapped a six-game losing streak, the Panthers talked about their motivation coming into the game.

The team held a meeting on Monday and talked about which way they wanted to finish this thing out. They could continue down the losing path they were going - or do something about it.

Thanks to a stellar night in goal from Jacob Markstrom, they were able to at least get a late-season victory.

Florida finishes the season in Tampa on Saturday. Part of Florida's six-game skid was a winless four-game road trip in which the Panthers were outscored 20-5.

“We talked about it after we came back from the trip that it wasn’t pretty,'' defenseman Filip Kuba said. "We want some pride in our game and want to play good for our fans here.”

CANES HONORED

The Panthers plan to honor the University of Miami's ACC champion men's basketball team at Thursday's home finale with coach Jim Larrañaga dropping the ceremonial opening puck.

Larrañaga is expected to be joined by UM athletic director Blake James as well as assistant coaches and players.

“Many Panthers fans are also Canes fans,'' team president Michael Yormark said in a statement. "As a member of the South Florida sports family, we believe strongly in supporting our fellow local teams.”

-- With Peter Mueller back in the lineup, the Panthers parted ways -- for now, at least -- with forward Greg Rallo. With the season complete for the AHL Rampage, Rallo was "sent home for the summer," as Dineen put it.

Rallo, 31, played in 10 games for the Panthers this season and scored one goal.

-- Markstrom was expected to get a few stitches after Tuesday's game after getting hit with a puck. Markstrom needed a timeout to get patched up during the third period and spoke to the media following the game with a piece of tape loosely covering the damage.

"Instead of my health, I take care of this because I'm thinking of you guys,'' Markstrom joked about meeting the media before getting stitched up.

-- After Markstrom made 44 saves in Florida's win at Madison Square Garden on March 21, he spoke of how revered Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist is in his native Sweden.

"He's most definitely a role model,'' Markstrom said, "a hero to a lot of people at home.''

On Tuesday, Markstrom out-dueled Lundqvist for the second time in his career and is now 2-0 against him. Markstrom said he was just happy the Panthers got a victory.

"Just beating anyone is good,'' said Markstrom, who stopped 36 of 38 shots in the win. "I don't have that many wins. Hopefully we can build on this and get a few more wins before the season is over.''

-- Former Florida defenseman Jay Bouwmeester will finally see the postseason as his NHL record for not making the postseason will likely end at 764 regular season games.

Bouwmeester played in 471 games with the Panthers over six playoff-less seasons but will make the postseason this spring with St. Louis. The Panthers traded Bouwmeester to Calgary in 2009 after he declined offers to resign with the team.

The record will revert back to former Panthers' assistant coach Guy Charron who played in 734 games from 1969-80 and never made the postseason. Former Panthers captain Olli Jokinen held the record for a short time as well.

"Sometimes it just doesn't work out,'' Bouwmeester told reporters after Tuesday's win over Colorado. "You never think it's not going to happen."

THURSDAY: MAPLE LEAFS AT PANTHERS

When, Where: 7:30 p.m.; BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV/Radio: FSN; WQAM-560

The series: Toronto leads 31-24-7

The game: Florida plays its final home game of the 2013 season and searches for its first win against the Leafs. Florida has been outscored 6-2 in its two losses to Toronto. The Panthers play their final game of the season Saturday in Tampa.

PANTHERS NOTEBOOK: Mueller Returns to Lineup ... Theodore Done, Jovo Says Hello

TWITTER: @GeorgRichards

Peter Mueller was back in the lineup after his wife Taylar gave birth to their first child, a son named Charlie.

Mueller missed the four game road trip after returning home as the baby wasn't allowed to come home immediately.

"Everything is good, everyone is back home,'' Mueller said.

"The doctors and nurses were great. I got no sleep for a couple of days.''

-- Goalie Jose Theodore worked out on the ice before Florida's morning skate Tuesday but it doesn't look like he'll play in another game this season.

Theodore has been out since tearing two groin muscles at Carolina March 2.

-- Captain Ed Jovanovski visited the locker room following Tuesday's win.

Jovanovski had major hip surgery on April 5 and said he has no timetable for a return.

"I'm feeling great, going through therapy and am doing everything to make it stronger,'' Jovanovski said.

"It's responding well. So far, so good. No setbacks. It's no secret the surgery I had was pretty aggressive. I just want to do things properly.''

NEW YORK, NEW YORK: Panthers Slow Down Rangers with 3-2 Win

PANTHERS 3, RANGERS 2

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

The Panthers have had ample opportunity to slow down the playoff aspirations of opponents for the past couple of weeks.

Until Tuesday night, however, they didn't do anything about it.

Thanks in great part of a strong defensive effort and a terrific game from goalie Jacob Markstrom, the Panthers held off the Rangers' playoff party for at least another night by pulling off a 3-2 win at BB&T Center.

With a win, the Rangers would have clinched a playoff spot and assured the Panthers of the first last-place NHL finish in franchise history. Both of those things will likely happen before week's end.

Only they didn't happen on Tuesday as Florida snapped its six game losing streak.

"We had a meeting yesterday and talked about laying down and doing nothing or going out as hard as we can, win some games,'' said Markstrom, who went 2-0 against Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers by stopping 80 of 83 shots in the victories.

"The guys did a great job. We skated hard for 60 minutes. .-.-. The whole team, from the start, played confident and made that push.''

Markstrom took a puck to the chin late in the game but after a quick patch job returned to the net. Good thing. Markstrom, who stopped 36 of 38 shots on Tuesday, was a difference maker.

The Rangers, with two games left, need two points to advance to the playoffs; Winnipeg must win its finale and hope for some help.

"We were 1-1 against them and wanted to win this series,'' coach Kevin Dineen said. "It was a hard-fought win. It was good to get it in front of our fans and shut theirs up.''

The Panthers were held to a season-tying low two shots in a scoreless opening period, finally taking a 1-0 lead 5:04 into the second when Tomas Fleischmann got a chunk of a Filip Kuba wrist shot and put it past Lundqvist.

New York, which started a three-game winning streak by thumping the Panthers 6-1 at MSG last Thursday, tied the score in the third but watched the Panthers get the go-ahead goal when Marcel Goc redirected a Fleischmann feed on a power play.

The Panthers opened it to 3-1 on Drew Shore's empty net goal while Florida was killing off a penalty. That goal came up huge as the Rangers got their second of the night with 32.9 seconds left.

"We had a great team effort, got great goaltending,'' defenseman Brian Campbell said. "We found a way. We knew they were going to press. We did a pretty good job holding them off.''

PANTHERS HONOR BOSTON: Team Wears Boston PD Caps in Warmups ... Gudbranson Could Return, Kulikov Hurt and Likely Out for Season

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

BOSTON -- Not only did the Panthers wear '617' decals on their skates and helmets Sunday, but they wore 'Boston Strong' t-shirts purchased for charity underneath their warmups as well as Boston Police baseball caps.

Florida's trainers and equipment staff wore the Red Sox's 'B Strong' patches on the back of their jackets as well as the Boston Strong ribbon patch on the front.

Coaches, front office staff and team broadcasters wore blue and yellow ribbons.

Backup goalie Scott Clemmensen, a Boston College graduate, wore a different baseball cap during each period representing the Massachusetts State Police, Boston's District 4 and the Boston PD.

The Bruins had a postgame ceremony in which first responders were awarded jerseys from the game.

"We wanted to show our support here,'' Clemmensen said. "We got in [Saturday] afternoon and it was good to see people out and about after the week they had. The park by our hotel was pretty packed. It's good to see the reaction.''

-- Tomas Kopecky missed his first game of the season on Sunday as Scott Timmins was recalled from AHL San Antonio. Kopecky, Dineen said, "just can't play. He's hurting there a little bit.'' Kopecky could be back Tuesday.

-- Defenseman Erik Gudbranson missed his second straight game after hurting his hand/wrist in the final minute of Thursday's loss to the Rangers.

"He skated today, will skate [Monday] and I'm hoping he'll be ready Tuesday,'' Dineen said.

-- Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov and Jagr got tangled up early in the third and Kulikov hit the ice hard and awkwardly.

Kulikov was helped off the ice by trainer Dave Zenobi and didn't return. Dineen said Kulikov could miss the final three games.

"He won't be available,'' Dineen said, "probably for the rest of the season.''

DROPKICKED IN BOSTON: Panthers Lose Again, This Time 3-0 to Bruins

BRUINS 3, PANTHERS 0

TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

BOSTON -- The Panthers concluded their final real road trip of the year on Sunday afternoon and did so in a style fitting for this 2013 season.

As had been the case so many times before, the Panthers kept things close for much of the game but didn't have the firepower to overtake the host Bruins and lost 3-0 at TD Garden.

Florida has lost six straight -- including all four games of this season-ending road trip. The Panthers finish the season with a pair of home games before concluding things Saturday night in Tampa.

"There was enough try for us to be very competitive in this game,'' said coach Kevin Dineen, whose team has been outscored 30-8 during the losing streak.

"We have to go home and keep pushing with some dignity and some pride.''

The Panthers did more than their part in honoring Boston after this rough week as players came out for the pregame skate wearing baseball caps with the Boston police shield on them and played the game with '617' - the main Boston area code - decals on their helmets and skates.

Both teams came out sluggish after losing games on Saturday -- and neither has been playing very well of late. The Bruins, who pulled into a tie with Montreal for second in the Eastern Conference, had lost five of seven.

Just 3:03 in, the Bruins were feeling pretty good about themselves as Jaromir Jagr scored soon after the Panthers turned over the puck deep in their zone to make it 1-0.

Jagr's goal - only his second since joining the Bruins last month - was all Boston needed as Tuukka Rask made 28 saves to become sixth goalie to shutout the Panthers this season.

Florida had a couple of scoring chances but couldn't solve Rask as he picked up his career-best fourth shutout of the season. Boston took a 2-0 lead in the second when Dougie Hamilton scored then closed things out with Brad Marchand's empty net goal with 1:22 remaining.

Jacob Markstrom played well in the defeat, stopping 36 of 38 shots.

"Tuukka had a real strong game, made some big saves early,'' Markstrom said. "It's tough. There are a lot of good goalies in this league so we need to bear down when you get the chances.''