Little bit of news out of today's morning skate: First, Bryan Allen is out (he didn't skate because his knee is hurting him again) so Karlis Skrastins gets his first action.
Also, Belak and Kreps back in; Frolik and Stewart are out.
-- News out of Wild camp is that the already banged up Minnysota team will be without its main weapon: Marian Gaborik is out with what they are calling a lower body injury. That's good news for the Panthers. Should be a defensive battle out there tonight.
-- In a not-so-shocking move, the Blackhawks have put Denis Savard on waivers after Chicago's rough start. Joel Quenneville is in. Could see this one coming, what with Chicago bringing in Scotty Bowman and Quenneville during the offseason. Too bad for Denis; good guy and a good coach. And, the Hawks got their first win of the season last night, beating the Phoenix Jokinens 4-1.
With the Wild not having there 2 top guns in the lineup tonight, this is a game the Panthers have to win.
Posted by: Andy | October 16, 2008 at 01:40 PM
2 top guns? Gaborik is at 1 and 2?
Posted by: MN Hockey Guy | October 16, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Posted by: Andy | October 16, 2008 at 03:40 PM
No, I know...outside of Koivu, the Wild don't have much. Letting Rolston go meant missing the playoffs this year. Gabby will be dealt before the deadline, probably to Pitt for Staal and others. The guys injured constantly (see tonight for example). Cats win 4-2 tonight.
Posted by: MN Hockey Guy | October 16, 2008 at 03:54 PM
Russo in Russo's Rants raises the question of whether Gabby is really injured and hints that he may be being held out due to a possible trade. According to Russo, Gabby looked healthy yesterday playing soccer with the boys and Russo could not locate him in the training room today where he was supposed to be.
Posted by: zenator | October 16, 2008 at 04:48 PM
I saw Gabby out there yesterday underneath the Bank playing their SocVolleyball game too...he didn't look hurt to me, although I only saw him make one volley....could he be traded? sure, there's been speculation for a while on this one. Don't see him coming here, unless he met up with JM at Jamba Juice and told him "I really, really like it here and I'm willing to talk longterm.'' Don't see JM trading one problem contract (JayBo) for another (Gabby).
Posted by: grichards | October 16, 2008 at 04:59 PM
George:
James Mirtle recently posted a really interesting article regarding the impact of the decline of the Canadian dollar against the US dollar on next year's salary cap. The bottomline is that, if the present trend continues, the cap will, at best, remain even and more likely decline.
What do you think? How will it impact the Panthers chances of resigning J-Bo?
Posted by: zenator | October 16, 2008 at 05:21 PM
If it stays the same -- or goes down -- obviously teams are going to be tightening up. If it's money Bo is after, and since he still drives a Chevy Silverado not sure it is, he may only find the kind of cake he wants in places like Los Angeles.
Posted by: grichards | October 16, 2008 at 06:07 PM
An Everblades press release says the Cats recalled Shantz today. Is he maybe going to play backup tonight?
Posted by: Devin | October 16, 2008 at 06:47 PM
George, you better watch what you say, because that little joke up there is going to explode into a nationwide trade rumor, Gaborik for Bouwmeester... hey... it happened with Jokinen for Tanguay. A simple bit of speculation, or even a joke, can explode in your face and TSN will be all over it like white on rice.
Posted by: YearOftheRAT | October 16, 2008 at 06:50 PM
You don't believe Calgary was offering Tanguay for Olli? Of course they were. Florida just didn't bite -- for good reason...
Posted by: grichards | October 16, 2008 at 07:09 PM
apparently shantz will be playing for another ECHL team...panthers are assigning him -- loaning? -- to another team...
Posted by: grichards | October 16, 2008 at 07:15 PM
Im neither denying nor accepting that Calgary had made that offer... but that trade rumor was from the TSN Free Agency Frenzy broadband stream over the internet... when a caller called in and suggested that Calgary do this. Then it spread to HF, and the rumors never went away. But it was off speculation alone that sparked it as being a legit rumor.
Posted by: YearOftheRAT | October 16, 2008 at 07:36 PM
Thanks for the Shantz update. It was a little random seeing "the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League have recalled goaltender David Shantz."
Posted by: Devin | October 16, 2008 at 08:02 PM
nice effort tonight
George, have we not see this movie before?
That was a nightmare
Posted by: Andy | October 16, 2008 at 10:27 PM
Yep tonight flat out was a nightmare. Have no explanations for you on this one. they flat out sucked. But just like the high off the win. I only have 37 hours or so to deal with the low from the loss.
LETS GO PANTHERS!!!!!!
Posted by: catfan927 | October 17, 2008 at 12:51 AM
Catfan,
They were very flat and with all the time off and teh Wild missing there top 4 guys it was actually pathetic and most of the same thing and I am quite used to it by now. As much as they were flat it is also lack of talent. I will say this until the end of the year, this team does not have enough on the front lines and until JM takes his goggles off we will continue to see this. FYI, an AHL team is coming here on Sat night so don;t get too high if they win.
Posted by: Andy | October 17, 2008 at 08:09 AM