Super Bowl Sunday: Fleur-de-Champs

I'm in Charlotte -- OK, Concord, N.C. -- but the Panthers gathered in a restaurant in Raleigh, N.C., on Sunday evening with a few things on the agenda.

First, they needed a place to watch the Super Bowl.

Second, they were together for an annual rite of passage around the league as Florida’s rookies treated their team to what usually is a pricy dinner.

Rookie defenseman Dmitry Kulikov joked Saturday night that he knows his teammates won’t buy the “left my credit card at home’’ excuse when the bill comes, so he’s ready to just take it as it comes.

And that’s kind of how Kulikov has treated this season.

An 18-year-old when training camp opened in September, Kulikov was told by the Panthers that he would have a chance to make the team despite his age.

General manager Randy Sexton was ecstatic when Kulikov fell to the Panthers at 14 in last summer’s draft, Florida having Kulikov in their top four. Contract issues scared most teams away from the talented defenseman, but Sexton said the team researched the issue thoroughly and figured Kulikov could get out of it.

Once he did, Kulikov was cleared to open the season in the big leagues.

“Making the team right out of training camp was great and it’s been everything I thought it would be,’’ said Kulikov, now 19. “I just have to keep playing this way and keep improving every day. I can’t be too fancy. I have to keep things simple.’’

Kulikov had a strong training camp and looked like he belonged in Florida’s first two games in Finland. But he looked the part of a greenhorn in the Panthers’ first game in North America, as Kulikov got burned a few times in Florida’s 7-2 loss to the Hurricanes in Raleigh. Kulikov was a minus-4 in that game.

Coach Pete DeBoer says he can name the mistakes Kulikov has made since. Saturday night, Atlanta’s Evander Kane (taken fourth in last summer’s draft) was awarded an open net goal when Kulikov threw his stick at the puck as it was sliding toward the net. The puck was going in anyway; Kulikov was just trying to make a play.

“I’ve been very impressed. He’s going to be an elite NHL defenseman, not just a good one,’’ DeBoer said. “You forget how young he is. He looks like a seasoned veteran out there, hardly makes any mistakes. If he makes mistakes, for me, they are out of fatigue or is out-muscled. They aren’t mental errors or panic plays with the puck. That’s extremely rare for a defenseman coming into this league.’’

Sexton said he enjoyed interviewing Kulikov during the draft screening process and has enjoyed getting to know him as a member of the Panthers. Kulikov left his family behind in Russia to play in Quebec last season, the thought being he would improve his draft stock by showing the many scouts he could adapt to the North American style of hockey.

Kulikov also wanted to learn how to speak English. In just over a year, Kulikov could be considered fluent in three languages: Russian, English and French. It’s those kind of smarts and maturity that have teammates and coaches gushing over Kulikov’s future.

“We were lucky to get him at 14, but we did our homework,’’ said Sexton, who was Florida’s interim GM at the June Draft when Kulikov was selected.

“He’s shown flashes that he’s going to be a special player. And I use that term carefully. He has such a great passion for the game. He has a twinkle in his eye like there’s no place other than the rink he would rather be. That shows in his work and how he plays the game.’’

TRADE WORKS

Sexton said Sunday morning that the Panthers could make a trade or two before the Olympic break kicks in this weekend. The Panthers offense has been horrendous the past few weeks, with the team mustering just 12 goals in the past 10 games.

Sexton, who said Saturday night that he has spoken to every other GM in the league, says he has as many as nine different trade scenarios in the works.

“We are being active, there’s no doubt about that,’’ he said.

(*) The Panthers have three games before taking a few weeks off because of the Olympics. After the Panthers play host to the Bruins on Saturday, the team won’t return to action until March 2 when Florida returns to Atlanta.

Although some players will skate in Coral Springs during the 10 day down period, it will be on their own; the Panthers aren’t even allowed to open up the locker room for those players. The team officially returns to practice on Feb. 24. The league trade deadline is March 3, but moves cannot be made during the break.

(*) The Panthers will practice at the RBC Center on Monday afternoon before playing the Hurricanes there on Tuesday night.

Comments

[Timmys Jimmy]

If Sexton's going to make a trade, he should do it before the Boston game so the new guys can play with each other at least once.

[FLA Kittens]

Kulikov has been impressive. The only thing that he needs to work on is his passing, which takes some time. Next year, we will not be missing Bouwmeester at all.

Hopefully, the Panthers plan on skating during the Olympic break. They have looked like they are skating through mud, the last few weeks.

[Eric]

.....and in typical Panther fashion, Sexton will trade Kulikov........

[zenator]

After a decade of frustration, it is hard to be patient, but the Panthers are moving in the right direction. The team should not trade its future for a No.8 seed and a first round loss.
Vokoun has played great, the D is solid and the offense remains a work in progress, although a healthy Booth, Horton and Weiss would probably cure most of the offensive woes.

[Big Slap Shot Bob]

We need to get some points in these games before the break. I hope Sexton doesn't wait too long to pull the trigger. I'd rather go into the break at .500 or a game above than below. Let's get some momentum here, Sexton.

[Saskpantherfan]

Fun bit of info for you all today: Word up here in Canada is that Bob Gainey is stepping down as GM of Montreal... who could possibly be available right now to fill in for the interim... LOL Why there coach JM the coach might about to once again become JM the GM/Coach... this could be too good to be true.

[season ticket holder since day one]

the panthers have won 24 of 58 games of .414.

This team needs to be sellers and not buyers. If they become buyers just to make the playoffs to get swept then it will be just another set back like when they decided not to trade Bouwmeester to the flyers in an attempt to make the playoffs.

Wrong message, the goal should be to win the cup.

Blow it up now, sell, sell and build up some assets instead of relying on what on the same core.

[JoeSchmoe]

Yeah sth, let's sell and start rebuilding again to be out of the playoffs another 10 years. -_-"

[Saskpantherfan]

Yeah, that could be a little harsh. This team is not far off at least getting in and making some noise. We will never be like the Caps or Pens for awhile yet, but we can be much like the Hurricanes, Ducks or Bruins. Good drafting would be a great start obviously, and getting Kulikov certainyl show sthat they may be getting somewhere. The previous year we ended up with 4 players ranked in The Hockey New's top 60 players list, which is pretty impressive.

However some pieces on this team need to be moved. I think Olesz is our most tradeable asset (In that he is one of a few players the team can do without and would fetch the most of those players) Try to trade Kreps until the deadline and maybe get a draft pick of some sort back, then bring up Kendall. And if nobody offers anything for him, put him through waivers that day and see if someone will take him that way.

Truth is they dont need a superstar scorer, but they could use a player is a little more one-dimensional towards offence, that can still hold their own defensively. We have more than enough players who are 2 way players. Someone who has been there and can show guys like Frolik and Repik the way. I like the idea of a Fredrik Modin, Raffi Torres or Matt Cullen. Another name out there I like is Peter Mueller, though he would be a younger, full of potential than a leader.

[Big Slap Shot Bob]

Olesz's contract makes him difficult to trade unless we're taking back someone else's bad contract. Not many teams up against the cap can assume his 3.1 cap hit without sending back salary, so dumping Olesz's contract is not going to be easy if the goal is to free up space for free agency.

[season ticket holder since day one]

it will be another 10 years without winning a playoff game if we keep the same, President, GM, and scouts, we need to clean out the front office and then yes we need to sell.

If it is done right we can complete within 3 years, if we keep this path it will be another 10 years before we can compete