Olympic Radio With Goldie and the Beezer ... All-Stars Returning?

There was some confusion yesterday on where the Olympic hockey games could be found on local radio.

We finally found out -- with no help from the internet.

The Gold Medal game between Canada and your Team USA will be on at 3 p.m. on Sunday. It will be on NBC-6 in Miami and on 940-AM as well.

Florida TV voice Steve Goldstein is calling the game for Westwood One with former Panthers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck doing color.

Goldie says he is having a blast working the games but is looking forward to joining up with us all again Tuesday in Atlanta.

Somehow I don't believe that last part.

-- According to Sarah Talay at the Sun-Sentinel, the Panthers have made a formal bid to host the NHL All-Star Game in either 2011, 2012 or 2013. Of course, if the NHL doesn't go to the Socchi Games in 2014, I guess the Cats could bid on that All-Star Game as well.

Florida hosted the game once in 2003.

Of the major All-Star Games, South Florida has been host to three in the most recent past: NBA (1990 @ Miami Arena), NHL (2003) and NFL (2010). 

Pittsburgh is one of the cities bidding and since they have a new arena, they are getting one of those three.

Philadelphia, Carolina and Ottawa (ugh) are also supposedly in the running.

None of those cities have had an All-Star Game since moving into new arenas, so, I wouldn't be shocked if Florida's bid is near the bottom of the list -- although the airports in Fort Lauderdale and Miami don't close in January like those other ones are prone to do.

I am very surprised that Glendale is not bidding for one of these, but they haven't had one either.

If PNC Park in Pittsburgh doesn't get next year's Winter Classic, you can bet that the 2011 All-Star Game will be in the Penguins new home.

Panthers Vacation is Over: Nathan Horton Not Skating ... Tomas Vokoun is Back but Clemmensen IN vs. ATL ... Dennis Seidenberg Wants "To Be Part of the Solution"

BY GEORGE RICHARDS

The Panthers were back in Coral Springs for Day 3 of their mini-mini camp. Everyone was out there save for Tomas Vokoun and Nathan Horton.

Vokoun may be back on the ice for Saturday's big season ticket holder party at Incredible Ice.

Horton said he tried skating and there is still pain in his leg but he has been “working out pretty hard” with strength coach Craig Slaunwhite.

“Every day I'm feeling better, but there's still a little pain when I press on my toe,'' said Horton. “Hopefully that will go away quick so I can get back on the ice with the team. I had another test, and it's healing. I'll be going back to get checked again in a few days. I went on the ice and tried it, but I can't put all my weight on the toe and that makes it hard to skate. It's getting better every day. It's real soon.''

Added coach Pete DeBoer: “It was a pretty significant injury and we're right around the six week mark with it. The initial prognosis is eight weeks and sometimes guys come back early. We're pushing it, he's pushing it. It's not something you can play through without doing more damage. We have to push that fine line and make sure it's stable when he's back.''

Horton says the Panthers have a long way to go to make the playoffs but it can be done. Of course, that's been said before.

“We're not going anywhere unless we put our heads down and win some games,'' he said. “We have to win a fair amount of them. It's not fun. We don't want to be in this position. .-.-. We know we have to win every game now. That's our focus. We know we can.

"It's definitely getting old and everyone feels this way. But we're in this situation and we have to do our best to get out of it. There's not much else you can do but work hard and play together as a team, finish the season right.''

Horton says the players are trying to put the trade stuff behind them. Word is, only a handful of players are untouchable with the Panthers right now – and Horton isn't one of them.

The players believed to be off limits for trade talk are young players like Dmitry Kulikov, Michael Frolik, David Booth and that's about it.

That doesn't mean a whole lot of players will be moved between Monday and Wednesday's trade deadline. A few will, for sure. But I would think some of the Panthers big moves – if there are any – would wait until the draft when you can get a much better return for your money since no one is in the middle of a playoff run during June.

“That really has nothing to do with us, but our play on the ice has a lot to do with it,'' said Horton, in the midst of his finest season with the Panthers before getting hurt off a Dennis Seidenberg shot.

“We're not playing together every night. We're not going to win games because we don't look good out there. We have to come together, play together and play hard. We have to show the fans and the organization that we are a team that can make the playoffs.

“Everyone here in South Florida, those involved with the hockey, are sick of not being in the playoffs. It's frustrating to come close. It doesn't matter. You want to be in it. Everyone realizes it's getting old and we need to fix it.''

-- DeBoer says Scott Clemmensen will start Tuesday in Atlanta and then “we'll decide from there” regarding Wednesday's game against the Flyers at The Billboard.

Of course, Vokoun may no longer be with the team come Wednesday, although he didn't offer any hints today whether he thought he would or not. DeBoer says Vokoun “is going to be a big part” of the Panthers final 20-plus games.

Vokoun has made 21 straight starts for the Panthers dating to Dec. 31. He also started all five games for the Czech Republic at the Olympics.

“He's played a lot of hockey, done a lot of traveling,'' DeBoer said of Vokoun. “He's played a lot of emotional hockey, playing for his country in that setting. I don't think it's fair to plop him in that game on Tuesday and Clemm hasn't played in a while and should be rested or ready.''

As far as Vokoun goes, he says the Olympic experience was pretty cool – although he would much rather still be in Vancouver than in Coral Springs. No offense taken.

“It was pretty cool, especially the hockey – playing in Canada it got amazing coverage and Vancouver was packed for the games,'' said Vokoun, who backstopped the Czech team through Wednesday's quarterfinal loss to Finland.

“We stayed in the Olympic Village and it was pretty hectic, playing every other day. I got to see some old faces, guys I played with before. It was a lot of fun. .-.-. There were a lot of fans for all the sports and it was pretty amazing to see.''

As far as Friday's semifinals went, Vokoun said he would find out the scores but wouldn't be watching.

“I've seen plenty of hockey,'' he said, “and I have a lot left in front of me.''

-- Dennis Seidenberg was back at practice today after reporting back to the team on Thursday. Seidenberg's German team went 0-4 at the Games and was knocked out by Canada on Tuesday.

As far as losing to the Canadians, Seidenberg said his team talked about what a great upset it would have been to beat the home team, although reality set in as they ended up losing 8-2.

“We kind of knew we were going to lose so we just enjoyed it,'' said Seidenberg. “We took in as much as we could. We definitely thought about the upset because beating Canada at home would have been the biggest upset in some time. But in the end, it wasn't meant to be. It was a good time. The city was just, downtown, everyone was outside partying. It was a neat experience to be there.''

As far as the Panthers go, Seidenberg says he knows he probably won't be around much longer – although he would like to be.

He says the Panthers have not spoken to him about whether he wants to stick around after this season. I would think Florida would like to have him back for the near future, and if he was open to a new deal, that could keep him here. It sounds like he wants to stay.

“I know I'm on the trade block and could be out of here in a couple of days,'' Seidenberg said. “But I want to stay, I want to be part of the solution. I would like to stay. It's a tough situation knowing I could be gone. It's weird, but that's how it goes in the NHL. You just deal with it. There's been no talks the past few days. I just hope I stay until the end of the year and then we can talk about it.''

-- Will have more on how other players spent their Olympic break in Sunday's Miami Herald as our Sunday NHL Extra section makes its triumphant return.

Wings and Pucks: Panthers Back on Ice, Team USA as Well

The Panthers are expected to hit the ice at 2 p.m. today at Incredible Ice in Coral Springs.

And Team USA is playing at 3 on NBC.

Good thing Incredible Ice has a sports bar where we can watch the game after practice, eh?

I'll be at practice today and then heading upstairs to watch the Team USA game afterward. If anyone wants to join me, come on over. Could be a fun time. We'll talk a little hockey, a little this and a little that.

-- The Panthers recalled Shawn Matthias, Michal Repik and Chris Beckford-Tseu from the minors. Matthias and Repik will likely stick; Beckford-Tseu (driving over from Estero) is up just to be the second goalie in practice until Tomas Vokoun returns.

Another Name for The Billboard ... Ratings for Team USA-Canada Strong ... Panthers Back on Wednesday

The Panthers send me plenty of e-mails regarding numerous things going on at their arena in Sunrise, but sometimes, they must just take my name off the list.

Like on Friday. So sorry this 'news' is a little late.

Here's the press release from the team's website:

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment announced today that BankAtlantic renamed The BankAtlantic Center to The Jay-Z Center for 24 hours in support of the national kickoff of Jay-Z’s BP3 Tour on Saturday Feb. 20th.
 


The concert marks the opening of the famed artist’s 23-stop spring tour, which also includes concerts in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. 
 


“BankAtlantic wanted to extend Jay-Z a warm Florida welcome from Florida’s Bank by offering to rename the BankAtlantic Center for one night only. BankAtlantic Center is proud to be the home of Jay-Z’s national tour launch and is looking forward to a spectacular performance that will set the bar for the tour.” said SSE President & COO, Michael Yormark. “His incredible performance in front of a sold-out crowd further represents the BankAtlantic Center’s ability to thrill South Florida entertainment fans with a diverse array of concerts and events.”

By all accounts it was a good show by Jay-Z -- and a great get for the Jay-Z Billboard Center.

Here is a link to Adrian Ruhi's review of the show, the set list and photos from the show.

Word is, the Panthers went all out to get this show over their rivals from Miami at AmericanAirlines Arena. I would not be surprised if this was thrown into the contract as a perk to help seal the deal.

Wonder what they are doing for this weekend's Jimmy Buffet show?

Maybe they could name the place after Buffet's beer -- Land Shark Arena? Land Shark Center? Land Shark Stadium?

Nah, no one would ever go for that one.

-- Since construction began in 1996, the Sawgrass arena has been called, at one time or another:

Broward County Civic Arena; National Car Rental Center; Office Depot Center; BankAtlantic Center; Jay-Z Center.

Some names, of course, lasted longer than others.

-- The ratings for Sunday night's Team USA-Canada game were huge both in the States (despite being sent all the way over to MSNBC) and in Canada.

According to The Toronto Star, the "game became the most-watched sports broadcast in Canadian history, with an average of 10.6 million people sharing in the national angst."

Here in the States, the game was watched by more than 7 million people -- a little more than the Stanley Cup Finals averaged each night last season.

Panthers Tomas Vokoun and Dennis Seidenberg each have at least one more game in Vancouver. Vokoun backstops the Czechs tomorrow against Latvia and Seidenberg's German team's play comes to an end as they face Roberto Luongo and Canada.

-- The Panthers Olympic break is about over.

The team (minus Vokoun and Seidenberg and I'm sure one or two others) will be back at Incredible Ice in Coral Springs on Wednesday at 2 p.m. That practice, as well as the other ones leading up to the March 2 return in Atlanta, are also open. After Wednesday, the team is scheduled to go at 10 a.m.

Come see your favorite current Panthers while you can. They all might not be around all that long.

The roster freeze ends March 1.

On Frozen Diamond: Baltimore Orioles Settle In to New Digs

SARASOTA -- Thanks to the Olympic break, I was able to take my annual spring training tour.

Sure, it's a little early than I am used to (pitchers and catchers have reported but full workouts don't start until next week).

I decided to make my first stop be Orioles camp in Sarasota. Baltimore is in its first full spring here as the primary team in Sarasota after leaving Fort Lauderdale after almost two decades.

The Orioles have been synonymous with South Florida spring training as they trained in Miami from 1959-90 before moving to the west coast.

The Birds returned, taking the Yankees spot in Fort Lauderdale in 1996.

But thanks to the FAA, the Orioles are gone. The team and the city had a deal worked out, but since the stadium is on airport property, they have to pay rent to the government. And no one is going to pay $1.5 million in rent for that piece of property.

So here we are. There is no spring training in Dade or Broward, but Sarasota gets the Os for 30 years. It's costing them, however, as they are going to pump $32 million into the facility over the coming years.

Truthfully, the Orioles have it better here than they did in Lauderdale already.

On a nice cool morning, about 100 fans roamed the auxiliary fields behind Ed Smith Stadium as the players had plenty of room to go about their business. The stadium field wasn't used because it wasn't needed. Four full fields are located behind the stadium.

The Orioles are getting a new locker room and weight room next year, but this complex is already a major upgrade from the tiny rooms and tents in Lauderdale.

Ed Smith Stadium was built in 1989 and originally housed the Chicago White Sox. It's also been the home of the Florida state high school championships and was used by the Cincinnati Reds through last spring. So, the Orioles basically just moved in as the Reds moved out. The Reds are in Arizona this spring, spending their time in Goodyear with the Indians.

The biggest upgrade for the Orioles is obvious: The travel. Once Grapefruit League play starts in March, the Orioles have plenty of local options as far as games go.

There are a bunch of teams within a two hour drive, including the entire AL East (Tampa Bay is in nearby Port Charlotte; the Yankees in Tampa, Toronto is in Dunedin and the Sox are in Fort Myers). In Fort Lauderdale, the closest teams were the Marlins and Cardinals in Jupiter, and that ride can get long thanks to the traffic.

But, Sarasota in more Lakeland than Lauderdale. It's a quiet, sleepy town which actually feels a lot more like spring training than the hustling and bustling Fort Lauderdale does. Driving down Tamiami Trail, there are dozens of old school motels and mom and pop eateries. It has its charm, for sure.

I'll miss going to Fort Lauderdale Stadium for games. This will be my first spring away from there in about 30 years. Hey, maybe Fort Lauderdale will be able to lure another team to Broward.

Nah.

That truck has sailed.

And no one in Baltimore uses Mayflower anymore.

For more on the Orioles in the spring, check out my friends here:

School of Roch

The Baltimore Sun's One and Only Peter Schmuck

Baltimore Sun's Orioles Page from Jeff Zrebiec

MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli

Rough Times in Rochester

Remember all those good feelings at the start of the season when the Rochester Americans went weeks without feeling the sting of defeat?

Seems like a long time ago for the Amerks.

Things are getting testy in Rochester as the Americans have been slumping and sliding. Last night, during the Amerks 6-3 loss to Manitoba, fans began chanting derisive chants toward coach Benoit Groulx. There have been much grumbling that Groulx should be fired, but he's an employee of the Panthers -- and that's Florida's call.

Bad news came the other day when Kenndal McArdle injured his shoulder again; word is he is going to have the shoulder operated on which means he's out for the season -- and that hurts the Amerks as well as the Panthers.

Rochester's fortunes seem to mirror those of its parent team these days. The Amerks have lost six of eight -- but thanks to their quick start (unlike the Panthers), Rochester is still expected to make the postseason (again, unlike you know who). Of course, if they keep losing, they could lose their playoff spot as well.

The other day, Amerks beat writer Kevin Oklobzija filed a scathing blog post regarding the Panthers management of the franchise.

Here are some excerpts (link to blog here):

-- Their farm team is doing a nose-dive and no one wanted to see first-hand what’s going on? Do they realize the prospects are showing they don’t know how to win — again.

Oh, wait, DeBoer and company see that every night with the big team.

-- Everyone from the front office and coaching staff should have been here Monday morning, picking the brains of players, interrogating the coaches as to why the Amerks have played so poorly for so long, offering some advice and then sitting back and observing.

And while I’m asking questions, I have another one. How, pray tell, can the goalie coach not be here? And not just this week. Why has he not been here every other week or at least once a month? Has he looked at Alexander Salak’s numbers lately? Has he seen Tyler Plante play since his knee allowed him to return?

Does anyone in Florida care that the collective play of the goalies here is going downhill faster than Clark Griswold’s sled in Christmas Vacation?

I have been dumbfounded since November that the organization’s goalie coach spends the majority of his time with the NHL team. As if Tomas Vokoun needs someone to talk about angles every day.

-- Rochester is not a car ride from South Florida. In some ways, it is a pain for the Panthers brass to uproot itself from the warmth of South Florida and come to Rochester.

It’s not, however, a pain for Jeff Taffe, Shawn Matthias and Victor Oreskovich to get up around 5 a.m. Sunday to catch a 7 a.m. flight (with a connection) to Rochester, and then jump right on a bus and ride 2 1/2 hours to Binghamton to play a 5 p.m. AHL game. That’s not a hardship.

The absence of Florida management this week confirms what I’ve sensed for several weeks: Neither the Amerks, nor the Panthers, are on the road to recovery.

Ouch.

Florida Panthers -- Past and Present -- Going for the Gold

The television ratings for these Winter Olympic games are pretty low here in South Florida (and when I say South Florida, I mean Dade and Broward Counties. They are pretty strong in Palm Beach).

I would think there are various obvious reasons for this. First, these are pretty much all sports that are foreign to those of us who grew up here.

The only moguls we know from are getting out of fancy cars on Ocean Drive.

Nordic combined is something at LA Fitness. And Skeletons pop up on the Miami River from time to time.

Half pipe? I'm not touching that one.

But Hockey is something a few of us are getting to know quite a bit.

Of these games, aside from Miami's own speed skater Jennifer Rodriguez, the hockey players are all about all we know.

Fans of the Florida Panthers will have plenty of old friends to cheer for once the men's hockey tournament starts Tuesday in Vancouver.

Current Panthers Tomas Vokoun (Czech Republic) and Dennis Seidenberg (Germany) are competing in these games, as are former Panthers Roberto Luongo (Canada) and Olli Jokinen (Finland) – both of whom make Broward County their offseason home.

“This is going to be a great event being that it's in Canada,'' said Vokoun.

For Luongo, these Olympics are pretty special. He made his Team Canada debut in 2006 as a member of the Panthers. “That was very special to me,'' he says. “I got to go to Italy where my family is from.''

Now with the Vancouver Canucks, these Olympics will be much different for Luongo.

In these Olympics, he'll be playing in his home arena (GM Place) just a few blocks from his home.

Luongo will not be sleeping in his bed, however, as Team Canada has decided all will stay in the Olympic Village to further enhance their Olympic experience. And there will be plenty of pressure for Team Canada to keep the Gold at home.

“It's definitely exciting and I can't wait to be part of that experience,'' said Luongo. “There's always pressure in Canada to perform at your best and that's a good thing. It's your game and we have to perform under those circumstances. It's a big deal. They've been talking about what this team would look like for four years. But we're playing in front of our fans. We have to take advantage of it.''

Vokoun has carried a pretty heavy workload for the Panthers during the past few months as he has started 21 straight games. He'll be the starting goalie for the Czechs when they open late Wednesday night against Slovakia – so he's actually had a few days off to rest a little. Instead of playing every other night (or on consecutive nights) as he is accustomed to, Vokoun took Sunday to travel to Vancouver and will have practice days Monday and Tuesday before his first game.

This is Vokoun's second trip to the Olympics as he helped the Czechs win Bronze in 2006. He says that medal is in a drawer somewhere. Even if he wins Gold, Vokoun may not put it on display. So he says now.

“We got a medal, and at the time we were disappointed it was only Bronze,'' he said. “Over the years, you get more appreciation for it. Not many people have an Olympic medal, whatever color it is. It's pretty cool. I can tell people I have a medal from the Olympics. You want to have something to show for it.''

Aside from Luongo and Jokinen, there are plenty other former Panthers competing in the games.

They are: Dan Boyle (Canada), Ville Peltonen (Finland), Jozef Stumpel (Slovakia), Ruslan Salei (Belarus), Viktor Kozlov (Russia), Karlis Skrastins (Latvia), Janis Sprukts (Latvia), Niklas Hagman (Finland) and Richard Zednik (Slovakia).

Panthers television voice Steve Goldstein will also be in Vancouver, teaming up with former Florida goalie John Vanbiesbrouck to call games on radio.

Pete DeBoer, coach of the Panthers, doesn't expect to be listening to the games in his car or while cleaning the garage. He's going to find a spot in front of the television and watch it all unfold.

“It'll be fun to sit back and watch, wishing you were there,'' DeBoer said. “I don't think people down here realize the hold hockey has on the country of Canada and how exciting that will be. It'll be neat.''

And will be he be rooting for his current and former players in the Games?

“Of course,'' he said, “until they play Canada.''

We Need a Break: Panthers Go Out with a Shootout Loss ... Bruins 3, Panthers 2

When the Panthers scored twice in the opening period Saturday, it looked like their franchise record for scoring futility would end.

Only those two goals were all the Panthers could get all night.

The visiting Bruins scored the tying goal in the third and then beat Florida on the eighth shot of the shootout 3-2 at BankAtlantic Center. The Panthers go into the two week Olympic break with six straight losses and seven of their past eight.

The team also extended its record for consecutive games with two goals or less to 13. The previous mark of 11 was set in 2003.

Florida's six game losing streak is its longest this year and longest since early last season. The Panthers trail Montreal by six points for the final playoff berth.

“We're a little further out than I would have liked, but it's been a tough couple of weeks,'' said coach Pete DeBoer, whose team's next game is March 3 in Atlanta. “I liked the way we played the past two games. That's the way we have to play with the lineup we have.''

It's been quite a while since the Panthers went into a third period with a lead as Florida trailed in each of its past five.

The Panthers slumping offense got a charge from an unlikely source in the first period when fourth liner Nick Tarnasky charged the net and pounced on a nice pass from Victor Oreskovich and zipped the puck past Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask midway through the period.

Boston was able to tie the score a few minutes later when David Krejci came down the right side and fired a weird angle shot toward the net. Tomas Vokoun saw the puck, got a piece of it with his glove, but it slipped past and snapped the back of the net.

“We played pretty hard obviously, but we didn't get the result we wanted,'' Vokoun said. “I made a mistake, personally, on the first goal. I let a soft one in. But we took a step forward. It was a good atmosphere in the locker room. The guys battled real hard. You can't fault them for that.''

Stephen Weiss took matters into his own hands at the end of the first, taking the puck the length of the ice and putting a sweet backhanded shot on Rusk. The goal was Weiss' 21st of the season – a career high. For Weiss and the Panthers, the game's second goal came at a good time.

Not only did it give Florida a lead – rare of late – but it was only the third goal for Weiss in the past 14 games.

And Florida's much maligned power play needed the goal as well. Florida had been just 3-for-49 in previous chances with the advantage. Boston's penalty kill is ranked tops in the league.

“I had good speed and wanted to go as far as I could, challenge the d-men and sneak one though,'' said Weiss.

The Panthers couldn't hold the lead, however, with the Bruins scoring the tying goal in the third just as Weiss was leaving the penalty box. After an exciting overtime – one featuring 57 seconds of 3-on-3 after Cory Stillman took a penalty moments after Boston's Blake Wheeler did – the game went to a shootout.

Both Vokoun and Rask were solid in the shootout, one that went eight rounds. Florida got goals from David Booth and Kamil Kreps, but the Bruins matched each time. On the eighth shot, Florida's Jeff Taffe misfired but the veteran Recchi did not. The Panthers dropped to 5-8 in shootouts this season with Vokoun losing seven straight.

“We have to find that third goal to put them away, then a fourth,'' said Weiss. “We let them hang around and they got one on the power play. We had a chance in overtime and a shootout is 50-50. .-.-. I don't know if you can take any positives out of losing a game.''

Panthers Stand Pat, Not What They Wanted to Do: Randy Sexton Talks

Just got off the phone with general manager Randy Sexton after the 3 p.m. Olympic trade deadline came and went.

The Panthers ended up making one move during this time, sending center Dominic Moore to the Canadiens for a second round pick in 2011 on Thursday. We thought there would be plenty more where that came from, but today was pretty quiet all around the league and in Sunrise as well.

Sexton says he got some things done and progress is being made toward the real trade deadline on March 3. That's when teams will be wheeling and dealing.

One thing you have to remember is that players get paid during the Olympic break even if there are no games being played. That makes some teams reluctant to make a major deal for one game (tops) and then watch that player collect a check for the next two weeks -- especially a player making a good chunk of change.

Here's what Randy had to say to the South Florida media:

"I thought today went pretty well. Worked at things, made good progress, just couldn't get anything completed.

"Today is the first deadline before the next deadline. There's a lot of time, I'll just keep working the next few weeks until the early part of March.

"Some teams still have games to play and we're all under the CBA roster limitations and salary cap floors and ceilings. For some teams, they're at the roster limit and playing tonight or tomorrow and it's a challenge to manage things. It's a point of negotiating. You want the lowest price if you are a buyer, and you want to extract the highest price if you are a seller.

HOW CLOSE DID YOU GET?

"Depends on one's definition of close. We didn't get anything completed, came up empty if you want to put it that way.

"I look at it positively. We have a lot of time left.

BUYERS OR SELLERS?

"We'll be both, and I mean if there's an opportunity where we get back players or prospects .-.-. The process is all about getting better. In some cases we may be selling, some may be buying.

"I don't think anyone is happy where we are.

"Deadlines cause people to focus. An [early] deadline causes some to focus. One GM told me today, and I thought he summed it up pretty well: Today's deadline doesn't have the panic threshold the other one will.

PAY STRUCTURE

"Our guys get paid like there's no Olympic break at all. Some teams know they need to do something, and they'll use the last little while to figure that all out. Some teams don't want to take on the extra salary for the next two weeks.''

Panthers Players, Coaches: We're Not Giving Up ... Management? 'No Small Change Will Fix'

The Panthers canceled practice Friday morning, all the more fueling speculation that major moves were on the way.

Earlier in the day, team president Michael Yormark held an arena-wide meeting and basically told them there would be plenty of changes to the roster and for them to remain positive as the team is rebuilt.

On the business side of things, Yormark & Co. are trying to get people to renew their season tickets. A five game losing streak in the middle of a playoff push does not help those objectives.

In a letter sent to fans and sponsors, owners Stu Siegel and Cliff Viner say "significant" moves are going to be made and these changes "won't be easy.'' The full letter is below.

So, who goes? Nathan Horton is still on crutches and Randy Sexton said last night that he couldn't make a trade as big as "getting Nathan Horton back.'' Stephen Weiss? Tomas Vokoun?

Vokoun has a no trade provision in his contract. He said this morning in along interview that he loves living in Florida and that he hasn't been approached. Would he waive his no trade?

"It's nothing I've thought about. Right now I am playing here, I like living here. I like the dressing room, we have a good bunch of guys. I would deal with the situation if it came up. I think in the present and honestly I haven't given it a thought.

"It depends what the situation would be. It's hypothetical and may never happen.

"My 2 1/2 years here, I've never had a conversation about [waiving no trade].''

-- Coach Pete DeBoer says he's not thinking that the playoff dreams are over.

"I don't feel that way. I don't work on those levels. I coach this team and our message to the group this morning was i thought we took a step in the right direction last night. I think if we can keep doing that, we're going to start winning games again. There's still a lot of hockey to be played. Within our room and our group, we're concentrating on getting a win before the break.

"Hopefully we're the hottest team in the league down the stretch.''

"We're six, eight points out. We just have to put our heads down and start winning games. Let the cards fall where they may. For me, it's fixing our game first and the wins will come. We took a step last night against a very good team.''

-- Center Jeff Taffe on way up from Rochester to fill in for Dominic Moore. Rostislav Olesz is out.

-- For breaking news, visit us on Twitter (@OnFrozenPond) or become a fan of On Frozen Pond on Facebook.

We're all over the place and I have the Smartphone on. Let's see what happens today, shall we?

-- The Panthers posted this letter on their website aimed toward fans and sponsors. At the bottom, it is signed by Siegel and Viner.

Dear Fans,

Based on our commitment to accessibility, we would like to take this opportunity to give you some insight into our hockey club’s strategy moving forward. After consulting with General Manager Randy Sexton and Head Coach Pete DeBoer, it is clear that our team, the way it is currently structured, is not equipped to meet the goals and objectives that we have set for ourselves, our fans and our partners.

Those goals are simple: qualify for the postseason on an annual basis, maintain a level of sustainable success, put a product on the ice that we can all be proud of, and compete for a Stanley Cup sometime in the near future. Our discussions with our hockey operations department about the composition and the strength and weaknesses of this Florida Panthers team have been extensive and ongoing, and based on those discussions and the inability to meet our goals, it is obvious that significant change is required.

Thus, GM Randy Sexton has begun the process of reshaping this team in order to achieve our goals and objectives. This is a multi-step process, beginning now, ahead of the trading deadline, and continuing through the draft, free agency and training camp – so we ask that you assess our success only once this process has run its course.

Unfortunately, these changes will not always be easy for our fans and supporters to accept or understand. These changes also may not be easy for our coaches, players and staff. But they are necessary. No small changes or quick fixes will do. But please note that these changes are part of an overall plan to make the best use of our current assets and set this franchise up to achieve the success we want as quickly as possible, and to maintain it.

Clearly, we are not satisfied with some of the players on this team that do not possess the characteristics we need to be successful. We must be accountable for that. Our task moving forward is to acquire players with the attributes, skills and qualities we want in a Panthers player. We must admit the significant shortcomings we have as an organization, and we must move quickly and efficiently to overcome these shortcomings and reshape this franchise on a much more solid foundation.

As passionate fans and supporters of the Florida Panthers, this is what you deserve, and nothing else will do. Thank you for the emotion, the dedication and the loyalty that you have shown to your Panthers and please know, that as Managing Partners of this franchise, we are working hard to provide you with a hockey team you can be proud to call your own.

Louie, Louie: Roberto Luongo Likes The Billboard Apparently

If one person completely understands what Tomas Vokoun is going through right now, it’s Roberto Luongo.

The former Florida goaltender made sure to praise the current Panthers netminder prior to Thursday’s game, one in which Luongo shutout his old team 3-0 at BankAtlantic Center.

Despite strong play by Vokoun, the Panthers have now lost five straight and six of seven.

Those playoff hopes that were burning fairly bright a few days ago? All but gone.

“Everyone is disappointed,’’ said defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, who may have played his final game with the Panthers on Thursday.

“This doesn’t help us. Everyone knows what we’re playing for. But it’s not working.’’

And go ahead and blame the offense. Afterward, it seemed like Vokoun wanted to not only blame someone, but perhaps punch one. Vokoun angrily packed his bags while muttering unprintable words under his breath. He declined official requests for comment.

Hard to blame him. Florida’s been shutout four times since Jan. 7 and has scored two goals or less for a franchise record 12 straight games. The previous record of 11 came during Luongo’s regime.

The Panthers are 4-7-1 in this 12 game offensive swoon, a stretch that has seriously hampered their progress in a tight Eastern Conference.

Florida is six points out of the final playoff spot and could have a different roster if general manager Randy Sexton can swing some deals before Friday’s 3 p.m. Olympic trade deadline.

“I’ll coach whatever we have here,’’ said coach Pete DeBoer, whose team will almost assuredly miss the playoffs for an NHL record-tying ninth straight season. “We have practice at 10:30 and whomever shows up is who we will work with.’’

As for Luongo, Thursday’s win was his 17^th shutout in Sunrise – his adopted hometown. Luongo played for the Panthers from 2000-06.

The Panthers did challenge Luongo on Thursday, with six shots saved by the iron surrounding the Vancouver captain. A Bryan McCabe shot in the third period looked to be going in before defenseman Christian Ehrhoff swept it away before it went in.

“We hit a lot of pipes,’’ Keith Ballard said. “This was huge for us. We needed to get back, a little closer. This is two more points we didn’t get.’’

Luongo made 31 saves in the shutout, the 51^st of his career.

Vokoun stopped 32 of 35 shots as his record dropped to 19-21-9.

Randy Sexton Talks Again: No Panther Off Limits ... Vokoun Unlikely to Waive Clause

Randy Sexton just told us that he is hoping to get more deals done before the 3 p.m. mini deadline set tomorrow.

He said that no player -- including Tomas Vokoun -- is off limits in the trade talks. He has not spoken to anyone regarding waiving their no trade clauses.

A source close to Vokoun said the goalie would not waive his no trade at the current time despite the team's struggles on and off the ice. That could change post Olympics, however.

Sexton also said Rostislav Olesz is not on bench just to show people that he might be OK.

"This is the first move of the process to retool our team,'' Sexton said during the first intermission. "We need to make more moves, need to be better. We're working on a variety of things. .-.-. I think it speaks to the player Dominic is. He's a good serviceable guy.I told him when I called him that I thought he would fit in well with Jacques. He likes players with speed, guys who are smart. He has unique skills, good on face offs, good penalty killer. Those things are important to Jacques.

"From our perspective, we need to add depth. Converting a UFA guy we signed for nothing into a second round pick is something we need to do. There's going to be more things happening I hope.

"The time is ticking. We're working on a variety of things, the discussions have really picked up in the past 72 hours. We'll see. Deadlines cause people to focus.''

Randy also said the second round pick could be in play as part of a bigger deal. "Absolutely,'' he said. 

-- "Whether we're buyers or sellers, we have to retool this team.''

Anyone off limits? "No.''

Even Tomas Vokoun? "There's no player off limits. There are players we'd like to keep, but at the end of the day Wayne Gretzky was traded. We have to get better and get our team to the point where we want it to be. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions.''

Panthers Start their Purge: Dominic Moore to Montreal ... Rostislav Olesz IN

The Panthers have now officially sent struggling center Dominic Moore to Montreal for a second round pick in 2011.

No player coming up, but it looks like Rostislav Olesz is going to tape up his busted digit and play tonight.

And if this is the direction the Panthers are going with their expendable veterans, the doors are open.

-- Moore, signed after the Panthers got back from Helsinki in October after playing for Toronto and Buffalo last season, is making $1.1 million this year. Pro rated, the Panthers aren't gaining much financially here. But he has been struggling.

Moore hasn't scored in 13 games and has just two assists during that span. He only played 9:50 against Calgary as Pete had him on the bench for much of the first period. He played 12:07 and 13:14 in the past two games and was a minus-2 in those games.

Good move for the future by Randy Sexton, getting a second rounder for a guy who was walking -- and really didn't do much in the past couple of weeks. Hope Dominic gets things going in Montreal.

-- A few members of the Marlins will be roaming the arena tonight as part of the team's caravan activities. The players I hear are here are: Cameron Maybin, Wes Helms, Chris Volstad and Tim Wood. Some of those guys will be talking to Randy Moller during the radio intermissions.

-- Billy the Marlin helped with the opening slap shot. Looking into the stands, he felt right at home. I hope this is a late arriving crowd because there aren't 2,500 in here right now.

(*) And yes, that is the pic I took of Pete DeBoer standing in front of the For Sale sign. Was taken in Kitchener in 2008.

It's Official: The New Den of Honor is Coming

The Panthers unveiled their official plans for the new "South Florida Hockey Den of Honor" on Thursday.

As we told you last month, the new den is going to be on the 100 level (opposite side of the building from the main entrance) in the space where the old Hyundai mini showroom was.

By all accounts, it's going to be pretty sweet -- and the Panthers are pulling out all the stops for the unveiling. From what I've been told, they are trying to get as many alumni to show up for the opening of it March 20 when the Sabres are in town. They are also hoping to put together some sort of reception or golf outing for those guys when they get here.

Listen, I'm all for reconnecting to your past -- no matter how short it is.

Here is the Panthers official release on the Den.

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment announced today that the Florida Panthers will open the brand new South Florida Hockey Den Of Honor at the BankAtlantic Center on Saturday, March 20 prior to the Cats-Sabres game.

The Den Of Honor will be unveiled with notable Panthers alumni, team ownership, and supporters of the organization, and South Florida hockey in general, on hand for the occasion. The unveiling is expected to be part of a weekend-long celebration of hockey in South Florida that will include a number of fan-friendly events and activities that feature both current and former Panthers players and staff.

In addition, a presenting sponsor for the Den Of Honor will be announced in the next 30 days.

The new South Florida Hockey Den Of Honor is part of the commitment made by new SSE Managing Partners Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel to better engage the Panthers’ past and its participants, as well as the strong contributions of youth and high school hockey in the region.

“As an organization, we can think of no better way to underscore the commitment made by our new Managing Partners then by creating a Den Of Honor where our fans, partners and supporters can touch. feel and experience this franchise’s history whenever they step foot inside the BankAtlantic Center,” said Panthers president & COO Michael Yormark. “Not only is this a great tribute to our past, but it adds a wonderful experiential element to the arena that our fans have been asking for since the building opened in 1998.”

The Den Of Honor will pay tribute to the players, coaches, personalities and moments that have played a significant role in Panthers history from the announcement of the franchise in the early 90s to the present. It will also honor the people and organizations that continue to help South Florida grow as a hotbed for youth and high school hockey.

More information on the South Florida Hockey Den Of Honor will be available in the coming weeks on FloridaPanthers.com. 

Playoff Hopes: Dream the Impossible Dream?

If the Panthers lose to the Canucks tonight -- and believe it or not kids, that is a possibility -- Florida could slip eight points back of Tampa Bay for second in the division but remain six points back of idle Philadelphia for eighth in the east.

Of course, the Flyers would have two games in hand.

Check out James Mirtle's breakdown of the east race and he thinks 87 points will do the trick in the watered down east this year. Boomer on XM's Home Ice agrees.

So, with the Panthers sitting at 57 points with 23 games left, they have some makin' up to do.

To get to 87 points (and I'm not sure that's going to cut the mustard), Florida would have to get 30 of the available 46 points.

That's a lot of points for a team that has lost four straight and five of six. AND, has yet to win more than three straight at any point in the past two seasons.

A loss tonight and that means the Panthers would have to get those 30 points with 22 games. With a three game trip through the west (Minnesota, Denver, San Jose), three games to Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa), a few up north (Buffalo, Boston) and games remaining against Tampa Bay (twice to close), Atlanta (there) and Washington (0-7 against the Caps so far).

So where are these points coming from?

Your guess is as good as mine.

I have no idea.

-- Could a move happen tonight or tomorrow before Friday's 3 p.m. Olympic break trade deadline?

Surely. As Goldie pointed out today, it would actually make sense for the Panthers to make a deal. Sure, you probably won't have the player for Saturday's game but you would have that player(s) the week before the Olympic break ends -- kind of a mini training camp.

Truthfully, if they lose these next two, it really doesn't matter a whole lot.

-- Is Tomas Vokoun untouchable? I would think so, but crazier things have happened.

Vokoun is Florida's MVP to date and there are some teams out there who would love to have him between the pipes for a true playoff run.

If the Panthers were to be offered a lot -- and decided all that money off the books looks better each day -- they may be tempted.

Now, would T-Vo waive his no movement clause if asked? Wouldn't you?

Of course, Vokoun has another year on his contract and the Panthers might want to extend that although with Jacob Markstrom coming up, that is doubtful (he's going to want multiple years at similar dollars).

So, Vokoun is eventually going to be in play, right? Next year he'll be in the final year of his contract and a UFA meaning he could walk for nothing.

There are rumors Vokoun could be on the block this offseason, but with the Panthers out of it, what's the difference whether he's moved in March or in June?

And I am just assuming that the Panthers would be looking to move Vokoun in the summer although they may not. They may be content going into next season with Vokoun and try another stab at this whole playoff thing.

After getting nothing for Bouwmeester really (Jordan Leopold doesn't count) can the Panthers afford to not get anything for Vokoun as well?

-- Of course, the Panthers could win two straight here to go into the break with a nice little shot of confidence, come back with a stronger Stephen Weiss and David Booth, get Nathan Horton back and all is well.

And that very well could happen.

The Panthers coming out strong tonight and beating a very beatable (these days) Vancouver team would not surprise me at all. The guys looked pretty ticked the other night in Raleigh. Maybe that was the final straw, that wake up call everyone needed.

We'll see pretty soon, eh?

Eastern Conference Standings courtesy of ESPN.com/nhl
EASTERN	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	HOME	ROAD	GF	GA	DIFF	L10	STRK
Washington	60	41	12	7	89	23-3-3	18-9-4	239	167	+72	9-0-1	Lost 1
New Jersey	59	36	20	3	75	19-9-1	17-11-2	155	137	+18	3-5-2	Lost 3
Buffalo	58	32	18	8	72	18-7-6	14-11-2	160	147	+13	2-6-2	Lost 5
Pittsburgh	60	36	22	2	74	18-10-1	18-12-1	190	172	+18	6-3-1	Won 1
Ottawa	60	34	22	4	72	22-8-3	12-14-1	167	167	0	9-1-0	Won 1
Montreal	61	29	26	6	64	15-12-4	14-14-2	160	167	-7	6-3-1	Won 1
Philadelphia	58	30	25	3	63	17-11-2	13-14-1	170	156	+14	6-4-0	Won 2
Tampa Bay	58	26	21	11	63	17-6-6	9-15-5	150	167	-17	7-2-1	Won 4
Boston	58	25	22	11	61	13-12-6	12-10-5	141	148	-7	2-5-3	Won 2
Atlanta	58	25	24	9	59	13-10-4	12-14-5	175	187	-12	4-4-2	Lost 1
NY Rangers	60	26	27	7	59	13-15-4	13-12-3	153	165	-12	2-8-0	Lost 1
Florida	59	24	26	9	57	12-10-6	12-16-3	153	171	-18	3-6-1	Lost 4
NY Islanders	60	24	28	8	56	15-11-2	9-17-6	151	186	-35	2-8-0	Lost 1
Carolina	59	22	30	7	51	14-12-3	8-18-4	159	189	-30	7-3-0	Won 3
Toronto	60	19	30	11	49	11-13-5	8-17-6	162	204	-42	2-6-2	Lost 1

Louie's Back: Roberto Luongo's Return to Broward ... Olesz has Broken Finger ... No Roster Move Yet

Roberto Luongo has taken advantage of the Canucks Florida trip and has been able to spend a few nights at his home in Broward County.

Luongo says he has great memories of playing with the Panthers and enjoys coming back when he can.

Especially since he can drive his own car to the morning skate and not have to take the bus.

-- Looking at the Panthers lineup tonight and Luongo couldn't think of another player aside from Stephen Weiss that he had played with here all those years ago. Oh, and Gregory Campbell.

-- Pete DeBoer says Rostislav Olesz has a broken finger so that's better than a broken hand I guess. Don't know how long he's out.

-- No roster move since Nick Tarnasky was the spare the other night.

Rostislav Olesz: Broken Hand

If last night's loss wasn't "brutal" enough, the Panthers also lost winger Rostislav Olesz in the final minute or so to a broken hand.

Coach Pete DeBoer said today that Olesz is getting X-Rays to see how serious it is, but he's out through the Olympic break at the very least.

As far as those trade rumors for Olesz, well, I'm not sure how true those were. Olesz has a big, long contract and for another team to take that on, the Panthers would likely have to take on someone else's problem in return.

Now, as far as other players go, I would think guys like Jordan Leopold, Dennis Seidenberg, Gregory Campbell and Kamil Kreps are in play. What they would bring, I don't know. I don't think the Panthers are going to do anything until the deadline because, what sense does it make? Play tomorrow's game against the Canucks and then make a deal?

They have four points to go get before the break and if they somehow get them, they are right back in the party. If they lose these next two and go into the break on a six game slide, Pantherland becomes Randy's Used Car Lot.

Make your best offer.

Randy Sexton: GM of the RMS Panthers ... Florida has 13 goals in 11 games; Ties a (bad) Franchise Record

RALEIGH -- The Panthers held a closed door meeting after Tuesday's game and, well, why not.

Captain Bryan McCabe gave us the old "what stays in Vegas" line when we asked what was said, but you could be assured the meeting wasn't about what the fellas had planned for their lady friends of Valentines.

It was an ugly, smelly room without a single smile.

Did the Panthers hit rock bottom today? Maybe.

Heck, even their general manager used a Titanic reference when talking about making changes to the roster.

“It is brutal,’’ Randy Sexton spat after Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Hurricanes at RBC Center.

“It was [expletive] brutal. We have too many guys who don’t compete. You can’t win in this game unless you’re ready to show up and go to war every night. We don’t have enough of them. .-.-. This is not type of team we want. We’re going to keep making changes until we get that. It takes time.

“It’s like turning around the Titanic and not a rowboat.’’

The Panthers offensive woes could lead to some trades either before this weekend’s Olympic break or in the days immediately following it. The Panthers are playing with little passion and the team’s management seems fed up with it although Sexton said he wouldn’t make a trade just to say he made one. “That never works,’’ he said.

But, he countered “this isn’t going to last. If we can’t make deals at the deadline, I can tell you the guys you see out there now, this will be the last time you see a bunch of them together as a team.’’

Florida’s players, or at least some of them, seem tired of the losing as well.

The team held a closed door meeting following Tuesday’s loss – the team’s fourth straight and fifth in the past six games – as blame was easily passed around from locker to locker.

“Our goalie is giving us a chance to win every night and we’re not creating anything offensively as a team,’’ said captain Bryan McCabe, who wouldn’t divulge some of the things that were said in the meeting. “We’re not playing desperate, with that edge. We don’t have that right now. Beside our goaltender, we’re not accomplishing much out there. We need to pull together.’’

The only players who could be held blameless are goalies Tomas Vokoun and Scott Clemmensen: Vokoun because of his lights-out play and Clemmensen because he’s been on the bench for this entire span of poor play.

“This is too good a league and we’re not a good enough team to show up with our goalie and a handful of guys who want to play,’’ coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’ve had a lot of that lately.’’

The Panthers trailed 1-0 in the second period but was able to tie it up when former Carolina winger Cory Stillman scored. But the Hurricanes closed the period with a second goal and then got another in the third period.

The third goal was all but Florida’s death knell: The Panthers tied a franchise record for scoring futility as they have now gone 11 straight games with two goals or less. The last time that happened was in February 15-March 15, 2003.

In the four game losing streak, the Panthers have scored just four goals (Vokoun has given up 11). Florida has scored a grand total of 13 goals in its past 11 games.

“We,’’ Sexton said slowly, “need to compete a lot harder.’’

BACK WITH CATS

The Panthers recalled Victor Oreskovich on Tuesday, putting the big winger in the lineup for the first time since he was sent back to the minors last month.

Oreskovich, a rookie who quit hockey a few years back before returning this summer, once played for DeBoer in the Canadian juniors and was a physical presence when he initially came up. But, Oreskovich lost some of that physicality in the final stages of his initial 40 games with the Panthers and he was sent back to the minors.

“He has to play like he did when he first made the team,’’ said DeBoer. “Toward the end, when we sent him back, he got away from that.’’

(*) Carolina is now 3-0 against the Panthers on home ice and has outscored Florida 14-5 in those games. Florida is the only divisional team Carolina has a winning record against this season.

(*) Jets coach Rex Ryan was spotted in the stands wearing a Flyers jersey.

He did not flip anyone off, but he did switch to a Canes jersey when prodded by some lovely Caneiac ladies. 

I would be the last to poke fun, but it was not a Medium sized sweater.

Talking with Pete DeBoer, Stephen Weiss

RALEIGH, N.C. – Center Stephen Weiss was back at practice Monday after missing his second game in a three week span with what is believed to be a lower back injury.

Weiss is expected to be back in the lineup Tuesday against the Hurricanes and should play in Florida’s final two games before the Olympic break. At that point, Weiss should be able to get some much needed rest.

After the Panthers play host to Boston on Saturday, they don’t play again until March 2.

“He needs to get back 100 percent healthy,’’ said coach Pete DeBoer. “Those two weeks are coming just at the right time for him.’’

Despite the obvious benefits of rest, Weiss said he would just as soon keep playing through the break. The Panthers are likely suggest he shut things down for a few days as they would like to have him as close to 100 percent as they head down the stretch.

The Panthers have already lost winger Nathan Horton to a broken leg and Weiss has slumped as he’s fought through the injury. Weiss has just one goal in the past 10 games. “This hasn’t just crept up,’’ DeBoer said, “and we’re seeing the effects of that in his stats. He’s not 100 percent.’’

It’s thought he aggravated the injury Friday night against the Flames.

“It will be nice to be able to heal and get better, but I want to keep playing,’’ said Weiss. “I don’t like too much time off but it will be good to take care of these bumps and bruises before the final push.’’

DeBoer had a little surprise for Weiss upon his return as the top line has changed up. Weiss will center David Booth and Cory Stillman, with second-year winger Michael Frolik dropped to the third line.

Like Weiss, Frolik has been in a prolonged scoring slump. Frolik hasn’t scored since Jan. 13.

The Panthers have scored 12 goals in their past 10 games. In their three game losing streak, Florida has scored just three goals.

“Not many players in this league are at the top of their game all season,’’ said DeBoer. “You would like a couple guys to be hot while a couple are cold so you have some guys to carry you through. The problem we have is we don’t have anyone riding that offensive wave, or at least being at the top of it.’’

(*) The Panthers had a spirited practice at RBC Center on Monday with new lines. DeBoer ended the session with a shootout competition with lots of skating as he split the team in two. With so many players in a prolonged scoring slump, DeBoer figured he would change things up – and hope that helps.

“We’re pretty demanding as a staff on a daily basis,’’ DeBoer said. “It’s a long season. You can’t keep pounding the table with the same thing. You have to try other things.’’

(*) DeBoer and Carolina coach Paul Maurice had lunch together on Monday. The two rival coaches have been best of friends for years, with Maurice giving DeBoer his first junior coaching job when both were living in the Detroit area.

TUESDAY: PANTHERS AT HURRICANES

When, Where: 7 p.m.; RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C.

TV/Radio: FSNF/WAXY-790

The series: Hurricanes lead 42-32-11

The game: Carolina is tied for the fewest points in the NHL, but the Canes have been better of late and have won six of eight – including two straight on the road. The Panthers, losers of three straight, are winless in two games here this season. Tomas Vokoun will start in net for Florida; Carolina may counter with rookie Justin Peters after he won his NHL debut Saturday on Long Island.

Relaxing in Raleigh: Panthers at RBC Center

RALEIGH -- Greetings from a special afternoon practice at the RBC Banner Center.

Relaxing here in the lower bowl with Chuck Kaiton and Steve X., watching the Panthers push the puck up and down the ice.

Stephen Weiss is back and working on a top line with David Booth and Cory Stillman.

The other lines:

Olesz-Reinprecht-Dvorak
Campbell-Matthias-Frolik
Kreps-Moore-Tarnasky

Will probably have an update later. For up to the minute, breaking updates, check us out on these other portals. I now have a fan page set up at Facebook (On Frozen Pond) and we're still on Twitter @OnFrozenPond.

Getting good response back from both, so I'll keep updating as much as possible. Having a cellphone compatible with all of these setups sure does help.

Off to get some sweet tea. Or another Cheerwine. Ummm. Cheerwine.