Florida coach Kevin Dineen did not name a starting goaltender. He will make a game-time decision.
FLORIDA
Tomas Fleischmann – Stephan Weiss -– Kris Versteeg
Michael Samuelsson - Tomas Kopecky - Shawn Matthias
Michal Repik - Mike Santorelli – Jerrod Smithson
Krystofer Barch - Jon Matsumoto – Jack Skille
Brian Campbell – Erik Gudbranson
Ed Jovanovski - Jason Garrison
Keaton Ellerby – Mike Weaver
Florida adds over $1 million in true salary with this move as Wolski carries a $3.8 million cap hit.
Wolski, believe it or not, makes $4 million this year in salary which is the same as Stephen Weiss as the two are the second-highest paid forwards on the team behind Tomas Fleischmann.
He is a restricted free agent after this year so he isn't a true rental; if the Panthers would like him back next season, they would hold his rights to do that.
Florida Panthers Executive Vice President & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that Florida has acquired LW Wojtek Wolski from the New York Rangers in exchange for D Mike Vernace and a third-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
"We are very pleased to have acquired Wojtek," said Tallon. "He is a skilled forward with scoring ability who will fit in very well to our lineup."
Wolski, 26, has played in 402 career National Hockey League games for Colorado (2005-10), Phoenix (2010-11) and the NY Rangers (2011-12) recording 249 points (91-158-249) along with 107 PIM. Colorado’s first-round pick (21st overall) in the 2004 NHL Draft has split time this season with the Rangers – three points (0-3-3) in nine games - and their AHL affiliate the Connecticut Whale – five points (3-2-5) in six games. The Zabrze, Poland native has played in 27 playoff games registering 17 points (8-9-17) and 4 PIM. Wolski has a shootout success record of 43.1% (22-of-51) over his NHL career.
Florida Panthers Executive Vice President & General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that Florida has acquired C Jerred Smithson from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft previously acquired from Dallas.
“Jerred is a hard working, responsible, veteran player who plays well at both ends of the ice,” said Tallon. “He is a very good penalty killer, who has consistently ranked among his team’s leaders in face-off win percentage.”
Smithson, 33, has played in 526 career National Hockey League games for Los Angeles (2002-04) and Nashville (2005-12) recording 89 points (36-53-89) and owns a career face-off win percentage greater than 55%. This season, he ranked second among all Predators in face-off win percentage (55.6%), while placing third in hits (98). The Vernon, British Columbia native has played in 31 playoff games, all with Nashville, registering three points (2-1-3) and 37 PIM.
While Jovanovski returned tonight from a hand injury, he looked every bit his age.
Garrison is expected back this weekend and Kulikov over the next few weeks.
Invaluable Marcel Goc left Wednesday's practice with the dreaded "lower body injury" but he is listed as day-to-day.
Marco Sturm is expected back over the next few games.
Matt Bradley is out indefinitely with a concussion and Scottie Upshall might not return this year after sports hernia surgery.
The Panthers apparently lost center Marcel Goc to an undisclosed 'lower-body' injury as he reportedly left Wednesday’s practice early. Goc is listed as day to day by the team.
With Goc and Matt Bradley (concussion) out, Florida was forced to bring up two forwards from its AHL club in San Antonio. For Michal Repik, Thursday marked his 17th game of the season with the Panthers. For center Jonathan Matsumoto, it was his first.
2nd Period
13:23 FLA PPG - Mikael Samuelsson (8) Wrist - ASST: T. Kopecky (16) AND S. Weiss (29)
19:40 MIN Kyle Brodziak (16) Wrist - ASST: D. Heatley (24) AND M. Zidlicky (14)
3rd Period
01:14 MIN PPG - Matt Cullen (13) Wrist - ASST: D. Heatley (25) AND J. Spurgeon (17)
15:48 FLA Sean Bergenheim (13) Wrist - ASST: B. Campbell (38) AND M. Samuelsson (10)
OT Period
NONE
OT SO
Erik Christensen MIN Goal
Kris Versteeg FLA Save
Matt Cullen MIN Goal
Sean Bergenheim FLA Miss
The Panthers lost winger Matt Bradley to an undisclosed injury after he slammed into a stanchion near the Florida bench while trying to check George Parros into the glass. Parros saw the hit coming and stopped, with Bradley going crashing into the post. Play had to be stopped while the subsequent broken glass was replaced.
Bradley left the locker room without commenting to the media. The Panthers are calling it a 'upper body' injury although Bradley looked like he hit his head on the collision. Dineen said the Panthers will call up a forward from their AHL club in San Antonio and Michal Repik – who was sent down a month ago – is considered the frontrunner to return.
Alex Auld doesn’t see a lot of ice this season in Ottawa as number one Craig Anderson leads the league in games played and is tied for the lead in starts but he’s still taking delivery of a second mask. This one is a beauty – a fantastic compliment for Anderson’s own retro lid worn with the Sens’ third jersey.
The design is a tribute to both the city of Ottawa and Senators Hall of Fame Goaltender Alex Connell. Interestingly Connell replaced Clint Benedict in the Ottawa net in 1930 – Benedict is the goaltender depicted on Anderson’s mask wearing the iconic leather mask some 30 years before Jacques Plante donned his. Connell played for the Sens last Cup winning team and his career 1.91 GAA is a record for his era.
Tomas Fleischmann - Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg
Sean Bergenheim - Marcel Goc - Mikael Samuelsson
Tomas Kopecky - Shawn Matthias - Jack Skille
Krys Barch - Mike Santorelli - Matt Bradley
Brian Campbell - Erik Gudbranson
Keaton Ellerby - Mike Weaver
Nolan Yonkman - Tyson Strachan
Weiss, taken by the Panthers with the fourth overall pick at the 2001 draft held in Sunrise, will play in his 613th game on Sunday against the Ducks.
When he plays Thursday against the Wild, he'll be atop the Panthers record book.
Sunday's game will put Weiss in a tie with Radek Dvorak for most games played with the franchise. He'll break that Thursday.
The Panthers recalled defensemen Nolan Yonkman on Saturday and he'll make his Florida debut on Sunday against the Ducks.
Rookie Colby Robak was sent down to San Antonio.
Yonkman will wear the No. 34 that John Vanbiesbrouck first broke out in 1993.
Here is Florida’s projected lineup for the game against the Caps:
Tomas Fleischmann- Stephen Weiss - Kris Versteeg
Sean Bergenheim - Marcel Goc - Mikael Samuelsson
Tomas Kopecky - Shawn Matthias - Jack Skille
Krystofer Barch - Mike Santorelli - Matt Bradley
Brian Campbell - Erik Gudbranson
Keaton Ellerby - Mike Weaver
Colby Robak - Tyson Strachan
On the eve of a titanic showdown against the Washington Capitals, General Manager Dale Tallon adamantly said that for the first time in years the Panthers will be buyers and not holding their annual February trade deadline fire sale.
With 26 games remaining and the revamped Southeast Division-leading Panthers clinging to a four-point lead over the Capitals, Tallon showed the Sun Sentinel a list of about a dozen crossed-off names of GMs who he had called before the team's 11 a.m. practice had ended Thursday.
"We're not sellers,'' Tallon said. "We got five games before the deadline, so we'll know better. We got a good team, so it's a matter of adding pieces. We're moving forward from here; we're not subtracting.''
It would probably take a pedestrian 14-11-1 finish to earn 95 points and a playoff berth.
Tallon, who dumped six veterans before last year's trade deadline, wants to add offense to a team ranked 21st in goals and 26th in 5-on-5 goals.
"The easier we can score goals, the better it is on your stomach,'' Tallon said.
Tallon said he's not interested in a "rent-a-player,'' possibly excluding a veteran scorer with an expiring contract such as Oilers forward Ryan Smith.
While Tallon is obsessed with ending the Panthers' NHL-record 11-year playoff drought, he won't mortgage the future by taking on a burdensome contract like Blue Jackets' underachieving center Jeff Carter.
However, Columbus' Rick Nash, a 30-goal scorer in his prime signed through 2018 for $55 million, could be worth the price. Edmonton slumping, oft-injured wing Ales Hemsky, 28, who has a couple of 20-goal seasons, could fit the bill.
It's no secret the Panthers could use an upgrade at center, so the Lightning's Dominic Moore, who wins 55.7 percent of his faceoffs, could return to South Florida.
Tallon said that injured defensemen Ed Jovanovski and Jason Garrison should be back before the Feb. 27 deadline, so he won't pursue a Band-Aid on the blue line.
"The phones are really quiet,'' Tallon said. "A lot of teams are still looking to see if they're buying or selling, so they're all kicking the tires.
"The worst-case scenario is we're staying pat.''
Weiss mad at refs
Panthers center Stephen Weiss, who ranks 11th in the league with 531 faceoffs won, was repeatedly kicked out of the faceoff circle by linesmen during Wednesday's 6-2 loss to Ottawa.
That forced wingers Kris Versteeg and Tomas Fleischmann to step in and go a combined 1-4 on critical draws during power plays.
"They stand there for 10 minutes with the freaking thing in their hand. They're a joke,'' an angered Weiss said. "They need to drop the puck and stay out of the player's way, and that's it."
Dineen unhappy
The Panthers' fourth line of Matt Bradley, John Madden and Jack Skille were on the ice for Ottawa's first two deflected goals scored by two rookies who have a combined five career goals.
"I didn't think they had a very good shift and wasn't happy with the way they played,'' Dineen said.
"I like to put players in challenging situations where they have the ability to respond to adversity, and honestly
they dinn't."
The Panthers are 5-3-0 since the All-Star break and have been outscored 16-5 in the three losses. Florida has outscored its opponent 16-6 in the five wins.
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