Considering what’s at stake, the point in the season, and the quality of the teams, last night was probably the biggest Panthers-Lightning matchup in the history of the cross-state rivalry; a title last night’s game will hold until 7:00 PM Saturday, when the Panthers are set to finish their six-game road trip against the Lightning. The pace was that of a playoff game from the outset, and with Friday being the off-day between two massive Springtime games, it really does taste like the playoffs. Joel Quenneville talked after yesterday’s morning skate about the game feeling like more than a regular season game. Newcomers to the lineup on both sides added to the magnitude of the game. Nikita Gusev, Brandon Montour and Lucas Wallmark for the Panthers, and David Savard for Tampa Bay were new to this season’s edition of the rivalry, but their presence further illustrated the importance of the upcoming matchups between the two teams. The Panthers and Lightning both have plans to make some noise in the playoffs, and I think I speak for every one of us when I say I can’t wait for the puck to drop Saturday.
With the games getting bigger each day, and the trade deadline in the rearview, let’s dive into your questions!
Repent and Believe @doquinn2016
Where do you see Sam Bennett fitting in? I know he can play up and down the lineup so do you expect top 6/bottom 6? Also, center or wing? How about Montour’s defense partner? Who do you think he’s paired with?
I think Sam Bennett will be a great fit, and I think he would have been a great add for any team; especially a team gearing up for a playoff run. Bennett has posted very solid playoff numbers in his career- 19 points over 30 games- and as you mention, he can play up and down the lineup. As Coach Q has pointed out, he can play any forward position. He really deepens a forward group that already had a good deal of depth. It’s tough to say where exactly he’ll slot in the lineup, but that’s part of what makes him a great pickup for the Panthers. He’s similar to Noel Acciari in that he has the ability to play center or wing, he plays a physical style, and he has the speed and skill to play with any linemates. Not every player has the skillset to be successful in virtually any role he could possibly be assigned, but Bennett can be a great fit anywhere. As I said on Territory Talk this week, Bennett’s name has been mentioned in the rumor mill for awhile as someone who could be on the move, and every time I heard that, I couldn’t help but think “Wow, someone’s going to be lucky to get that guy.” I can’t wait to see him in a Panthers uniform.
As for Montour, his first game as a Panther was Thursday night in Tampa, and he was paired with Markus Nutivaara. We’ll get to more on Montour in the next question…
Florida Panthers UK Fans @FLA_Panthers_UK
Hi Doug! Simple one from us here. Who of the Panthers recent pickups do you believe will have the biggest impact on the team? #FlaPanthers
First of all, thanks so much for your support of the Panthers from overseas! As for the Panther who has the opportunity to make the biggest impact on the team:
Every addition Bill Zito made as the trade deadline approached was a good one. Lucas Wallmark is in familiar surroundings as a Panther, he was playing an important role and taking key faceoffs in his first game back with the team, and Coach Q said he’ll see time on the penalty kill. Acquired with Wallmark from Chicago, Lucas Carlsson has proven to be a point producer in the AHL, and has a great deal of potential. Nikita Gusev is a year removed from a 44-point season during his first NHL campaign with New Jersey, he is a former KHL MVP (2017-18), and played nearly 18 minutes on a line with Aleksander Barkov and Mason Marchment in his Panthers debut Friday night. Sam Bennett is a proven playoff performer with 402 regular season games of NHL experience despite the fact that he won’t turn 25 until June. Every Panthers addition will help the team the rest of the way, but the biggest impact could be made by Brandon Montour. Not only does he have a great skill set, but the opportunity and minutes available on the blueline may give him the biggest chance to make an impact.
Montour logged 17:59 of ice time in his Panthers debut last night, and Coach Q has mentioned that he has the potential to play in all situations. Just based on his time-on-ice last night, if power play time is added in, Montour could be pushing for 20 minutes per game. Montour’s career average is 20:34 per game, so he’s proven to be capable of shouldering the workload over 281 games (and counting) in the NHL. Again, just based on the position, situational versatility, and potential minutes he could log, Montour has a chance to make a huge impact down the stretch. I considered Montour to be one of the best players potentially available leading up to the trade deadline, and I think we could see his game soar to new heights as he fits in with this very talented Panthers lineup.
MiamiBarracuda @MiamiBarracuda
Is Frank "The Tank" Vatrano actually a tank in any way whatsoever?
If a “tank” is a guy who leads the Panthers with five game-winning goals and three overtime goals this season, paces the Panthers with 10 goals on home ice this season, and has as many combined third period and overtime goals as Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel (11), then yes, he is! Not to mention the fact that he hits, has great speed, and may possess the hardest shot on the team. Don’t forget that Vatrano has always had a nose for the net; once upon a time, he scored 36 goals in 36 games for Providence in the AHL during the ’15-16 campaign (That year, he never went more than two straight games without a goal, and scored more than one goal in a game eight times in 36 games!).
Frank the Tank, Franklin the Tanklin, or just Frank… he’s a very exciting player who’s a lot of fun to watch every night!
As always, thanks everyone for the questions! If you didn’t see yours, it may show up in a future installment!