Photo credit: Imagn Images Sam Navarro
With 61 points in the bank, and their chances at a 3-peat dwindling, GM Bill Zito dropped a major hint about the direction of the Panthers ahead of the deadline.
General manager Bill Zito is evaluating this roster with a microscope right now. He knows the standard is competing for a Stanley Cup every spring.
The NHL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and the two-time defending champions are currently sitting eighth in the Atlantic Division. That is dangerous territory.
Zito was bluntly honest with the media on Tuesday afternoon. He refused to sugarcoat the precarious situation his hockey club currently faces.
«We may have easy answers, or easy questions to answer, at the end of it. Or we may have real difficult ones. I don't know. I will be watching every game.»
Sitting at a frustrating 29-25-3 record, the margin for error in Sunrise is completely gone. Every single point in the standings matters heavily now.
Florida is staring down a brutal 25-game stretch run to finish the regular season. They need to grab at least 39 points from the available 50 to sniff the postseason.
Time For Hard Choices
Injuries have absolutely ravaged this Panthers lineup since opening night. Missing top-tier talent disrupted the entire flow of their transition game.
Losing core guys put massive pressure on the remaining healthy skaters to generate consistent offensive output. The depth players are struggling to fill those massive shoes.
Zito knows he has proven winners inside that locker room. These are the same guys who have navigated grueling playoff runs before.
If Florida drops their next two matchups, management might be forced to become sellers and start stockpiling future draft capital.
The player that everyone is watching is Sergei Bobrovsky. A free agent at the end of the season, his time with the Panthers could be coming to an end if they don't find common ground for an extension before the deadline.
That would be a bitter pill to swallow.
The next string of games will serve as the ultimate judge.
Every single shift from here until the March 6th deadline dictates the immediate direction of this franchise.
Also read on Sunrise Hockey Insider :
Paul Maurice issues a positive update on the health of two key players
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 25|40 ANSWERS Panthers GM Bill Zito drops heavy hint on deadline plans Will the Panthers sell at the trade deadline ? | ||
| Yes | 17 | 42.5 % |
| No | 23 | 57.5 % |
| List of polls | ||