Where Are The 2010 Florida Panthers Now?

Jan 30, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; New Jersey Devils head coach Peter DeBoer watches his team take on the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. The Devils defeated the Stars 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Florida Panthers are a team on the rise, with young talent and burgeoning chemistry. In 2010, the Florida Panthers did not necessarily have those things. Dale Tallon had just been on the GM job for a couple of months, after replacing Randy Sexton in May. It was clear that Tallon had a big mess to clean up, and this season was a rough one to sit through: the Panthers finished last in the Eastern Conference, last in power play percentage, and it proved to be coach Peter DeBoer’s last season in Sunrise. The Panthers have come a long way, so maybe it’d be nice to look back down at the gaping, nosebleed-inducing abyss the team has crawled out of. I present to you the opening day roster for the Florida Panthers in 2010, which played on October 10 at the Edmonton Oilers.

5 Bryan Allen – Allen was the best incoming player of the debacle of the 2007 Roberto Luongo trade, and for that unsavory fact he should be applauded. For three years, Allen was a fairly decent presence on the Cats’ blue line. What he didn’t have in speed, hands, or hockey skill, he more than made up with a knack for cross-checking and shooting wide of the net. He was a massive defenseman who pushed people down in front of his goalie, and that was basically fine.

Allen was traded in February 2011 to the Hurricanes for Sergei Samsonov, who delivered 14 points in 20 games at the end of the Panthers’ season before ending his NHL career. After a year and change in Carolina, Allen signed a three-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks. He was traded at last year’s trade deadline to the Canadiens, which did not keep his employment after the season. He’s currently a free agent, and will chill out at home until somebody signs him to be truculent.

6 Dennis Wideman – This is the one that got away for the Panthers. Acquired in the Nathan Horton/Gregory Campbell trade from the Boston Bruins, Wideman became an offensive force for the Panthers before being dealt to the Capitals at the trade deadline. Acquired in his stead? Jake Hauswirth and a 3rd round pick (Jonathan Racine).

Wideman spent a couple of quality seasons in Washington before his rights were dealt to the Calgary Flames in 2012. Up north, Wideman really hit his stride, when he wasn’t sidetracked by injuries. His offensive efforts culminated in a stellar 2014-15 for Calgary, featuring a career high in both goals (15) and assists (41).

7 Dmitry Kulikov – Works at a Dave & Busters in Hollywood so he can play all the games when his boss isn’t looking.

9 Stephen Weiss – You know the man. After his 11 seasons and team-record 659 games in a Panther sweater, he moved on to colder, grayer pastures in Detroit in 2013. Unfortunately, like his last season with the Panthers, Weiss was plagued by injuries. A sports hernia nagged him for much of his time with the Red Wings, who finally bought him out over last offseason. Weiss is still 32 years old, still is a great passer, but currently remains without a job.

10 David Booth – 2010 was almost a miracle season for David Booth, as he played all 82 games and put up a team-leading 23 goals coming off a disastrous double-concussion season the year before. He had some chutzpah, boy.

Booth got off to a slow start in 2011 though, and was savvily dealt early in the season to Vancouver for veterans Mikael Samuelsson and Marco Sturm (also in that trade? Steven Reinprecht, see below). The reduced ice time and added injuries for the Canucks didn’t add up to a happy time for Booth, however. Booth was released after 2014 and headed over to Toronto for one season. Now, he’s back! It remains to be seen if his PTO with the Panthers will lead to a contract, but hey, let the hair magic last as long as it can.

Feb 22, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Nashville Predators center Mike Santorelli (10) during the game against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

13 Mike Santorelli – Ready to feel old? Mike Santorelli is a 29-year old man. He is no longer a young AHL sharpshooter who could be a solid NHL player is somebody would just give him a dang chance. He has bounced around the league since his up-and-down time in South Florida, and after pit stops in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Toronto, and Nashville, Santorelli is now preparing for a season with the Anaheim Ducks. As is tradition, he will certainly score 25 goals this season and every team from Florida to Vancouver will curse themselves for not signing him.

14 Radek Dvorak – Dvorak really did have a remarkable shelf life in the NHL, but by this point it was clear the Czech international didn’t have as much left in the tank. Now at the end of his second stint with the Panthers, he would not surpass seven goals in a season in any campaign after 2010. Dvorak was traded along with a fifth-round pick to the Atlanta Thrashers, and the Panthers received Patrick Rissmiller and Niclas Bergfors in return.

After spending time in Dallas, Anaheim, and Carolina, Dvorak finally hung up the skates in early 2015 after spending 18 seasons in the NHL.

15 Kenndal McArdle – There is no evidence to suggest that this man ever played a hockey game.

16 Darcy Hordichuk – Hordichuk had a fairly non-existent offensive effort for the Florida Panthers in 2010, tallying one goal in 64 games. He was not kept the following offseason, so he fought his way aboard a plane and flew to Edmonton. After spending a couple more truculent seasons with the Oilers, Hordichuk has been out of the league. He is always down for a good scrap, though.

18 Shawn Matthias – Apparently following the David Booth pattern of South Florida evacuation, Matthias stuck around in with the Panthers for a few years before being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks, this time to acquire Roberto Luongo (reversing the worst trade of all time with a nearly-as-bad one). After scoring 18 goals last season, Matthias was rewarded with a one-year deal with his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’ll be tough to duck the Toronto media since he’s so tall.

19 Marty Reasoner – A trade pick-up from the Blackhawks before the ’10-’11 season (straight up for Jeff Taffe, by the way), Reasoner was the big star for the Panthers on 2010’s opening night. He netted both goals for the Panthers, and started a fairly successful campaign as a 3rd-line center. He played all 82 games that year, netting 14 goals and contributing 18 assists. The Panthers have always been strangely good at finding good penalty-killing centers, and dammit I think Marty Reasoner was one of the best the Panthers have had.

He didn’t make it very long in Florida though: he signed a two-year deal with the Islanders in 2011, which would be his last NHL contract. Over those two seasons, Reasoner played 92 games and only scored 1 goal with 10 assists. He ended his playing career at 36 years old, and moved into the Islanders office in a player development role.

Apr 21, 2015; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks left wing Chris Higgins (20) skates with the puck against the Calgary Flames during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

21 Christopher Higgins – Higgins was the classic “half-point per game” player during his brief tenure in Florida. In 48 games with the Panthers, he scored 11 goals and added 12 assists. That would buy him a ticket out-of-town in the very sell-heavy Panthers trade deadline, and he was traded to Vancouver for Evan Oberg and a third round pick.

In a remarkable departure from past Panthers who have gone to Vancouver, Higgins has not budged. He is still playing hockey for the Canucks, and is under contract for this season as well. And good for him, because Vancouver is lovely.

24 Bryan McCabe – The Panthers’ captain from 2009 to February 2011, McCabe was a pretty darn good defenseman in all facets of the game. He could captain the power play, play shut-down defense, and offer good clubhouse leadership. What he could not do unfortunately was get any younger. McCabe was 35 by the time the Panthers unloaded him on the New York Rangers for Tim Kennedy and another 3rd round pick.

He finished 2011 with the Rangers on their brief playoff run that year, but could not secure another NHL contract in the offseason. After a few months of silence, McCabe retired in February 2012.

26 Steve Bernier – Bernier was already in a bit of career-rehabilitation mode by the time he made his way to the Panthers in 2010. His gaudy stats in Juniors didn’t translate to much production at the NHL level, and he had already petered out in both San Jose and Vancouver. Florida had him for just one season, where he provided just 15 points in 68 games. The performance did not enthrall Tallon or the rest of the Panthers front office, and they let him walk without a qualifying offer over the offseason.

After three unconvincing seasons in New Jersey, Bernier finally got rolling in his fourth, picking up 16 goals and 16 assists in 67 games. He has a one-year deal upcoming with the

Brooklyn

New York Islanders.

27 Steven Reinprecht – Perhaps the greatest trivia question stumper, Steven Reinprecht actually had a decent run with the Panthers in 2010 before he was trade fodder in 2011. In 2010 he played all 82 games, he accumulated 38 points in a similar bottom-six role to Marty Reasoner.

Despite his modest production, he was sent along with David Booth to Vancouver in the trade for Samuelsson and Sturm. Reinprecht wouldn’t get a taste of NHL action again, as he toiled in the AHL for a couple seasons bringing his talents to the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Fun fact: he’ll be playing for the Ice Tigers along with Dany Heatley this season.

29 Tomas Vokoun – Undoubtedly the best Panther on this 2010 squad, Tomas Vokoun spent an unfortunately large chunk of his career carrying weak teams. This Florida team was no different, as he gave the team a .922 save percentage and a 2.55 GAA — certainly better than what the team deserved.

Very publicly, Vokoun was looking to tend the goal of a Cup-contending team. He was getting older after all, and was not getting much of a chance with Florida or his previous franchise, Nashville. Vokoun spent time in Washington and Pittsburgh, unable to nail down time as the unquestioned starter and ultimately falling short of his Cup quests. Despite appearing fine on the ice, Vokoun’s career was cut short by blood clot issues, and he was forced to retire in December 2014.

30 Scott Clemmensen – Panther fans’ favorite punch mitt, The Pride of Iowa spent quality time in Florida until the end of 2014. He got a quick cup of coffee with his original team, the New Jersey Devils, before finally calling it a career over this last offseason.

43 Mike Weaver – Ah, everybody’s favorite! The defenseman’s defenseman, Mike Weaver had just arrived in 2010 from St. Louis, and he made a very strong impact on the blue line. Despite not scoring any goals or dishing many impressive passes, Weaver always knew where to put his stick to break up a play or just how to check somebody to knock him off the puck. He was the prototypical bottom-pairing defenseman, and he has made a long career out of it.

As a reward for his hard work with the team, Weaver was traded to a Cup-contender in Montreal at the trading deadline in 2014, in exchange for a 5th round pick. He’s still under contract with the Canadiens, working at his defensve craft at 37 years old.

Oct 4, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jason Garrison (5) passes the puck against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Florida Panthers 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

52 Jason Garrison – In the beginning of 2010, Jason Garrison was not considered more than a big lug on the back line that would split time between the AHL and NHL. By the end of the season, he might’ve been the Panthers’ best blue-liner. He was dependable, played controlled defensive hockey, and was not a complete liability in the offensive zone. And by the end of 2012, Garrison was one of the most sought-after free agents. Not only could he play good defense, he had an absolute howitzer of a shot from the point, making him lethal on the power play. Brian Campbell set Garrison up for plenty of goals in that 2012 season.

He would chase the big money from his hometown team after 2012, as he headed up to Vancouver, as ex-Panthers are wont to do. Despite two decent seasons with the Canucks, Garrison was dealt after 2014 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has found a good spot on the blue line there, and he’s part of a damn good team that will challenge for the Cup this year as well.

61 Corey Stillman – The 2010-11 season would be veteran Stillman’s last in the NHL. After two-and-a-half seasons of decent production despite injuries, Stillman was dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes, a team he won the Cup with in 2006. The Panthers received Ryan Carter and a fifth round pick.

Stillman now works in the Hurricanes’ front office as a player development scout.

67 Michael Frolik – Guys like Michael Frolik are tough guys to lose for a franchise. By 2010, Frolik was coming off back-to-back 21 goal seasons for the Panthers, and he was still only 22 years old. He would need a new contract by the end of the season, but it was clear the offensive gifts were there for the young Czech player. It was a gut punch when he was traded in 2011 to the Chicago Blackhawks (along with Alexander Salak) for Hugh Jessiman, David Pacan, and Jack Skille.

In Chicago and then in Winnipeg, Frolik established himself as a voracious penalty killer who used his speed and effort very effectively. His offensive talents also made him a key part of the Blackhawks’ Cup run in 2013. Just this last offseason, Frolik signed a handsome five-year deal with the Calgary Flames.

85 Rostislav Olesz – In 2010, Olesz was still considered on the Panthers’ most talented young players, as he was coming off a 14-goal season where he stayed relatively healthy. By the end of 2011, he proved to be a soft player with not enough scoring in his game, and his name was not worth the trouble to type.

In an utter victory for the Panthers, Tallon traded Olesz straight up to Chicago for Brian Campbell. Campbell is still the Panthers’ top offensive defenseman, and Olesz played six games for the Blackhawks before being stored in the AHL. Outside of a quick reappearance in the NHL with the Devils in 2013-14, Olesz could not scratch his way back into prominence. He now plays for SC Bern in Switzerland.

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