Florida Panthers: My Ten Favorite Moments of 15-16

Picking just ten was a tough task, but these moments were the ten moments I loved about last season.

10. The Huberdeau-Barkov-Jagr Line

There are some things in life that are better together. When it comes to the Jonathan Huberdeau, Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov line, Gerard Gallant struck gold when he decided to put them all together on the first line. Huberdeau and Barkov would both record record high seasons while Jaromir Jagr would have his second best season since his return to the NHL. On top of that success, the Panthers team would record its best season in franchise history and share a three way tie with most consecutive wins for the 2015-16 season. Barkov and Jagr would both be nominated for awards at the end of the season with Jagr winning the Masterton while Barkov would be narrowly beaten by Anze Kopitar for the Lady Byng Award. What made this trio even more deadly was that nobody saw them being effective until it was already too late, which gave them a great advantage over quite a few of the teams they faced off against.

9. The 2016 All Star Game

John Scott may have been the MVP in the Cinderella story that was the 2016 All Star Game, but if they do decide to make a movie out of the events that play out in Nashville, The Panthers will certainly have a major supporting role.

Jagr had been nominated to captain the Atlantic Division All Star Team, despite there being alternative options and Jagr himself asking fans to stop voting for him to captain the team. After a conversation with Hockey Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne, Jagr decided to give it a go and went to Nashville with fellow Panthers Aaron Ekblad, Roberto Luongo and head coach Gallant. What happened couldnt have been anticipated by any of them as both Jagr and Ekblad scored in the first round of the playoff game. Whats even more interesting is that during the skills competition Luongo would be the only goaltender to record a perfect night in the shootout portion of the event. In the final round of the All Star Game, Luongo would stop 12 out of 12 shots. His backup, Ben Bishop, would let through Corey Perry‘s goal that got the Pacific Division the win in Nashville.

8. Barkov Returns in a Big Way

Aleksander Barkov, alongside several Panthers players would find himself on the injured list after a phenomenal start to 2016 after colliding with Justin Abdelkader on February 8th and suffering a concussion. Barkov had recorded a point in his last six games before the injury, and he wasn’t shy about picking up right where he left off.

Barkov would score his first goal of the night on the power play to put the Panthers up over the Coyotes 2-1 in the second period. Barkov would find twine yet again in the third after recieving the puck from behind the net thanks to Jagr. Florida would win the game 3-2

7. Erik Gudbranson Destroys Teuvo Teravainen

Erik Gudbranson is the type of guy that you really have to watch out for when he’s on the ice, because he can really lay into you if you aren’t careful. If you ever want proof of that fact, ask Teuvo Teravainen of the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Panthers, who were already up 4-0 were laying a figurative beating on the then reigning Stanley Cup Champions when Gudbranson decided to take the physicality up a notch. With Teravainen heading down the ice with the puck, Gudbranson used his massive 6 foot, 5 inch frame to separate the 5 foot 11 Teravainen from the black biscuit, sending him inside out in the process.

Gudbranson was not an overly effective offensive talent, but his physicality will make him a force to be reckoned with on the Vancouver Canucks lineup next year. Lets hope that our return of Adam Maschurin and Jared McCann works in our favor next season.

6. Barkov’s Incredible Shootout Goal

Speaking of the Vancouver Canucks, my next pick happened against the Vancouver Canucks, particularly former Panther Jacob Markstrom.

Florida and Vancouver found themselves going into a shootout on December 20th, 2015. Tied at four goals each, there needed to be a tiebreaker.

Brandon Pirri and McCann would each score once in the shootout, but it was Barkov who would be the hero of the game and score this beauty and secure the win for the Panthers. What makes it even better from my perspective is how calmly he skates towards the bench like it was effortless. When Jagr was asked about the goal he jokingly said “I told him I’m done with him. I teach him everything I can and he hasn’t taught me anything.’’

Jagr would also score his goal to pass Marcel Dionne for fourth on the all time goals list that night.

5. Ekblad Resigns with Florida

When Florida drafted Aaron Ekblad in 2013, The Panthers secured themselves an entry level deal with a future NHL star. Ekblad was the third player ever to be granted “exceptional player” status by Hockey Canada and the first ever defenseman to recieve the honor. With 116 points in 3 seasons in the OHL with the Barrie Colts, Florida fans everywhere knew that this kid was going places. If the Panthers didnt secure Ekblad as soon as possible the franchise wouldn’t have nearly the same potential as it does today.

On July 1st, the Panthers announced that Aaron Ekblad had signed on for eight more years and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Ekblad took 7.5 million dollars per year, which going forward is an incredible deal for such a gifted and talented individual.

4. Jagr Passes Howe

Jaromir Jagr had an incredible season, and it was one that the history books had a hard time keeping up with. Jagr broke several milestones after passing Marcel Dionne and Brett Hull in goals, setting the new record for most points in a season by a player over 44 years old and most importantly his passing of “Mr. Hockey” Gordie Howe in points.

Jagr’s record would be a bright note on a heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins. Where the Panthers fought hardand came so close to winning the game on several occasions. It would be Lee Stempniak that would score the game winner for Boston after the Panthers would score three goals in the third period to come back from a 4-1 deficit.

Jagr, who seemed to be more upset than happy about the nights events said the following during the post game interview. “It’s more for you guys (in the media), It’s behind me now. Let’s concentrate on wins.”

3. Florida Panthers Vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (January 22nd 2016)

When you play the Stanley Cup Champions the night before and shut them out, then have to play the Stanley Cup finalists the next night, you aren’t expected to win.

The Florida Panthers found themselves in this situation on January 23rd, 2016 after defeating the Blackhawks 4-0. The next night, the Panthers would host the Tampa Bay Lightning at home. To add to the already stacked odds against the Panthers, the Lightning were on a six game winning streak. What wasnt on the Lightnings side though, was luck.

Huberdeau would score midway through the second period on Ben Bishop, and from there it was all downhill for the Lightning as Reilly Smith and Nick Bjugstad would find twine behind the star goaltender. Vincent Trocheck would get just a piece of the puck and in a shocking moment, flip the puck perfectly over the 6 foot 7 Bishop and have it land perfectly into the net for his 13th goal of the season.

It wasn’t just the game itself that made this so special for me, but a particular ebay auction I found about a month later. The puck Trocheck scored on Bishop with came up for auction. I just had to have it and today, that puck is beside a signed Trocheck rookie card in a display case with all my Panthers memorabilia. To be honest, most people who have been to my house have seen the puck, and when they ask about it, I make them watch the goal at least twice.

By the way, The Panthers would win 5-2 and beat both the Stanley Cup champions and the Stanley Cup finalists of 2015 on back to back nights.

2. Jagr Ties and Passes Brett Hull for Goals in the Same Night

Ill never forget the day this happened, because it was during my birthday party

The Florida Panthers were playing the Winnipeg Jets on February 20th, 2016 and with Jagr just one goal behind Brett Hull for third of all time it was a recipe for the Ageless Wonder to make history.

Andrew Ladd would score for the Jets in the first period, which would be the Jets lone goal that night. Jagr would respond five minutes into the second period and tie Brett Hull for 3rd all time in goals. Reilly Smith scored on the powerplay minutes into the third period and ten minutes later Jagr would score yet again to propel himself into the record books as third of all time.

A month before Jagr secured the spot, Brett Hull spoke to NHL.com about his spot in the record books and said the following

“It’s obviously not a record, but you do things well and there are people with extraordinary talent that are going to pass you one day,” “I would think at this point with the way the game is played, it’ll be Jagr and Alex Ovechkin, and I’ll probably end up fifth. It’s a pretty good group of guys to be lumped with though.”

1. Panthers Win Twelve Straight Games

How could this not be the number one moment of 2015-16 for the Panthers?

It’s not a shocking surprise that the Florida Panthers are seen as the underdogs of the NHL. So when the Panthers started stringing together wins, hockey fans took notice. What make the record even more exceptional is the teams they took down in the process, including the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and the Ottawa Senators… twice.

Starting on December 15th, and lasting all the way until January 12th. The Panthers found a way to launch themselves from being out of the playoffs into the first place spot in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers would end the streak with a comfortable six point lead in the Atlantic Division and solidified themselves as a team to fear. What was even more impressive was that the Panthers spent 17 minutes total behind on the scoreboard for the entire twelve games. The team got a major boost of confidence that they could be winners and with that confidence, they finished the season with 103 points and secured the Atlantic Division Champions spot by six points.

What made the end of the streak unfortunate was the post game scuffle after the overtime loss on January 12th, which ended with both the Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers engaged in a bench clearing war. Rumors spread about the cause of the fight, but it appears to most people that Al Montoya and Derek Dorsett were the instigators behind the event.

Honorable Mention

Trocheck Was Tripped

Leave it to the internet to find humor in bad situations

As many fans will tell you, the Florida Panthers were only minutes away from winning game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs first round against the New York Islanders when John Tavares scored the game tying goal on a sprawled Roberto Luongo, who had lost sight of the puck after stopping it.

The version Florida Panthers fans will tell you is that Vince Trocheck was tripped and the ref didn’t call the penalty, which would have put the Islanders down a man and most likely forced game seven and possibly gotten the Panthers into the second round.

The Internet responded accordingly