Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett’s situation for this upcoming season
Over the next two weeks, the Florida Panthers will continue to trim their roster down for opening night. Will newly drafted Owen Tippett make the cut?
This past summer, the Florida Panthers used their 10th pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft to select forward Owen Tippett from the Mississauga Steelheads. Many fans were happy with this pick as Florida finally drafted a true scorer rather than a play maker or a defenseman. Tippett’s ability to put the puck in the back of the net was very impressive during his time in Mississauga, and the Panthers’ front office knew that they needed his talents in South Florida.
Now that the Panthers are nearing opening night, the Cats will soon have to make a decision regarding if Tippett will suit up for the Panthers this year, go back to juniors, or receive a nine game tryout. While each option has its own upside, let’s take a look at what is the most likely option to happen.
To make things easier for the Panthers, they could just send Tippett back to Mississauga for one more year. Most fans might be disappointed by this, but it actually does have some upsides to it. Back in the OHL, Tippett would be able to develop his game a little bit more. He would be playing top minutes for the Steelheads, and he could work on his overall game (especially his defensive game).
The Panthers’ front office knows from last year that if forwards don’t play their part on both ends of the ice, then it will surely result in numerous defensive breakdowns. If Tippett does get sent back to the OHL, he could easily work on his defensive game in order to become a complete NHL player.
Not only would this let Owen develop his game more, but it would also help the Panthers in creating another roster spot. There are currently 3 spots open on the team, and the Panthers have a boatload of talented players to choose from. By sending Tippett back to the OHL for one more season, this would allow Florida to see what some of the other prospects have to offer. Sending him back to the OHL might be the smartest and easiest choice to make.
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The most exciting option at the moment would be to let Tippett start on opening night and let him keep that spot for the entire season. Tippett could slot into either the 2nd or 3rd line and contribute at a high level. His goal scoring ability would be something the Panthers would welcome with open arms.
His potential to light the lamp multiple times throughout the season is something the Panthers desperately need. Owen definitely has the talent and ability to become a top scorer in the NHL this season, but it’s not set in stone. There’s the possibility that he couldn’t be ready for the NHL and the Panthers would be stuck in a sticky situation. This is for sure the riskiest option for the Cats to take.
The best choice for the Panthers to make would be to put Tippett on the rookie nine game tryout. Not only would Florida be able to see how Tippett plays in an NHL environment, but it would also give them the option to send him back down to the OHL if he doesn’t hold up accordingly. If the Panthers do choose this option, they would need to play Tippett on the 2nd line in order to see his full potential. Playing him on a line with Trocheck and Vrbata would give Tippett multiple opportunities to score and would give him no excuses not to hold up and play to his full potential.
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When the Panthers play their first game in just a little over two weeks, look for Tippett to be playing on the 2nd or 3rd line on a nine game tryout. If he succeeds and shows the coaching staff that he deserves to stay for the entire season, fans should be ecstatic. But, if he isn’t able to keep up, fans should still know that there are more than capable NHL ready prospects waiting for their turn.