Florida Panthers: Analyzing the Strengths and Weaknesses for the 2018-19 Season

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LAVAL, QC – APRIL 06: Springfield Thunderbirds center Jake Horton (19) waits for a pass during the Springfield Thunderbirds versus the Laval Rocket game on April 6, 2018, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Despite the clear strengths for the Panthers, there are still weaknesses that will hinder the team’s chase to catch up to the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning who will head the Atlantic Division this year.

Among these is the power play, which has been an issue for the Panthers for years now. Last season, the power play seemed to get better but it still struggled mightily that year.

The Cats finished last season ranked 21st in the NHL on the man advantage, scoring on 18.9% of opportunities (47 goals on 249 attempts). The issue with the number is that Vinnie Trocheck, Jonny Huberdeau, and Evgeni Dadonov were responsible for 26 (55%) of these goals.

While the acquisition of Mike Hoffman and the arrival of Henrik Borgstrom and possibly Owen Tippett might help with the PP, the last two are highly inexperienced in the NHL and on special teams.

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The two have combined for just 11 games in the NHL and neither has scored on the power play. While it would be great to see both make an impact on the man advantage and help push the team to the upper half of the NHL, it’s just not realistic to expect in their rookie campaign.

Another weakness for the Panthers is their farm system, the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL). While it isn’t apart of the NHL season, it plays an impact for the Florida Panthers’ future.

Playing a huge responsibility in player development, the Thunderbirds have been widely disappointing for a while, including last season. The T-Birds finished 25th in the AHL last season, where they won just 32 games. The season before, they finished 22nd in the AHL.

The standings show only half the story for Springfield. The leading scorer for the Thunderbirds last year, Curtis Valk, has left for the KHL. Anthony Greco, who finished second on the team in points, doesn’t seem like a player in the future plans for the team.

The worst part of the Thunderbirds, however, is how Geordie Kinnear arranges his lines for the team. Without much talent, the T-Birds are rolling out lines with the likes of 29-year-old Bobby Farnham, who scored just 21 points last year, in the top-six on the second line.

When the team plays players like this on the second line, it hurts the development of not only his linemates and the forward core, but also the defense and the goalie and any prospects that you have down there.

Here's how the T-Birds will line up for tonight's matchup in Charlotte. #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/drZG7IYNaO
— Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) February 9, 2018

Frankly, if the Panthers want to be able to develop more prospects to reach the NHL level, the team has to focus on their AHL system.

Not every player will make the jump from the NCAA to the NHL like Borgstrom did, and the best way to get a player acclimated to professional hockey in North America is the AHL, where a player can get used to any tactics that are used on an NHL roster.

Next. Who to Expect on This Year’s Third Line. dark

As of right now, however, the AHL setup is outdated and yards behind other teams.

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