Panthers likely to lose Marchessault
Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon rolled the dice by not placing Jonathan Marchessault, the team’s leading goal scorer last season, on the Panthers’ protected list and risks losing Marchessault in the NHL expansion draft today.
“We value everybody,” Panthers director of amateur scouting Jason Bukala said Tuesday. “[Head of pro scouting Al Teur and Tallon] were very thorough on putting that list together. I’m comfortable with it and I knowthey are.
“It’s not a perfect situation. Let’s be honest, it still stings a little bit at theendof the day. We knowthe math; no matter who you put on your list you’re going to lose a player.”
After bouncing around the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning organizations, the undrafted Marchessault, 26, thought he found a home with the Panthers after leading them with 30 goals (51 points), in his first full season in the NHL.
“Yes, I’m surprised not to have been protected,” Marchessault told 91.9 Sports, a Canadian radio station on Monday. “I thought I was part of [the plan] for the Panthers.”
Marchessault, arguably the best bang-for-your-buck free-agent signing last season at $1.5 million over two years, told TVA, a French-Canadian sports network, on Monday that his, “ego took a [hit],” and that his agent said Tallon’s offer to give Vegas GM George McPhee a draft pick not to pick him was unsuccessful.
McPhee could select a few other unprotected Panthers instead of Marchessault, such as Reilly Smith, 26, who scored a careerhigh 25 goals in 2015-16 when Vegas coach Gerard Gallant was guiding the Panthers, but only had 15 last season.
McPhee could focus on defense and select top-four defenseman Jason Demers, who signed a five-year deal for $22.5 million with Florida last July and scored a career-high 9 goals, while playing an integral role on the team’s second-ranked penalty kill.
The Panthers also protected goalie James Reimer, 29, over future Hall of Fame goalie Roberto Luongo, who at 38 has dealt with hip issues for the past two seasons and is signed through 2022.
Instead of choosing the 7-3-1format which would’ve protected seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie, Tallon and Teur, opted for the 4-4-1 scenario which saved four forwards, four defense men and ago a lie.
Tallon basically elected to risk losing Marchessault to hold onto 25-year-old restricted free-agent defensemen Alex Petrovic and Mark Pysyk. He wasn’t going to leave Aaron Ekblad, 21, dangling and he had to protect veteran Keith Yandle becuase of his no-move clause.
The Panthers also protected their core-four young forwards in Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck and the oft-injured Nick Bjugstad.
Gallant has said that he leaves all personnel decisions to McPhee, but he coached Marchessault for 22 games last season before he got fired. He witnessed the feisty, 5-foot-9 right wing score 10 goals and 17 points in those games, all but carrying the injury-decimated Panthers at the time.
“When I saw the list for the first time I said to myself, ‘There are some good hockey players here,’” Gallant told the Vegas Sun. “And there were a couple guys that are really good.”
Awards Show
While Florida will be shut out at Wednesday’s NHL Awards Show (8 p.m., NBCSN), former Panthers goalie Craig Anderson, who plays for Ottawa, is likely to win the Masterton trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies perseverance and dedication to hockey. Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr won the award last season.
The Hart Trophy (MVP award) finalists are Pittsburgh’s Sidney-Crosby, Edmontons’ Connor McDavid and Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
San Jose defenseman Brent Burns, who was supervised by Panthers coach Bob Boughner when he was a Sharks assistant last season, is a front-runner for the Norris Trophy (best defenseman).
This year’s Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) candidates are Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine, Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Columbus’ Zach Werenski. And the Jack Adams Coach of the Year candidates are Toronto’s Mike Babcock, Columbus’ John Tortorella and Edmonton’s Todd McLellan.