Florida Panthers proud of improvement, optimistic for future -NHL Update
Florida Panthers are one of those teams that have made a huge impact this 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season and instead of terming it a fluke, many of are the view that the team looks to have made some permanent changes.
Panthers’ executive vice president and general manager, Dale Tallon, is not only excited but also proud that his team has managed to pull of the unexpected, stunning many throughout the league.
It certainly did not come without a beating. Florida was one of those teams that were considered to be easy when it came to playing on the ice, but now it is a whole lot different. Teams think twice about going up against the Panthers, who now see red in
every single contest of theirs.
"With 13 or 14 new players now, a new coaching staff and all the injuries we have accumulated over the year, I take my hat off to the players and the coaching staff for playing so hard and buying in to what we are trying to do here," said Tallon.
Tallon himself came into the club back in early 2010 to revolutionise the team, it took a little time, but now the GM has something to boast on his resume. For him, Florida is just at Act 1 of the total process they hope to complete, which eventually will
end at a Stanley Cup championship.
"Our fans in Florida have suffered," Tallon added. "I have gone through this before in Chicago. You can't do it quick, you just have to be patient and do the right thing. It just can't happen overnight."
Having seen their last playoff appearance back in 2000, which is the longest for any team in the NHL, Florida is finally back in fighting position and are hopeful of making it big this time around.
Making some major moves in the free agency last year was extremely beneficial to the club as they picked up players like Marcel Goc, Sean Bergenheim and Tomas Fleischmann, all of whom are hungry for a championship.
With 20 games remaining, Florida is sitting at number three in the Eastern Conference with 72 points. It will not be surprising to see them overtake defending Stanley Cup champions, the Boston Bruins, for the second number spot at the end of the season,
making them one of the front runners for the most coveted prize in the hockey world.
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