Status-
Besucher
| Heute: |
|
1400 |
| Gestern: |
|
921 |
| Gesamt: |
|
1930005 |
-
Benutzer & Gäste
4929 Benutzer registriert, davon online: 103 Gäste
|
|
|
| 18575 Beiträge & 12638 Themen in 21 Foren |
Keine neuen Beiträge, seit Ihrem letzten Besuch am 23.12.2025 - 19:20.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Autor |
|
|
|
| n since 1999 and replaced |
|
|
| 1445 Beiträge - Hardcoreposter
|
|
|
SUNRISE, Fla. -- When Roberto Luongo learned he wouldnt be starting the Heritage Classic, the disappointed goaltender asked agent Pat Brisson to call Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis just to get a read on his future. When Gillis gave Brisson permission to seek out a potential trade partner for the goalie and his massive contract, the attention turned quickly to the Panthers -- and not just because Luongo calls South Florida home. "It had to be a hockey move," Brisson said. "Roberto wants to play, wants to win. He wants to compete and win. ... When Roberto asked me, I said, I do believe that theres a light at the end of the tunnel for (the Panthers)," Brisson said. "I do believe theres a place where this team is going to go in the right direction." While the Canucks head in the direction of a rebuild, the Panthers look like a team on the upward climb thanks to new owner Vinny Viola and a cadre of young prospects GM Dale Tallon has assembled in the NHLs southernmost market. Through two games with his new team, Luongo has already caught a glimpse of what he and many hockey people believe is a bright future for the Panthers. Luongo sees potential stars in Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad and a handful more young players around the locker-room. At 34 years old, he wants to contribute to the revival of the franchise rather than riding coattails. "Its all about making a commitment to bringing some people in and trying to build a winner," Luongo said Sunday night after facing the Boston Bruins. "Thats what its all about for me. Im not here to fade into the sunset. I want to be part of something special coming here." Something special in the short term might just mean making the playoffs after missing in 11 of the past 12 seasons. Even as the Panthers head toward another early off-season, Bjugstad hopes its just "growing pains" as part of an important learning experience. Thats to be expected for a team whose top players include 18-year-old Aleksander Barkov, 20-year-old Huberdeau, and 22-year-old Erik Gudbranson. Players were on a bus in Boston when they found out Luongo was coming and represented something of a safety valve for mistakes of youth. "Any time you can have a solid goaltender behind you, it gives you confidence that you can make some plays," said 20-year-old forward Vincent Trocheck, who made his Panthers debut the same game Luongo returned. "If you do make a mistake, you know that hes back there to save your butt, basically." Yet in the larger scope, Luongo is not being asked to save a franchise by himself. It is, however, Tallons hope that trading for him "sets the tone" for the organization. The message of taking on the final eight-plus years and over US$28 million of Luongos contract was that the Panthers are willing to spend. Hours after making the move, Tallon said it was about making good on all the talk about wanting to win a Stanley Cup because "talk is cheap." Doing so could be expensive, but its not out of the realm of possibility that Florida has a better chance of winning a Cup in the next four or five years than Vancouver. "You never know," Luongo said. "Its tough to say. You hope so. Thats why Im here. I think the pieces are definitely here, just a matter of making sure that we bring the right piece to complement these young guys that are talented and theyre going to be stars in this league." Tallon has a plan. After already taking the goaltending gamble that was Jacob Markstrom out of the equation and getting Luongo, he has his sights set on signing, drafting or trading for two power wingers to support Barkov, Huberdeau, Bjugstad and Trocheck. The Panthers payroll is the lowest in the league at just over US$50 million, but with Viola in charge, Tallon expects to be "a cap team or close to a cap team" next season. Having almost $30 million of cap space could help the Panthers continue down the path to being a contender, but it also helps to have Luongo as a salesman and a symbol of the clubs all-out push to get better. "Its hard to recruit anybody if they dont think youre doing the right thing," Tallon said. "I think the commitment of making that deal and the commitment that Vinny Violas going to make ... will really influence a lot of decisions as far as players wanting to come here, seeing that were really committed to winning." Luongo didnt keep close tabs on the Panthers rebuild while he was playing for the Canucks because he didnt expect to get traded, let alone back to Florida. But Brisson, who just negotiated a two-year extension for winger Brad Boyes, had a good sense of what was happening. New ownership meant a new opportunity for Luongo. "If it was back to the former ownership where they werent sure what they wanted to spend, what they wanted to do, I wouldnt have recommended it at the time -- absolutely not," Brisson said. "If you look at good ownership and willingness to spend and the right chef, so to speak, the right cook in the kitchen, its an attractive place for Roberto and the players that are there." Tallon is that chef, and he has quite the recipe on his resume. Even though Stan Bowman was the general manager when the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup, Tallon orchestrated much of the turnaround in Chicago. "It went well for them," Bjugstad said. "Thats kind of what were banking on." For every Blackhawks success story theres another example like the Edmonton Oilers, who are set to miss the playoffs for the eighth straight season despite three straight No. 1 picks and six in the top 10. They provide a cautionary tale for the Panthers, even as Tallon rattles off prospect after prospect who could make a difference. Each one of those young, unproven players represents essentially a raffle ticket for Florida, another chance to hit it big. But theres plenty of risk and uncertainty in that. "Obviously weve got to prove ourselves before we can get too excited," Bjugstad said. "Theres a ways to go." In Luongo, the young Panthers get a goalie who is already established. Even if his play is not Vezina Trophy-calibre, he could instill plenty of confidence on and off the ice. "I think maybe as more of an experienced guy in the locker-room to bring whatever I have learned over the years and maybe help them out along the way as far as just being a pro and all that kind of stuff to help their development," Luongo said. That team-wide development and progression toward a playoff team is still in the "early" stages, according to Tallon. Luongos addition speeds it up, but theres still no set goal on when he figures the Panthers will get over the hump. "I dont put numbers on that," he said. "I just let the players start to develop and see when theyre ready to make a real hit on the team as far as moving forward. And when they all come together as a group, as a team, not just in a group of individuals, thats when you pretty well know when youve got something special." Julius Thomas Jersey . This week, topics cover if and when the Blue Jays should start rebuilding, how good catchers handle a pitching staff and how best to develop young pitchers to best avoid arm problems. Peyton Manning Jersey . More than a month after signing the free agent centre, Bynum is expected to make his debut with Indiana on Tuesday night against Boston. http://www.shopbroncosus.com/women-gary-zimmerman-broncos-je rsey-sale/ . He missed a three-game series against New York this week after suffering the injury last Sunday while trying to leg out a base hit during a game in Cincinnati. Sylvester Williams Jersey . Louis Cardinals 5-3 on Friday night and tightened the top of the NL Central. The Reds moved within three games of the second-place Cardinals, who have won seven of their last nine games while staying right behind the division-leading Brewers. Dennis Smith Jersey On Sale . The 22-year-old from Notre Dame started 29 games and had five goals and six assists this season. The league announced Monday that Powers received 93 per cent of team, media and player votes.KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Atlanta Braves have been on a signing spree. So far theyve locked up first baseman Freddie Freeman, right fielder Jason Heyward, starter Julio Teheran, and closer Craig Kimbrel. On Wednesday, the Braves extended the contracts of general manager Frank Wren and manager Fredi Gonzalez. Wren and Gonzalez were entering the final years of their contracts and Braves president John Schuerholz simply said he wanted the deals to be done as soon as possible. Terms and the amount of the contracts were not disclosed. Schuerholz made the announcement before the first full-squad workout of the spring. "Theyve done wonderful jobs for us," Schuerholz said. "Were not going to talk about the lengths, but they have been extended." After a long first day with the full squad, Gonzalez said he was happy to have the contract issue out of the way. "Im excited," Gonzalez said. "It gives me a chance to stay in Atlanta and I love being here. This is a place I want to be for a long time. Im just happy with the whole thing." Last season, the Braves went 96-66 and won the National League East before falling in the playoffs. Gonzalez finished third in National League Manager of the Year voting. He has a career record with the Braves of 279-207. Gonzalez has a long history with the Braves as a third base coach under manager Bobby Cox. He started his managing career with the Florida Marlins where he served for 3 1/2 seasons. Wren has been in the Braves organnization since 1999 and replaced Schuerholz as general manager after the 2007 season.dddddddddddd Schuerholz said he was happy to have Wren and Gonzalez wrapped up before contracts became an issue during the regular season. "Its just not the way to run a company," said Schuerholz of spending the year negotiating contracts. These guys deserve better than that and thats why we did it." "Thats not something we wanted to avoid, its just not the way to run a company," he said. "And these guys deserve more than that, better than that, and thats why we did it." The four player signings along with the Wren and Gonzalez extensions, showed that the Braves arent afraid to spend money. On the four players alone, they spent $227.7 million. NOTES: Gonzalez got a chance to see RHP Brandon Beachy pitch and said he is impressed. Beachy was 2-1 with five starts last year after returning from Tommy John surgery. ... Gonzalez said he is still adjusting to the new rules regarding replay. The Braves will be allowed the use of replay three times during spring training. He said he is still trying to figure out the rules. He said he will likely have a part-time coach in the replay booth to send down signals on the calls. ... RHP Kris Medlen sat in front of the dugout at Champion Stadium to have his hair completely shaven to support awareness and funding for cancer research. Several cancer survivors helped out and Medlen said he felt fine about his new look after it was over. ' ' '
|
| Beitrag vom 21.11.2014 - 04:54 |
|
|
|
