Panthers Named As Possible Match For Blackhawks Defenseman
The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun selected the Florida Panthers as a possible trade match with Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy, as they look to upgrade their third pairing.
Video Transcript
Well, well, anyone on the forward side needs to step r- step up, Ryan, because this is a team that's lost four straight, and in those four games, they've combined for only four goals.
So, y- you're not gonna win a whole lot when you're averaging one goal a game.
And I know you're missing Barkov, you're missing Tkachuk, those are two guys that are obviously gonna drive the offense for you, but this is still a team with Brad Marchand, they got Sam Bennett, they've got Sam Reinhart, um, Carter Verhaeghe.
Like, any one of those guys really needs to grab the offense right now and kinda take charge, because, you know, you're right, this is the Atlantic Division.
Like, if- if we're talking about Florida, maybe in the Pacific, you could say, okay, or even the Metro, maybe, you know, you can go four games in a row without winning and you still, you know, make your way into the playoffs.
But, you know, Detroit has come on like a juggernaut, Toronto's still, you know, playing really good hockey.
It's- it's gonna be hard for Florida Panthers, if they playing like this, um, throughout November, um, to make the playoffs.
Mm.
Devin, what's your level of concern right now with the Panthers?
Is this just kind of a bump in the road?
Uh, do you worry that they could get too far behind?
What- what is your level of concern right now?
Well, I think that's it, right, is the worry of getting too far behind.
I think that- that as a- as a group and a team, I wasn't worried about them at the start with the injuries.
I think they're deep enough and they've got the guys to do it, um, you know, to- to stay competitive and stay- stay in the mix, and that's kind of all they- they need to do right now.
They do need those guys to step up.
They need the- the forwards.
They're gonna have to fill roles where they were a great team because they had all this depth and they had the Sam Bennetts, you know, doing his thing, basically being a top guy, but not really looked at as- as a top guy.
Um, you know, Reinhart, Verhaeghe, these guys, they're gonna need t- to come in and be the guys.
And they can be, uh, but they n- t- they're gonna need to take a step up and not- not sit in those- in- in those support roles, very, very good support roles.
They- they're gonna have to step up.
And they can.
They absolutely can.
Uh, they're good enough players.
But I think the biggest concern for me with Florida is just, it- it is so hard to claw back in this league because of the three Points, because of how good- good teams are and the parody, is just for them in finding their game, and- and it is gonna be a different look when you've got guys who are now top power play who weren't before, or filling in top lines, playing different roles.
Sometimes it takes a little bit to kind of adjust to what that team identity is.
Um, but they got to adjust quickly, because like I said, you just, for this group, y- y- they started 3-0, so- so that certainly helps, um, but they got to get it on track and just kinda keep on track, and just chug along right in the- right in that wildcard area.
