Florida Panthers’ 2000s All-Decade Team

The Florida Panthers of the 2000s made zero playoff appearances over the decade, but that’s not without some key franchise icons and tremendous scoring seasons. Let’s look back at the Panthers All-Decade Team across the 2000s, factoring in a lineup that would be the most productive on the scoresheet based exclusively on a one-season body of work.

The team will be composed of one player at each skater position, representing the best point-producing season at that position among the Panthers throughout the 2000s. Also presented will be the team’s best goalie season.

Forwards

David Booth 

The left-wing nomination for the 2000s Panthers All-Decade Team came from a player who may have gone under the radar and become a name some have forgotten: David Booth, during his 2008-09 season. That season, he played in 72 games, totaling 31 goals and 29 assists for 60 points, adding 38 penalty minutes and a plus-10 rating.

This is also the 18th-highest goal total for one season in team history and the fifth-highest of the 2000s, with only players joining this team ahead of him. The Panthers, however, did not make a playoff appearance during this productive campaign.

Olli Jokinen 

The center pick for the Panthers’ All-Decade Team based on one season’s scoring output is Olli Jokinen. This season’s selection is the result of the 2006-07 run. In that campaign, he played in 82 games and recorded 39 goals and 52 assists for 91 points.

That total is the eighth-most points for a single season in team history. It’s also the 12th-highest assist tally in club history. The 39-goal total places him eighth in team annals and the second-highest for the 2000s decade. Finally, he chipped in 78 penalty minutes and was plus-18. He was a key figure for the Panthers, and the 2006-07 campaign typified the best of his run.

Pavel Bure 

For the right-wing spot on this team, the nod goes to a player who already held this position on the 1990s version of this squad: Pavel Bure. This is specifically for his production during the 2000-01 season, in which he played all 82 games. In those games, he managed to put up 59 goals and 33 assists for a total of 92 points.

This was the sixth-most points in a one-season span in team history and the single-best goal total in club history. He also added 58 penalty minutes and was minus-2. He holds the two most prolific goal totals across a single season in Panthers history.

Defensemen

Jay Bouwmeester

As for the left-handed defenseman role on this team, it goes to another staple and legend of the organization, Jay Bouwmeester, for his work in the 2008-09 season. In that season, he recorded 15 goals and 27 assists for a total of 42 points.

That’s not a ton of scoring punch, but this is the eighth-best one-season goal total for a Panthers defenseman. He picked up 68 penalty minutes and was minus-2 that season, also managing to contribute a fair bit on the scoresheet by club history standards.

Mike Van Ryn

Now we get to the right-handed defenseman selection, and the nod goes to Mike Van Ryn for the 2003-04 season. In 79 games, he contributed 13 goals and 24 assists for 37 points. This is the highest goal total of that decade for a Panthers right-handed defenseman.

He rounded out the season with 52 penalty minutes and a minus-16 rating. It wasn’t a sterling defensive showing for a team that missed the playoffs, but he was able to put the puck in the back of the net and put points on the board.

Goaltender

Roberto Luongo

To finish off the list, the goalie claiming his spot on this list is one of the greatest Panthers in team history and certainly, without a doubt, one of the greatest goalies in club history: Roberto Luongo, in 2003-04. That season, he played 72 games, the second-most in team annals for a goalie in one year.

He finished with a 2.43 goals-against average (GAA) and a .931 save percentage (SV%). While the wins and losses weren’t successful, very little of that falls on his shoulders, finishing with a record of 25 wins, 33 losses, and 14 ties. He recorded seven shutouts that season and tallied three assists. He’s contributed seasons with better records, but his statistical contribution takes the cake.

Honorable Mentions

A handful of other seasons certainly warranted consideration. Other names who could’ve had a spot in an alternative lineup include Bryan McCabe, Nathan Horton, and Stephen Weiss, to name a few.

With the roster selected, we need to examine how it compares to the other decades of the Panthers’ All-Decade Team. Next up will be the 2010s and, after that, the 2020s, before exploring which decade produced the best All-Decade team for scoring output overall. The 2000s roster totaled 157 goals and 168 assists in one-season contributions from the players selected for this list.