• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Florida Panthers

Panthers Have Playoff Experience With Coach Q and Bobrovsky

By Scott Roche July 10th, 2020

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Before the NHL paused on March 12, the Florida Panthers were in a race to make their first playoff appearance in four years. Their last appearance was in 2015-16 when they finished first in the Atlantic Division but fell in six games to the New York Islanders in the opening round.

Last season, the Panthers finished in fifth place in the Atlantic, 12 points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. General manager Dale Tallon signed four free agents in the offseason and hired a new coach. One of the players he signed brought plenty of experience to a team that was in need of a boost, while Tallon also hired a future Hall of Fame coach who has won many Stanley Cups to help change the culture.

Related: Ottawa Senators’ Coaching History

As the NHL gets ready to begin training camp and start a new playoff format in the next couple of weeks, the Panthers will be part of the postseason field. Moves by Tallon have allowed Florida to be in the hunt for the Stanley Cup starting with play-in series against the New York Islanders.

Tallon Signs Bobrovsky

Last June, Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo announced that he was retiring. With that news, Tallon didn’t waste time finding his replacement. Sergei Bobrovsky was signed to a seven-year, $70 million contract in July after seven years with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Sergei Bobrovsky Florida Panthers
Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Bobrovsky won 213 games with the Blue Jackets with a 2.41 goals-against average (GAA) and a .921 save percentage (SV%). He backboned one of the biggest playoff upsets last spring when Columbus took down the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning in a four-game sweep in the first round. Bobrovsky allowed just seven goals to an explosive Lightning offense.

Tallon’s biggest free-agent splash was the 31-year-old Russian goalie. In 50 regular-season games this season, Bobrovsky went 23-19-6 with a 3.23 GAA and a .900 SV%. At the time of the pause, the Panthers had 13 games remaining and sat three points out of the final wild-card spot. Matched up against the Islanders in the qualifying round, if Bobrovsky can recapture his 2019 Playoff magic, the Panthers could be dangerous.

Panthers Hire Quenneville

The day after the 2018-19 season, Tallon fired head coach Bob Boughner after two underperforming seasons in Sunrise. He didn’t have to look far to find Boughner’s replacement when he hired the former Chicago Blackhawks coach. 

Quenneville has arrived.

Welcome to South Florida, Coach Q » https://t.co/RDTreMCKac pic.twitter.com/sxnl8oVa6L

— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) April 8, 2019

Hiring Quenneville was a no-brainer. In 11-plus seasons with the Blackhawks, he won three Stanley Cup championships (2010, 2013 and 2015). With Quenneville’s history and experience, he has the Panthers back in the postseason in his first season at the helm.

Related: The Legendary Career of Roberto Luongo

Quenneville has implemented a winning culture after just 69 games. This season has seen Florida limit the turnovers in their own zone, as well be more offensively aggressive and take more chances. In years past, the Panthers have been hesitant to do that, but Quenneville has instilled a new attitude.

Joel Quenneville Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

This season, Florida got as high as second place in the Atlantic Division standings behind the Boston Bruins, before hitting a tough stretch around mid-March before the hiatus due to the coronavirus. Quenneville got his 900th coaching victory with a November win over the New York Rangers and won his return to Chicago in January against the Blackhawks, who fired him last season after 15 games.

Two Key Additions to the Franchise

Columbus and Chicago’s losses have been Florida’s gain. When the Panthers gets ready to face the Islanders in the best-of-five series next month, they have an experienced goalie who is capable of stealing a series, along with a champion head coach. If anyone is capable of getting a team ready to compete for the sport’s biggest prize after a four and a half month layoff, it’s Quenneville. The Panthers are a team worth keeping an eye.

  • Tags
  • 2020 NHL Playoffs
  • Joel Quenneville
  • Sergei Bobrovsky
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 16th 6:10 PM
Hockey History

25 Best Senators’ Memories From 25 Years at Canadian Tire Centre

Jan 16th 6:00 PM
Anaheim Ducks

Ducks Prospects: Colangelo, Andersson, Drew & More

Jan 16th 5:50 PM
Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Need Taxi Squad to Drive Better Results in Net

Jan 16th 5:40 PM
Women's Hockey

Toronto Six 2021 Season Preview

Jan 16th 5:30 PM
Winnipeg Jets

Jets Have a lot of Options to Deal With Laine

Jan 16th 5:20 PM
Dallas Stars

Stars’ COVID-19 Cases Could Cost Them

Jan 16th 4:25 PM
Column

Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Campbell, Andersen, Tavares & Robertson

Jan 16th 4:15 PM
Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning Look to Benefit From Week Off

Jan 16th 3:05 PM
Montreal Canadiens

Josh Anderson’s Canadiens Debut Should Make Marc Bergevin Proud

Jan 16th 2:55 PM
Other Leagues

OHL Would Benefit From 24-Game Season

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information