Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers fired head coach Bob Boughner after two seasons with the team, general manager Dale Tallon announced Sunday. 

"We made a tough decision today and have relieved Bob Boughner of his duties as head coach," Tallon said. "We didn't meet expectations this season and share responsibility for that fact. After careful evaluation, we have determined that this is a necessary first step for our young team and we will seek to identify a transformative, experienced head coach with Stanley Cup pedigree to lead our team going forward. We're grateful to Bob, Paul and their families for their hard work and their dedication to the Panthers organization and we wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors."

The Panthers went 36-32-14 in 2018-19, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season under Boughner. Their 86 points were 10 fewer than Boughner's first season in Florida.

The team also announced the firing of assistant coach Paul McFarland.

Florida has made the postseason just five times since the club's inaugural season in 1993-94. The franchise has made the playoffs just twice in the last 18 seasons and has regularly struggled to develop stars or attract high-profile free agents.

Tallon is in his second tenure as Panthers general manager after taking over the role in 2017 from Tom Rowe, who was Tallon's successor. Tallon previously served as the general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, helping build the roster that won the 2010 Stanley Cup. 

Ariana Grande must have said "Thank you, next" to the first hockey puck that struck her as a young child because it wouldn’t be the last time it happened.

The musician shared a story from when she was five years old and attending Florida Panthers games that revealed she was struck by a puck twice, saying "started from the bottom now we here." It made her the first fan at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, to be struck by a puck:

A 2015 Fox Sports article noted she was raised a Panthers fan in Boca Raton, Florida, and would attend games.

The NHL invited her to return to an arena and watch some more hockey, although it would be understandable if she was hesitant:

Maybe she should return as a goaltender because her ability to deflect pucks and keep it moving is clearly second to none.

Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo called Montreal Canadiens winger Max Domi "gutless" for landing a sucker punch on Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad during Wednesday's preseason game between the teams.

The Associated Press reported Ekblad was removed from the exhibition contest after getting punched in the nose. He later cleared the NHL's concussion protocol.

"I'm sure the league will look at it, and we definitely won't forget about it," Luongo said. "You don't do that. You respect your opponents, and if your opponent doesn't want to engage in a fight, there's no reason to drop your glove and punch him square in the face. Bit of a gutless play. You don't do those types of things."

Domi and Ekblad engaged in a verbal exchange before the Habs forward dropped his right glove to fight. Although the Panthers blueliner didn't agree to the bout, Domi threw a punch anyway and knocked Ekblad to the ice. He was ejected from the game.

Montreal winger Jonathan Drouin came to his teammate's defense, per the AP: "The two were arguing with one another. I saw a pretty big slash from Ekblad on Max, and Max just took matters into his own hands. It's also Ekblad's fault for not protecting himself."

The Canadiens acquired Domi from the Arizona Coyotes in a June swap for Alex Galchenyuk. His father, Tie Domi, was one of the NHL's most notorious enforcers during his playing career and ranks third in league history with 3,515 penalty minutes.

It's unclear whether he will face any supplemental discipline for the incident. The Habs have five preseason games left before opening the regular season Oct. 3 against the rival Toronto Maple Leafs.

Prior to Thursday's game against the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo addressed the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14. 

Luongo said he has lived in Parkland for the last 12 years and that his children attend school in the city as well. Referencing the shooting, he also said, "No child should ever have to go through that" and that action should be taken in response.

Fox Sports Florida shared his pregame speech:

Former NBA point guard Steve Nash echoed Luongo's sentiments in a piece for The Players' Tribune Thursday. Nash advocated for expanding background checks for those looking to purchase guns and increased regulation of semiautomatic weapons.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also praised the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, many of whom have been speaking out about their desire to see gun control legislation in the aftermath of the shooting.

"I think it's phenomenal," Kerr said, per Mark Medina of the Mercury News. "What those kids are doing. It's heroic. It's heartfelt. I think it's beginning of some change. I really believe that. I'm amazed every time I see them on TV and online. It's heartbreaking but inspiring all at once."

Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo will miss multiple weeks after suffering a lower body injury Monday night against the New York Islanders.  

"Whether that's three weeks, four weeks, five weeks; we'll see how his rehab goes," coach Bob Boughner said on Wednesday. "Definitely out for a while. Obviously lower body, and it's going to be an extended period of time." 

Luongo went down in the second period of the game when making a save on a Ryan Pulock shot. Boughner said the injury is not related to the torn labrum in Luongo's hip that cost him the final six weeks of last season. The veteran goaltender missed six games earlier this season due to a hand injury.

James Reimer will start in Luongo's place. 

"Last time he had to be in this position, there were some ups and some downs, but for the most part he's a good goalie and we have to support him," Boughner said. "We weren't as good back then as we are now defensively, so we're looking to help him out a little more. We've got to make sure we give him good support and [Reimer] will make the saves. All I ask of him, and he knows this, is to give us a chance to win. And if he gives us a chance to win, we'll be in every game."

Reimer, 29, is 4-6-3 with a 3.67 goals against average and .892 save percentage this season. The Panthers do not appear headed for playoff contention this season, so unless Reimer goes on a hot streak, look for them to allow Luongo as much healing time as he needs.  

Former Arizona Coyotes winger Radim Vrbata agreed to terms on a deal with the Florida Panthers on Saturday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun confirmed Vrbata will sign a one-year contract with the Panthers.

Vrbata, 36, had a solid 2016-17 season, scoring 20 goals and adding 35 assists. His 55 points led the Coyotes by 16 points, and the team finished 27th in goals scored. So losing Vrbata is a major blow for a team that lacked an offensive punch all season long and finished tied for the third-fewest points (70) in the NHL.

On the other hand, it isn't surprising that Vrbata would choose to change locales this offseason. The Coyotes are clearly in a rebuilding mode, and Vrbata was in a position to see a potential contender or big payday this summer. Frankly, it was a bit surprising the Coyotes weren't able to move him at the trade deadline.

Certainly, Vrbata hasn't shown signs of slowing down. In fact, his age has offered him perspective.

"I didn't have any set goals or what I want to achieve," he told Sarah McLellan of AZCentral.com in early April. "When you're younger, there's always that pressure of 'next contract, next contract.' Now, it's more about enjoying the game and being in the right spot and helping the young guys."

Given his continued production, the Panthers will be expecting him to help out in a number of ways in the 2017-18 season.

The Florida Panthers informed the agent of longtime NHL forward Jaromir Jagr they don't plan on offering him a new contract. He'll officially become a free agent at noon Eastern on Saturday.                  

Pierre LeBrun of TSN reported agent Petr Svoboda received word the Panthers decided to "cut ties," allowing the 45-year-old legend to hit the open market.

Although Jagr is no longer the elite point producer he was during his peak seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he's still a valuable middle-six winger. He tallied 46 points (16 goals and 30 assists) while playing all 82 games for the Panthers last season.

He struggled to generate interest during the league's "legal tampering" period leading up to the start of free agency, though. The NHL is trending more toward youth and speed, which makes players with his less explosive skill set a tougher sell, despite the reasonable scoring rate.

Jagr joked about the situation Thursday on social media:

In December, the 13-time All-Star selection said he wanted to keep playing for at least five more years as long as there are teams willing to sign him, per Rory Boylen of Sportsnet.

"When I said I want to play until 50, everybody laughed at me, but I'll work every day to do it," Jagr said.

He added: "You know, maybe when I retire I'll look back at what I did, and maybe I'm going to think about it a little more. But right now I just enjoy every moment I can to have a chance to play in this league and try and do everything to stay in this league. I love it so much."

Putting up nearly 50 points still represents a rock-solid season, even if he doesn't have to speed to match many of his wing counterparts. He should start getting more calls once the initial wave of free agency is over, and it'd be a shock if he wasn't on a roster to start the 2017-18 season.

The Florida Panthers named former NHL defenseman Bob Boughner as their next head coach Monday.

"After an exhaustive search, we are pleased to welcome Bob as the new head coach of the Panthers," general manager Dale Tallon said in a statement. "He sees the game in a modern way and is eager to work with our young players.

"During the interview process, Bob blew us away with his preparation, his passion, knowledge and dedication to the game. We believe that he is the right leader to get our team back to competing towards our goal of winning the Stanley Cup."

Boughner, 46, has never been a head coach at the NHL level. He previously coached the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL for two different stints (2006-2010, 2011-2015), winning two championships and a pair of Memorial Cups.

San Jose Sharks coach Peter DeBoer tapped him as an assistant each of the last two seasons. The Sharks were a Stanley Cup runner-up in 2015-16 and lost in the first round this postseason.  

Boughner previously played 10 NHL seasons for six franchises before retiring from the game following the 2005-06 season. 

The Panthers are in the midst of a franchise retooling after a messy 2015-16 season. Boughner will be replacing Tom Rowe, who took over as head coach last November after the team fired Gerard Gallant. Florida has made the playoffs just twice in the last 16 seasons.  

The Florida Panthers named Dale Tallon their next general manager Monday, and he will immediately lead a search for the club's next head coach.

"We have the talent to get back on track in a hurry," Tallon said in a statement. "This was a difficult year for us, but I think we learned some tough lessons about what it takes to win consistently in the NHL. With a few tweaks to our roster and the right leadership, I'm confident we can get back to contending for the Stanley Cup next season."

Tallon, 66, will replace Tom Rowe. Rowe previously served as the Panthers' general manager and interim head coach, taking the latter post after firing Gerard Gallant in November.

Florida went 35-36-11 in the 2016-17 season, dropping to sixth in the Atlantic a year after winning the division. It's the fourth time in five seasons the Panthers have missed the playoffs.

"I am confident that we have the necessary talent throughout our organization to win the Stanley Cup," Panthers chairman Vincent Viola said. "Dale will continue to be our principal leader as we pursue this single goal."

Tallon has been in the Panthers organization in some capacity since 2010. He served as their general manager from 2010 to 2016 before being reassigned to an executive position before last season. The move was made as part of an organizational push to spotlight analytics.

That commitment apparently lasted less than a full season, as Tallon will return to his previous post while Rowe is on the outs.

Tallon previously served as an executive in the Chicago Blackhawks organization, including a stint as their general manager.

Florida Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck lit the lamp with 4.6 seconds remaining in Monday's game against the St. Louis Blues. It marked the latest game-winning goal scored in the third period in franchise history, per the Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN.com).

Trocheck's tally was his 21st goal and 42nd point over 58 games so far this season. He's now riding a six-game point streak, totaling eight over that span. The 23-year-old forward posted his highest career point total (53) last season and is on pace to surpass that this year.

The Panthers finished off their five-game road trip Sunday, winning all of them. The road sweep represented the first time in franchise history that the team won all of its games on a road trip of five or more games. However, it had just 30 opportunities to do so previously.

Florida's surge over the past couple of weeks has moved it into playoff position after a tough start to the season. The club still owns a minus-13 goal differential on the campaign, but that's drawn closer to even on a nightly basis of late.

Part of the team's recent success can be attributed to the return of a couple of its young stars. Both Jonathan Huberdeau (Achilles) and Aleksander Barkov (back) rejoined the lineup Feb. 3 following extended absences, and the team has posted a 6-1 record in the seven games since their return.

If the Panthers remain relatively healthy the rest of the way, they have plenty of firepower to make a run in the postseason. After a first-round playoff exit in 2015-16, the club will look for a better result this time around, should it earn a bid.