Kevin Spacey Surprises Florida Panthers Fans at 'Spacey in Space' Theme Night
Mar 21, 2016
Only Frank Underwood would be able to pull off a stunt with this level of deception.
Kevin Spacey made a surprise appearance for the Florida Panthers' "Spacey in Space" theme night at BB&T Center on Saturday, disguising himself with a "Spacey Facey" mask until the big reveal. (Yes, he hid behind a cardboard cutout of his own face.)
The theme night honoring the House of Cards star actually stems from a Panthers tradition of crowning their winning game MVPs with a "Spacey in Space" sweatshirt—a simple blue hoodie with the actor's face splashed across a galaxy backdrop:
Why the Florida Panthers Are Paper Tigers in the 2016 Stanley Cup Race
Mar 16, 2016
Mar 15, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers left wing Jiri Hudler (24) celebrates his goal against Montreal Canadiens with teammate right wing Reilly Smith (18) during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
Going by the standings, it’s pretty easy to break the Eastern Conference playoff contenders into three groups.
At the top are the Washington Capitals, a team that through the regular season has been head and shoulders above the competition. The Caps are already over the 100-point barrier. At the bottom are the bubble teams, with somewhere between three and four clubs realistically locked in a battle for the two wild-card slots.
In between is a group of five teams separated by all of two points. It’s a list that includes most of the teams one would expect. The last three Eastern finalists—the Lightning, Rangers and Bruins—are in this second standings tier. So are the New York Islanders, an up-and-coming young club and a 100-plus point team a year ago.
Based on where they sit in the standings, we might think that the Panthers are a legitimate threat to come out of the Eastern Conference. However, there’s an element of smoke and mirrors to their record, and they’ll need to overcome that if they are to win in the postseason.
Mar 5, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Florida Panthers right wing Jaromir Jagr (68) looks on during the first period against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The first is their reliance on shooting percentage. The Panthers have been a low-end shooting percentage team for years now, but this season spiked in a big way; only the Rangers have a better five-on-five shooting percentage than Florida’s 8.62 percent in 2015-16.
That matters for two key reasons. The first is that shooting percentage is fickle; it only takes one seven-game series in which a team doesn’t make its shots to kill its playoff hopes. The second is that to the degree that shooting percentage is predictable, it tends to regress toward long-term patterns. Florida’s long-term pattern is not good:
Even if Florida were a consistently strong shooting percentage team year over year, there’d be a risk of puck luck running the wrong way and the Panthers' poor puck-possession stats catching up with them. However, the Panthers aren’t such a team; long-term evidence suggests they aren’t better shooters at the team level than the NHL average, and so it becomes more likely that their shooting percentage drops off in the postseason.
SUNRISE, FL - JANUARY 4: Goaltender Marek Mazanec #39 of the Nashville Predators stops the shot by Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers during the shootout at the BB&T Center on January 4, 2014 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Preda
Another problem is the club’s reliance on shootout wins. The Panthers are 7-3 in the skills competition, the best record in the entire league. No other team has won more than six games, and the clubs that have are both at 6-6. Nobody dominates the shootout like the Panthers.
That’s a bit of a problem, because there are no shootouts in the playoffs, and nearly 20 percent of Florida’s wins are attributable to that competition. In fact, if we sort the teams in the East by regulation/overtime wins rather than standings points, the Panthers are tied for a wild-card slot with Detroit, just one win ahead of Philadelphia and New Jersey and two up on Carolina.
When we look at fundamentals, Florida comes up wanting. At five-on-five, the team’s shot metrics are basically identical to Edmonton’s. The team’s power play ranks 23rd in the NHL, and the penalty kill is only a half-point above average; its combined special teams efficiency is below average.
The Panthers have made up for those real problems with three things. Their strong shooting percentage appears to be an aberration. Shootouts go away in the playoffs.
Roberto Luongo
The third item is solid goaltending, which Roberto Luongo legitimately gives them.
Luongo posted a .924 save percentage in 14 games after coming over to Florida at the 2014 trade deadline. He's been a .921 save percentage goalie over the two seasons since and has made a substantive difference to the Panthers' fortunes as a result of his strong play.
Despite his reputation, Luongo has often been a good playoff goaltender, too. He's a career .916 save percentage goaltender over 64 career NHL postseason games and played quite well for Vancouver in three of his four postseason runs, including a trip to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2011.
Good goaltending, however, can only cover up for so much, and without the other two ingredients, the Panthers wouldn't be where they are this season. At this point, it’s probably best to regard them as a bubble team that might steal a series or two with goaltending rather than as a legitimate contender.
Jonathan Willis covers the NHL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter for more of his work.
Jaromir Jagr Passes Brett Hull for 3rd All-Time on NHL Goals List
Feb 20, 2016
Florida Panthers right wing Jaromir Jagr (68) celebrates his second goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, in Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers won 3-1.(AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
The ageless Jaromir Jagr reached another monumental milestone Saturday, surpassing Brett Hull for the No. 3 spot on the NHL's all-time list with 742 career goals, per SportsCenter.
The 44-year-old Florida Panthers forward tied the mark with No. 741 in the second period of Saturday's game against the Winnipeg Jets, then scored again with 13:37 remaining in the third period to take sole possession of third place overall.
Here is a look at Jagr’s first goal Saturday, as shown by the NHL:
Jagr is now 59 goals shy of second-place Gordie Howe, who tallied 801 goals in his 26-year career. Jagr has 20 goals this season and would probably need another two full years to catch Howe, while many believe that all-time leader Wayne Gretzky’s mark of 894 is unbreakable.
Player
Goals
Wayne Gretzky
894
Gordie Howe
801
Jaromir Jagr
742
Brett Hull
741
On Monday, Jagr celebrated his birthday and became the fifth skater in NHL history to play at 44 years old, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.com.
The 1990 draft pick is also the first player to reach 43 points in a season at 43-plus years old, per Gretz, and there are still 23 games left this year.
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN noted what makes Jagr so good in his eyes:
Thing that impresses me most about Jaromir Jagr is how he's found a way to score goals in several different eras of how the game was played
What makes Jagr's run more remarkable is the fact that he essentially lost five full seasons to lockouts—half-seasons in 1994-95 and 2012-13 and the full 2004-05 campaign—and his three-year stint in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Jagr, who leads the Panthers in points, has more left in the tank and may squeeze out a few more years—and milestones—before hanging up his gloves.
Roberto Luongo Passes Tony Esposito for 7th on NHL All-Time Wins List
Feb 4, 2016
Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo (1) blocks a shot by Detroit Red Wings center Darren Helm (43) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016, Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers won 6-3. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
Florida has been in the midst of an unfamiliar rise atop the NHL's standings, and that's been due to the play of Luongo. He came into Thursday's tilt with the Red Wings tied for fourth in the league in save percentage at .930 and is now tied for fourth with 23 wins on the season.
Not only has Luongo been great overall, but he's been taking care of business at the BB&T Center. Luongo's win on Thursday was his ninth in a row at home, the longest such streak in franchise history.
It's because of that play the Panthers have the second-most points in the Eastern Conference and are closing in on their first playoff spot since 2012. For a team that hasn't tasted much playoff success, it's a necessity to have a goaltender who is experienced and has been tested in the postseason.
It's been four years since Luongo last played in the playoffs and six since he last was a goaltender for a Stanley Cup team. With the way the Panthers have played this season, Luongo may get that chance now as the goalie with the seventh-most wins of all time.
Aleksander Barkov, Panthers Agree on New Contract: Details, Comments, Reaction
Jan 25, 2016
Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov (16) skates prior to an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers defeated the Blue Jackets 3-2. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)
The Florida Panthers ensured 20-year-old center Aleksander Barkov will be a part of the franchise's future, agreeing to a long-term extension with him on Monday.
According to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, the deal is for six years and carries an average annual value of $5.9 million. Barkov essentially let the cat out of the bag earlier in the day in a tweet directed at actor Kevin Spacey:
The Panthers selected Barkov second overall in the 2013 draft, and in 163 games for Florida, he has scored 36 goals and assisted on 54 more. He's well on pace to set single-season career highs in goals and assists in 2015-16, with 12 and 18, respectively, in 38 games.
Dom Luszczyszyn of the Hockey News provided a visual representation of Barkov's improvement in 2015-16:
Barkov's made some pretty big strides this season on the production side as possession slants more towards offence. pic.twitter.com/8X0UAsWc33
Barkov has formed a strong attacking line with Jonathan Huberdeau on the left and Jaromir Jagr on the right, and the trio has helped the Panthers collect the second-most points in the Eastern Conference.
The franchise hasn't made the playoffs since the 2011-12 season—the only trip to the postseason going back to 1999-2000—but it looks to be turning a corner, in no small part because of young talent such as Barkov.
The Panthers rewarded 23-year-old center Nick Bjugstad with an extension in December 2014, and the fans will be encouraged with Barkov on board for the long haul. Now, general manager Dale Tallon can focus his efforts on re-signing 19-year-old defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who is set to hit restricted free agency in 2017.
Gerard Gallant, Panthers Agree to New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction
Jan 1, 2016
Florida Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant looks on in the third-period of his team's 3-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks in an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper)
The Florida Panthers are giving head coach Gerard Gallant a two-year contract extension, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald. The deal will run through 2019. The team announced the deal on Saturday:
“We are pleased to agree with Gerard on a multi-year extension,” general manager Dale Tallon said. “He has done an excellent job of creating a winning culture and developing our young players in his time with the Panthers. He is an ideal fit for our group and we look forward to having him lead our team as we work towards our goal of winning the Stanley Cup.”
Earlier on Friday, the team formally extended Tallon and made Tom Rowe, the team’s AHL head coach, its associate GM.
The team hired Gallant prior to last season, and he led the Panthers to a 38-29-15 record, their first winning season in three years, though they missed the playoffs.
The Panthers are off to an even stronger start this season, currently in second place in the Atlantic division at 37-21-12, and riding a seven-game win streak—a fitting time for Friday’s extension.
"It's good, things are positive, and in the past month, a lot of good things have happened for our team,'' Gallant said Friday before the news of his extension surfaced, courtesy Richards. "We're winning a lot of games and made the deal with Broward County. Things are moving forward.”
MSG commentator and hockey expert Stan Fischler believes the contract extensions were well-deserved—particularly with both Tallon and Gallant playing major roles in the team’s resurgence:
Nice that #DaleTallon has been rewarded with a new pact for the superior job he's done with the #Panthers. And #GerardGallant behind bench.
The Panthers will try to extend their current winning streak to eight games Saturday against the New York Rangers.
Locking down the leader who has them on the right path is another step in the right direction.
Jaromir Jagr Traded to Florida Panthers: What the Deal Means for Team
Feb 27, 2015
New Jersey Devils right wing Jaromir Jagr, of the Czech Republic, skates against the Calgary Flames during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
While not the most high-profile deal that has been made this season, the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils made headlines Thursday by agreeing to swap Jaromir Jagr for two draft picks, according to ESPN.com's Scott Burnside.
The Panthers brought in the right winger who spent the last two seasons with New Jersey in the hope that he could push Florida to the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Jagr, who spent a majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, has been in the league since 1990 and is fifth on the all-time scoring list, with a career 1,784 points. He has a pretty good shot at jumping Ron Francis for fourth if he stays around for a couple more years.
His five scoring titles stand out, and he could be a true veteran presence for the Panthers, who are looking for that extra boost into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
But that is the past. This is the present, and I’m not entirely sure this is the right move for Florida.
Currently two points behind Boston, who has a game in hand, and on the outside looking in of the playoff picture, the squad needs a boost if it is going to make it to the postseason.
While that is a goal pretty much all teams strive for, the addition of Jagr isn’t going to transform Florida into a team that can truly challenge for the Stanley Cup. It most likely means it is going to be rewarded with facing a borderline impossible task in the first round in the form of the Boston Bruins.
It would make a lot more sense if the Panthers were pretty comfortably in the playoffs and battling for a higher seed that could see them pull an upset or two and make a run to the conference finals at worst. But for now, it just seems like a desperate move to earn a playoff spot it still isn’t even guaranteed.
The picks aren’t the toughest blow—a 2015 second-rounder and a conditional 2016 third-rounder might not hurt that significantly in the long run. But the payoff doesn’t seem to be worth it.
In his prime, Jagr was one of the most dangerous players in the league, topping 100 points on five different occasions and hitting at least 90 another five.
But in his last six years, Jagr will now have played for six different franchises and has topped 60 points only twice since 2008. He can still be a serious threat at times—see his 67-point season last year—but he's past his prime, and the addition feels more like making a move to make a move.
Jagr is now 43 years old and isn’t getting any younger—cliched as that is—moving forward. While his natural scoring ability still does help the Panthers, who are ranked No. 25 in the league in goals per game, it still feels like a desperate trade for Florida.
This is a player who played his first game in the NHL three years before his new team did. He still has something to bring to the NHL, but how much is a big question.
From the Devils' side of things, the loss of Jagr, who ranked third on the team in points this season, is a bit of a blow, but it makes a ton of logical sense. Having missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and sitting eight points out of the race this time around, it feels like now is the time for a rebuild.
The picks aren’t first-rounders, but getting value out of Jagr at this point in his career is a big win for the Devils, who aren’t planning to get much else out of this season.
At the end of the day, if the Panthers can make a push to the playoffs and possibly make a run, then this move will be seen as a relative success. But right now, that doesn’t seem likely, and the acquisition of Jagr feels like a mistake in the long run.
Jaromir Jagr to Panthers: Latest Trade Details, Comments and Reaction
Feb 26, 2015
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 17: Jaromir Jagr #68 of the New Jersey Devils in action against the Buffalo Sabres at the Prudential Center on February 17, 2015 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Sabres 2-1 after a shootout. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
According to the Panthers' official site, "Florida Panthers Executive Vice President and General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has acquired forward Jaromir Jagr from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Florida’s second-round draft pick in 2015 and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2016."
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN has more details on the trade:
No salary retained in Jagr deal. Condition on third round pick is that Devils decide which of two third round picks Panthers have they want
Jagr has been solid this season for the Devils, scoring 11 goals and adding 18 assists while coming in third on the team in points with 29. For his career, he ranks first among active players in points (1,784), games played (1,530), assists (1,068) and goals (716), among other categories.
And yes, he's been around quite awhile, as Ian Mendes of TSN noted:
Jaromir Jagr has been in the NHL longer than the Florida Panthers.
With 65 points at the time of the trade, the Panthers are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference but just two points behind the Boston Bruins for the final postseason spot. Solidifying the offense with a skilled player like Jagr, who has a ton of postseason experience, made plenty of sense.
Jagr promises to be a key component of this Panthers team as it fights to reach the playoffs, even at the age of 43.
Despite on-Ice Maturity, Panthers' Aaron Ekblad Still Very Much a Teen at Home
Feb 25, 2015
COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 24: Aaron Ekblad #5 of the Florida Panthers and Team Toews competes in the AMP NHL Hardest Shot event of the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition at Nationwide Arena on January 24, 2015 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)
“What the (hell) was I thinking? On the record: What the (hell) was I thinking? Want to start the piece that way?”
Perhaps the only thing more challenging than being an 18-year-old in the NHL is living with one. Just ask Florida Panthers defenseman Willie Mitchell.
“He hasn’t washed his sheets and we’re into February here,” Mitchell said. “He’s 18 years old. Isn’t that what they do?”
Mitchell and his wife, Megan, have served this season as surrogate parents/friends to Panthers rookie defenseman Aaron Ekblad, the first pick in the 2014 draft who turned 19 on Feb. 7. Don’t take the affable Mitchell too seriously when he’s venting about a houseguest failing to clean or do laundry, as he sounds like any fully formed adult living with an evolving teenager.
"He’s been a real easy addition to our household,” Mitchell said.
The same can be said about Ekblad to the Panthers lineup.
Depending on your personal opinion, Ekblad is either the favorite for the Calder Trophy or at the very least a finalist for the NHL’s top rookie honors. He is tied for fifth in rookie scoring with nine goals and 32 points, trailing forwards Johnny Gaudreau, Filip Forsberg, Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman.
Among defensemen with any NHL experience entering this season, Ekblad’s 32 points tied for 25th, on par with St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo and two more than Arizona's Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Yeah, every team gets an All-Star, but Ekblad was more than the token choice for this year's showcase in Columbus.
If fancy stats are more your speed, Ekblad’s 52.6 unblocked shot attempt percentage is third on the team behind Brian Campbell and Brady Boyes. That number isn’t coming in sheltered minutes, either, as Ekblad is routinely facing top-six forwards while playing 22:21 a night, second on the team and most among rookies to play at least 40 games.
Mitchell may not think the world of Ekblad’s willingness to complete household chores, but, as biased as he may be as a friend and teammate, he thinks there isn’t a rookie that rivals Ekblad.
UNIONDALE, NY - FEBRUARY 03: Willie Mitchell #33 of the Florida Panthers skates against the New York Islanders at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on February 3, 2015 in Uniondale, New York. The Florida Panthers defeated the New York Islanders 4-2. (Ph
“I love the kid, and so it’s tough to…” Mitchell says as he trails off, well aware his opinion isn’t the least objective. “Hands down, I think he should be rookie of the year. At 18 years old, people don’t understand how hard that is. It’s 18 to play in the NHL is one thing, to succeed at high levels is another, to be one of the best players on your team is another and to do it at a position that’s the hardest position to break into the NHL on defense, is special.
“We’re working really hard and we’ve had a tough stretch here to get into the playoffs and we don’t stand a chance if we don’t have him. The ability to play against top two lines every night at 18 years old and not be a liability is just unheard of. That’s what’s special.”
The Panthers have been ninth in the East for what seems like an eternity, chasing a revolving cast of teams that includes the Rangers, Capitals and currently the Bruins, who hold a two-point edge on the Panthers for the final wild-card spot. And having an 18/19-year-old who looks and plays like someone who is 26 years old—“Maybe he is,” quipped Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle—is a prevailing reason the Panthers have playoff life in mid-February.
At 6'4", 216 pounds, it’s easy to see why Boyle and others can’t treat Ekblad like your typical, scrawny 19-year-old. Ekblad is built to weather the rigors of an 82-game season. Want to dump the puck and pound Ekblad? Go for it. He can take a hit and he can dish them.
“I’ve been fairly good at protecting myself to this point,” Ekblad said. “There’s a lot of guys in this league that can hit that are big and strong. You have to know where they are on their ice and when they’re coming for you.”
Not only is Ekblad a teenager in a grown man’s body, but his hockey sense makes him appear to be a seasoned veteran most nights. Sure, he’ll make that occasional rookie mistake of holding the blue line when he should retreat, but he’s on the right side of the puck enough that it’s easy to forget that, in a lot of ways, he’s still just a kid.
There’s another aspect of Ekblad that belies his age, according to Mitchell.
“The kid doesn’t sleep,” Mitchell said. “I’m serious. He doesn’t sleep. Most 18-year-olds, all you do is sleep all day, right? Go to bed early, sleep late, afternoon naps, all that. He doesn’t sleep. He likes to say he took a page out of (Jaromir) Jagr’s book. ‘Jagr only sleeps when he feels like he should.’ That’s what he does. I’m dead serious. He’ll sleep six hours a night. That’s it.”
What’s Ekblad doing awake at all hours of the night? What’s he doing on game days when everyone else is scrapping for a nap?
“He’s a big movie buff,” Mitchell said. “He’ll watch TV, watch movies. I can’t imagine. I still need my hour-and-a-half afternoon nap. He doesn’t even have a nap in the afternoon. He’s like, ‘If I feel like it, I will. If I fall asleep watching a movie, I will. But I usually don’t. I don’t need the sleep.’
“I just find that absolutely nuts and crazy. Because when you think about when we were all 18, we were just sleep, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, sleep. It works for him.”
Before drafts, most players will give a stock answer about not caring where they are drafted. “It doesn’t matter where you are drafted; all that matters is what you do after you’re drafted,” is the general, safe answer. “Hockey is the ultimate team sport,” all players say, which is sometimes code for, “Don’t act like you’re bigger than the team, especially before you get there.”
After Ekblad was taken No. 1, something he coveted, he said, per The Associated Press (h/t ESPN), “That is the burden of expectation. I chase it. I want that burden of expectation. I want that feel for motivation and I want to succeed under that."
There’s a fine line between confident and cocky, and erring too far to the latter can get you ostracized; just ask Evander Kane about that. Ekblad has been toeing that line this season, as a 19-year-old can’t succeed to this degree without having complete and utter belief in one’s self.
If that belief gets to be too strong, that’s where Mitchell comes in.
“Yeah, he’ll talk a little bit, but to be 18 and that good you have to be confident, which he is,” Mitchell said. “So sometimes I have to reel him in on that.”
Not that Ekblad minds.
“If you surround yourself with guys who work hard, you’re going to do well,” Ekblad said. “I’m in here trying to surround myself with guys like Mitchie, guys who work really hard on and off the ice.”
Ekblad and Mitchell’s May-December relationship is indicative of the Panthers roster as a whole. With five players 22 or younger and six players 33 or older, the locker room looks like a waiting area for a Twilight reboot casting call with the actors driven there by their dads.
That diversity allows for the best of both worlds for Ekblad’s development. There isn’t a feeling of isolation, and there are enough veterans to keep young players in place.
Eric Staal had a much different environment when he came into the league as an 18-year-old with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003.
“When I started, I think the next-oldest guy when I was playing was 25,” said Staal, referring to Jesse Boulerice. “Nowadays, it’s not like that. Most teams have 18- or 22- or 23-year-old guys. Everyone’s in the same boat.
“I chummed around. I remember going to dinner with Ron Francis (who was 40 years old then and is now Carolina’s general manager). Those guys kept me in the loop. It was different. I didn’t feel any less part of the team. It was just my life was different from their lives. They had kids and families and I was … figuring it out.”
Ekblad seems to have a lot figured out already.
Consider for a moment where Ekblad’s season ranks among freshly drafted defensemen and it’s understandable why he has such a high opinion of his game.
Among defensemen to make the immediate jump to the NHL after they were drafted, only 15 have registered more points in that first season than Ekblad, who still has 22 more games to add to his total. With a strong finish, Ekblad could have the fourth-most points in a season of any first-year, teenage defenseman in the nearly 100-year history of the league, trailing only Larry Murphy, Phil Housley and Ray Bourque.
Player
Season
Team
Goals
Assists
Points
Larry Murphy*
1980-81
LAK
16
60
76
Phil Housley
1982-83
BUF
19
47
66
Raymond Bourque*
1979-80
BOS
17
48
65
Bryan Berard
1995-96
NYI
8
40
48
Tyler Myers
2009-10
BUF
11
37
48
Dave Babych
1980-81
WIN
6
38
44
Bobby Orr*
1966-67
BOS
13
28
41
Cam Fowler
2010-11
ANA
10
30
40
Bob Hess
1974-75
STL
9
30
39
Craig Redmond
1984-85
LAK
6
33
39
Bruce Bell
1984-85
QUE
6
31
37
Michael Del Zotto
2009-10
NYR
9
28
37
Glen Wesley
1987-88
BOS
7
30
37
Erik Johnson
2007-08
STL
5
28
33
Paul Coffey*
1980-81
EDM
9
23
32
Aaron Ekblad
2014-15
FLA
9
23
32
If Ekblad can reach the 49-point mark, it will represent the best single-season total of any 18-year-old defensemen in 32 years.
And, oh yeah, in case you forgot, he’s doing it against top competition every night.
“I know everyone talks about his great shot and he has a great shot from the point and he always finds a way of getting it to the net,” Mitchell said. “The thing that always amazes me is his defensive play.”
And this is all coming from someone who isn’t all that big on changing his sheets.
“He’s kind of spoiled a bit,” Mitchell said. “My wife went to culinary school so he’s spoiled that way for sure.
“You have to be conscious of doing the right thing because we’re not billets. We’re friends. And friends who are older and have done a few things so maybe you want to make sure you do the right things so you’re not taking care of him, that you’re helping him. Grow up, be a man.
“It’s not where you’re cooking for him every night, sometimes he has to cook on his own, learn how to cook. Go get groceries, do your laundry, get your dry cleaning, do stuff like that. It’s been a good learning experience because we don’t have any kids. It’s been really good for us as far as talking to people and how to do it the right way. I hope we have. I think he’s enjoying it.
“We’ve really, really enjoyed it to be honest."
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 26: Aaron Ekblad attends the 2014 NHL Draft - Top Prospects Media Availability event on June 26, 2014 at The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
It’s not just Mitchell providing guidance. Hall of Fame defensemen Denis Potvin and Bobby Orr are big parts of Ekblad’s life. Potvin is in his first season working on Panthers television for Fox Sports Florida while Orr is Ekblad’s agent.
“Three different generations, you could say,” Ekblad said during All-Star weekend in Columbus. “They are all friends of mine and all have different advice, day in and day out. I see Bobby quite a bit because he lives in Florida. Every day me and Willie break everything down, when it comes to the games and practices. I learn a lot from him. Mr. Potvin is always in the room for media stuff, and we often talk off the record about different things.
“It’s a good support system to have, that’s for sure.”
On Orr, Ekblad said: “He’s always there, always a friend. Someone you can lean on, and someone you can talk to about the game, or about life in general.”
So that’s two Hall of Famers and a Stanley Cup-winning veteran defenseman at Ekblad’s fingertips, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Are there any other benefits to living with Mitchell?
“He cooks a good sandwich, but his wife all around takes care of everything like that,” Ekblad said. “They’ve made my transition very comfortable. It’s really helped me.”
If these are the results from living with the Mitchell family, maybe the Panthers should consider having all their future draft picks live there.
The Florida Panthers currently sit three points out of a playoff spot, and there's a chance they could overtake the Boston Bruins , given that David Krejci will miss the next four to six weeks due to a partial MCL tear, according to team officials.
