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Things have certainly fallen, and fast, in south Florida. From the storybook run to the Stanley Cup finals in 1996 to the icy depths of the Eastern Conference. Given the unrest and change a year ago, a 60-point performance isn't so surprising. They offloaded their most important player, Pavel Bure, to the Rangers, dumped head coach Duane Sutter and GM Bill Torrey. All the turmoil aside, though, this isn't much of a team. There are just too many holes to envision it cracking the top 10 in the East.
How long will it take Mt. Keenan to erupt? It was kinder, gentler, more get-in-touch-with-your-feelings kind of Mike that assumed control of the Panthers from the deposed Duane Sutter last season. Keenan's no fool, he understood the psyche of the Panthers was fragile. Still and all, old habits die hard and he's as flinty, as demanding a coach as they come (especially now that Scotty Bowman, his idol, has stepped aside in Detroit). Don't expect this bizarre Pa Walton demeanor to last long if the Panthers stuggle out of the gate.
Can Val Bure last until Christmas? Pavel's younger bro, the Russian Pocket Rocket, struggled to play 31 games due to a bum knee and he scored only eight times. His brother -- the reason he wanted to head to Florida from Calgary in the first place -- has been traded to New York, the PR gimmick has come and gone and he and Keenan wouldn't appear to be cut from the same bolt of cloth. Reports had the Panthers trying to unload him all summer.
Is Roberto Luongo capable of pulling a Jose Theodore? That is, a miracle. At 23, this show is Luongo's. The Panthers will be able to rise only as far as Luongo can lift them. He's going to play 60-65 games this season and see an awful lot of shots. Against all odds, another bright young thing of the nets, Jose Theodore, backstopped Les Canadiens to a playoff berth last season and won the Hart Trophy for the effort. If Luongo could somehow piggyback the Panthers there, he'd deserve more than a trophy. Say, a medal, and a couple of years recuperating on Fiji.
Preseason schedule
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DATE
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OPPONENT
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TIME (ET)
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Thu., Sept. 19
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at Montreal
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7:30 p.m.
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Fri., Sept. 20
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Carolina
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7:30 p.m.
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Sat., Sept. 21
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vs. Carolina at Estero, Fla. (TECO Arena)
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7:30 p.m.
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Fri., Sept. 27
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Tampa Bay
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7:30 p.m.
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Sat., Sept. 28
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at Tampa Bay
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7:30 p.m.
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Wed., Oct. 2
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vs. Boston at Estero, Fla. (TECO Arena)
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7:30 p.m.
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Fri., Oct. 4
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N.Y. Rangers
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7:30 p.m.
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