A New Era In Florida

from Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com, The Florida Panthers have not made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since accumulating a franchise-record 98 points in the 1999-2000 season. If the Panthers are to break that drought before it stretches into a second decade, they will do it with a distinctly new look.... Following last season’s near-miss, Jacques Martin, the team’s general manager and former coach, walked away in early June to become coach of the Montreal Canadiens. The Panthers have yet to name a new GM, and front-office duties are being handled by legendary executive Bill Torrey and assistant GM Randy Sexton. Jay Bouwmeester, the team’s franchise defenseman, was the next one out the door. Unable to get the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent under contract, the club made the difficult, but necessary, decision to move the All-Star defenseman. The deal, after much speculation, went down at the 2009 Entry Draft, sending Bouwmeester to Calgary for defenseman Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick in the 2009 Draft. Leopold and Ballard will likely anchor a completely rebuilt defense this season. The club also signed European vet Ville Koistinen and returns Bryan Allen and Bryan McCabe. read on