Looking Ahead

Prepping for the trade deadline tomorrow, the Panthers have been quite active in trade talks for a team that has said they would be quiet come the deadline.  GM Wilson crept up early and made a huge trade a week before the deadline to pick up goaltender Corey Crawford for the skilled centre Mikhail Grabovski and two good Swedish prospects in Lander and Silfverberg.

 “It was a tough move to make, and we gave up a lot of high quality players. But we got a goalie we really wanted and we felt we dealt from a position of strength to help another area of need,” Wilson commented, “This move is not to say we’ve given up on Mason, we still believe in him and this just makes our team better and stronger, having two talented young goalies battle each other for the starting job.”

 Heading into the deadline, there is only one thing on Dylan’s mind and that is to acquire a young top 6 forward, but he admits that might not come. “We’ve been trying to get a winger for months and it really hasn’t worked out. We are going to push really hard tomorrow but I won’t be surprised if we have to wait till the offseason to do so. “

 The Panther’s brass is expecting to be a little less quiet than they’ve normally been on deadline day. The team has gotten a bit of interest in veteran winger Brian Rolston, and it’s possible he will be moved out. The team has also been trying to move goalie Rick Dipietro but nothing new on that front. Other than that, there have been a few minor talks with other teams but nothing huge. “We probably will only end the day with one trade, but things change quickly and we could find ourselves in a lot of deals come tomorrow. If a deal makes sense for the future of this club, then we will make it.”