Featured Article
Panthers ECHL prospects season review
Written by: Holly Gunning on 05/13/2006 
Last August, the Florida Panthers signed a one-year affiliation agreement with the ECHL Florida Everblades, located on the other side of the peninsula in Estero. Prior to this, the Panthers had sent their AA prospects to the Texas Wildcatters. This year they instead doubled up with the Carolina Hurricanes, who remain affiliated with the Everblades as well. It was a successful relationship that took the team to the South Division finals, and thus likely to be renewed next season.
Below is a review of the seasons of six Panthers prospects who spent time with the Everblades. Goaltender Phil Osaer also spent the season with the team, but the 26-year-old no longer fits Hockey's Future's prospect criteria.
Dustin Johner, C
| GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | |
| Regular season (Florida) | 36 | 15 | 21 | 36 | 17 | 24 |
| Regular season (Las Vegas) | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Playoffs | 8 | 5 | 4 | 9 | -1 | 4 |
The Panthers selected Johner with a sixth-round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, but did not sign him by the 2003 deadline. He remained in junior for another season, then signed with the Calgary Flames as a free agent in 2004.
Florida re-acquired the rights
to Johner on Dec. 2, 2005 as part of a three-player deal which sent winger Kristian Huselius to
Calgary. The Panthers then assigned Johner to the Everblades.
Johner would only stay two weeks with the Everblades before being recalled to the AHL Rochester Americans for 10 days. He was reassigned back to the team on Jan. 28, where he finished the season. He had a good playoffs with nine points in eight games, despite suffering a concussion in the series against Greenville.
The 5'11, 117-pound center also appeared in five games with Omaha of the
AHL this year.
Drew Larman, C
| GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | |
| Regular season | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6 | 4 |
| Playoffs | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
Larman played just six games with the Everblades at the very beginning of the season before being called up to Rochester. The defensive forward would be very important to the team come playoff time, however, scoring six points in eight games.
"Drew's terrific on faceoffs -- a solid defensive forward," Everblades head coach Gerry Fleming said during the team's final playoff series. "Knows his responsibility and is just getting better. Solid positionally, his biggest asset is the ability to take faceoffs on his strong side which would be his left side."
The 21-year-old will look to stick the entire year in Rochester next season.
Martin Lojek, D
| GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | |
| Regular season | 45 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 40 |
| Playoffs | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 |
Lojek and Tuma are often spoken of in one breath, both 6'4 first-year defensemen out of the Czech Republic, born just a month apart. The 20-year-olds are also good friends and rarely separated.
"I think it was important for them to get a year in the ECHL just to understand the habits of what it takes to be a professional hockey player, learning the training, the practice schedule, the regimen," Fleming said. "They've gotten better as the year's gone on. I think now that they have the tools and the instruction of what a professional athlete does, I think the offseason's going to be big for them."Fleming pointed to Lojek's "huge shot" as one thing that separated him from Tuma. It's one that is both hard and accurate from the point.
Lojek was recalled twice to Rochester, both times in the first half of the season. He was paired mostly with second-year pro Chris Lee at even strength and played on both the power play and penalty kill for the Everblades. He makes a good outlet pass that keeps him in positive plus/minus territory.
Martin Tuma, D
| GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | |
| Regular season | 48 | 0 | 6 | 6 | -5 | 75 |
| Playoffs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tuma had only half of Lojek's points, but is stronger positionally than Lojek, according to Fleming. Tuma was recalled to Rochester at the end of the regular season, giving the Panthers a read on him for next season. Tuma has the mobility to play effective defense, but needs to stay away from obstruction penalties to remain effective. He uses his 6'4 frame more often than Lojek.
Both Tuma and Lojek found it difficult to crack the lineup in the playoffs on a team who favors more veteran players.
Jeremy Swanson, D
| GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | |
| Regular season | 14 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -5 | 12 |
| Playoffs | injured | - | - | - | - | - |
Swanson is a solid defenseman when he's healthy and on his game, but unfortunately that was a rare occurrence this season.
"He didn't come into camp in the greatest shape and they were a little bit disappointed at that. But he's a young player who hopefully learned a valuable lesson, that your body is your investment and you have to take care of it. I think he'll grow and get better from it."
Swanson began the year with the Everblades, but was called up in late October to Rochester. The 21-year-old suffered a concussion after just 11 games with the Americans. He was finally reassigned back to the Everblades on Feb. 14. He played five games and just wasn't ready. He stayed out of the lineup the rest of the year with post-concussion syndrome.
"He just didn't feel himself," Fleming described. "His vision was suffering a bit and as a result it was effecting his play, which is understandable. We sent him over to Florida because of the proximity to us. They had their doctors examine him and had further tests. They sent him back to us, so it's just a matter of time. He's been working out and getting better. He's been back on the ice at practice with us. He had a couple practices [so far]. He said he felt a little bit better so that's a positive sign."Grant McNeill, D/F
| GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | |
| Regular season | 31 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 123 |
| Playoffs | injured | - | - | - | - | - |
McNeill spent far more time on the IR this season than on the ice. He suffered a concussion on Oct. 29, was activated on Nov. 27 and played until Jan. 2, when he was recalled to Rochester. He only played two games with Rochester before suffering a shoulder injury that kept him out the rest of the year.
"It's too bad because he was really getting better," Fleming said. "As a defenseman he always had a reputation as a tough guy. He's a kid who could play either defense or forward. I think he does well in his role, he's a presence, there's no doubt about it. He battled through some injuries this year and I know he was a little bit disappointed. Before he got hurt, we were using him in two roles and he was responding well. Hopefully he can recover from his injuries and get back to where he was at before he got hurt."
Shop for Florida Panthers Men's Apparel at Shop.NHL.com
Copyright 2006 Hockey's Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
Copyright 2006 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
HF Quick Navigation
