Cat's Out of the Bag: Could the Florida Panthers Take a Swipe at a Divisional Title?

I've got a question for you: Who cares about Hockey in Florida?

Who out there knows anything about the Florida Panthers? Aren't they the team that Roberto Luongo used to play for? Don't they throw rats on the ice during playoff games? When was the last time this team made the playoffs?

Haven't they just won six straight games?

That's right. The Florida Panthers, the team that no one ever considers when talking about playoff contenders, have won six straight games.

It's something I didn't believe when I saw it on Thursday. At that point they had won five straight, and I started scouring the wire, looking for their next game.

And then I kept wondering how nobody could be talking about this Panthers team.

All the talk has been about Ottawa's free-fall, Philadelphia being a bubble team, Buffalo competing without any of the talent they've had previous years, the Washington Capitals and Alexander Ovechkin trying to get them to the playoffs, and of course that little team from Toronto that hardly anyone has ever heard of.

But the Florida Panthers, like your old Uncle Chuck after Thanksgiving Dinner, are silent but deadly.

Oli Jokinen, a guy who was supposed to be gone weeks ago, has six points in six games including the game-winning goal in their most recent win over the New York Rangers.

Craig Anderson, who's been a part of five different organizations (Calgary, Chicago, Boston, St. Louis, Florida), has finally found his NHL legs, allowing two goals in three games (the first two of those games shutouts),while posting a .983 save percentage (That's not to overlook Thomas Vokoun, who's also won three straight games).

And did anyone know that David Booth has twenty goals? 

This really isn't something that can be ignored so easily is it?

It's been said that Toronto's biggest obstacle to the playoffs will be Philadelphia. I disagree though. The Leafs' biggest obstacle is winning, because that's what they need to do in order to get to the playoffs.

A close second in the obstacle category may just be the Florida Panthers.

Looking at their schedule in March, it's not something that's overly imposing. They play Atlanta and Tampa Bay a combined four times, along with one game against Washington, and two against Carolina.

Of those teams, Carolina is the only team that has a hold on a playoff spot. Atlanta and Tampa Bay are trying to get back into the Surge for Stamkos ( anything to keep writing that), and Washington is a carbon-copy of Florida, except with a game at hand.

Then in April the Panthers play three away games: Atlanta, Carolina, and Washington. Not only will the Panthers be in a prime position to bolster their record against some questionable Southeast competition, but contemplate this scenario:

The Florida Panthers are 2008 Southeast Division Champions.

It's completely possible too. Carolina and Florida play each other three more times. Carolina leads the division with a paltry 81 points, and Florida has 76. That's five points. Then you look at the fact that a win is worth two points, and three wins means six points. If Florida were to win those three games, the potential is there for the Hurricanes to be completely out of the playoffs by the end of the season, while Florida is *gulp* division champs.

This situation could actually play out. Granted the Panthers probably have to win nine of-a-possible ten games, and pray that Washington and Carolina stumble, but crazier stuff has happened before.

As I mentioned yesterday, Chris Daughtry taught me that it's not over, so it's not as crazy as it seems to say the Cats have a chance. 

I mean, if there's a more hard-luck team out there than the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's the Florida Panthers.

So even though it's three months and a time change too late, say good-bye to 2007: Year of the Underdog and say hello to 2008: Year of the Pinned-Down Panther.