How'd the Panthers finally get their act together as a franchise?

[Great8Cam]

The turnaround started more than 5 years.
Simple answer is, Mr. Vinnie Viola bought the team.
The man who finally did (and spends) what it takes to build a solid organization

Dougie Large gets upset every time you fail to name him alongside Mr. Viola!

 

[Panteras]

that athletic article last year pretty much summed it up. We were a Mickey Mouse franchise top down. Something along the lines of players having to pay for their food or some shit…pfffsss

Now they have state of the art training facilities and staff. I think they hired some physio from Australia or something that worked with rugby players etc. Basically they’ve invested in giving the players what they need to succeed that goes a long way.

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

July of 2022 is when we took the next step

 

[Great8Cam]

Starts with ownership. Willing to spend to the cap every year, no exceptions. Invested heavily into the franchise from top to bottom. They brought in Zito who was a fanatic hire. They allowed him to surround himself with a large group of people (both smart and experienced). They bought a new team jet not long ago. Invested in amenities for the players. Brand new top of the line practice facility now. Just completely rebuild every in this franchise essentially from the ground up. Made a few mistakes along the way like the whole Tallon “promotion” thing but then listened and reverted, learning from their mistakes. Found a good GM in zito, hiring Maurice, Q before him (so investing in good established coaches). Reinvested back into the arena with the playoff money, just tons of different things but it’s night and day vs how things were run and operated in years past

They use a charter jet, not a private jet. My whole family was on the Panthers charter jet when the t Team flew us to Minnesota when my son’s Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team went to Nationals in Minnesota after winning States (after the shooting). Luongo, Viola, Cifu, Bjugsted, Petrovic, Prius, and the whole organization were amazing to our kids.

The only player that was a douchebag was Trochek because he was too busy with his post game lifting, 2.5 pound weights, to bother talking to the kids.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

They use a charter jet, not a private jet. My whole family was on the Panthers charter jet when the t Team flew us to Minnesota when my son’s Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team went to Nationals in Minnesota after winning States (after the shooting). Luongo, Viola, Cifu, Bjugsted, Petrovic, Prius, and the whole organization were amazing to our kids.

The only player that was a douchebag was Trochek because he was too busy with his post game lifting, 2.5 pound weights, to bother talking to the kids.

Huh, that's not the first time I've heard that Trocheck is a dickwad. Starting to think that's why he was Tallon's sacrificed hostage.

Anyway, underappreciated move that really turned the franchise around that nobody ever talks about:

Somehow managing to trade Mike Matheson for Patric Hornqvist. Massive, massive culture shift for the team with one move that also improved the team's cap situation by 100000x.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Ownership realized their stupidity after stepping in in the 2015-2016 season. And let the next GM do his thing. We could have had what we have now 8 years ago. But whatever.

 

[batting1k]

Ownership realized their stupidity after stepping in in the 2015-2016 season. And let the next GM do his thing. We could have had what we have now 8 years ago. But whatever.

IMO dale wasn’t all that impressive when he had money to spend. But neither were the computer boys, so I think it’s mostly that a) they identified Zito and b) the moves he’s made.

 

[Last Rat Standing]

IMO dale wasn’t all that impressive when he had money to spend. But neither were the computer boys, so I think it’s mostly that a) they identified Zito and b) the moves he’s made.

The 2011 spending spree helped bring playoff hockey back. Too bad that couldn't be sustained. The lockout messed it up

 

[Ratsreign]

Huh, that's not the first time I've heard that Trocheck is a dickwad. Starting to think that's why he was Tallon's sacrificed hostage.

Anyway, underappreciated move that really turned the franchise around that nobody ever talks about:

Somehow managing to trade Mike Matheson for Patric Hornqvist. Massive, massive culture shift for the team with one move that also improved the team's cap situation by 100000x.

Trocheck seemed to change after “making it”, getting recognition and becoming an all star. Seemed like it went to his head a bit.
He went from fighting his way through fouls against him and playing harder because of them to a guy who would turn to the ref and whine about no call.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

IMO dale wasn’t all that impressive when he had money to spend. But neither were the computer boys, so I think it’s mostly that a) they identified Zito and b) the moves he’s made.

When he only had one year to spend it? To bring in a cup? I don't compare Tallon's and Zito's situations at all. Two totally different situations. If Tallon did something good it doesn't reflect badly on Zito and vice versa.

 

[RogerRoger]

Ownership and the President they chose were humble enough to learn from their early mistakes and they are genuinely invested in being successful.

 

[Prominence Problem]

Huh, that's not the first time I've heard that Trocheck is a dickwad. Starting to think that's why he was Tallon's sacrificed hostage.

Anyway, underappreciated move that really turned the franchise around that nobody ever talks about:

Somehow managing to trade Mike Matheson for Patric Hornqvist. Massive, massive culture shift for the team with one move that also improved the team's cap situation by 100000x.

I think DT deserves a little bit of credit.
He "sacrificed" Tro and was fed up with this Country Club attitude this team had.

Z took it to another level.

 

[senseimike]

Thanks for the intel guys! Interesting stuff!

 

[Gentle Man]

July of 2022 is when we took the next step

Star player signed with Florida because of the taxes

Makes sense actually

 

[batting1k]

When he only had one year to spend it? To bring in a cup? I don't compare Tallon's and Zito's situations at all. Two totally different situations. If Tallon did something good it doesn't reflect badly on Zito and vice versa.

He spent 5.5 mil pretty well

More often that not, the money he did have was wasted on Chicago buddies, or guys that were over the hill, and he was always attached to guys long after he should’ve been. Ironically, one his better moves came when he was on the way out - Trocheck for Luosty. For all we know, Luosty could’ve been a throw-in by Carolina

 

[FrolikFan67]

They use a charter jet, not a private jet. My whole family was on the Panthers charter jet when the t Team flew us to Minnesota when my son’s Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team went to Nationals in Minnesota after winning States (after the shooting). Luongo, Viola, Cifu, Bjugsted, Petrovic, Prius, and the whole organization were amazing to our kids.

The only player that was a douchebag was Trochek because he was too busy with his post game lifting, 2.5 pound weights, to bother talking to the kids.

Thank you for the correction, I don’t know the difference so I misspoke. But they did get a new plane that they use is more to the point. That’s really cool you were able to go that. I’ve heard others that were lucky enough to also do it. Sounds like an amazing experience

 

[FrolikFan67]

And as far as the product on the ice. Ridding ourselves of the matheson deal somehow and acquiring a winner and professional like Hornqvist to lead by example. Forsling off waivers. Montour for a 3rd. Swapping Huberdeau and Weegar for tkachuk is a good culture change. Two 2nds for Bennett. Signing Verhaeghe who was a 4th line tweeter in Tampa. A 1st and a goalie prospect for Reinhart. Lomberg for the 4th line. The coaching hires. Zito’s made a lot of incredible decisions, moves and signings

 

[Ratsreign]

Viola/Cifu spend the money to build a top notch organization, and they put the right man in charge in Zito.
Together, they’ve managed to turn the beach into a fringe benefit here, where it used to be the main attraction.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

He spent 5.5 mil pretty well

More often that not, the money he did have was wasted on Chicago buddies, or guys that were over the hill, and he was always attached to guys long after he should’ve been. Ironically, one his better moves came when he was on the way out - Trocheck for Luosty. For all we know, Luosty could’ve been a throw-in by Carolina

The only bad former Chicago signing was Bolland. The rest got us our first division title. Even if it was just a fluke, it was one thing we didn't have at the time. And they were just stop gaps anyway in the middle of a rebuild.
Which is another point about him keeping his players that he drafted and some draft picks. They were in a rebuild, that's the time when you're trying draft and develop. That's when you hold on to your draft prospects and draft picks. You actually try to get as many as you can. All GMs in that situation do that. And all GMs are reluctant to give up players they drafted, especially when most of them are just in the early 20s and below.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Yeah. Dale Tallon made some mistakes, but some of the stuff he did was huge in getting this franchise to respectability. I don't have a bad word to say about him, and I hope he's enjoying the links.

 

[airbud]

Matheson for Horny, ez pz

 

[Panteras]

I do appreciate Tallon that 11/12 offseason for going all out. We almost got into the second round. It was a breath of fresh air at the time and badly needed. After that, I think he got too fixated on his draft picks.

 

[Last Rat Standing]

I do appreciate Tallon that 11/12 offseason for going all out. We almost got into the second round. It was a breath of fresh air at the time and badly needed. After that, I think he got too fixated on his draft picks.

Lockout and injuries really derailed that team. I honestly thought they had something or was it just fluky since they made the playoffs with a lot of help from the loser point. Still my favorite team outside of this current iteration

 

[panthersfan751]

I’m going to say someone else and that’s Cliff Viner. He inherited a situation worse than Viola when he bought the team from Alan Cohen in 2009.

People need to remember what a coup it was that Viner hired Tallon in 2010. We had had so many bad GM’s that hiring someone who had just resurrected Chicago from years of mediocrity was huge. Yes, Tallon later made many mistakes, but he was the first GM to actually start a correct rebuild.

If Viner hadn’t bought the team from Cohen, we were ripe for an outside billionaire to buy the team, break the lease, and relocate. He stabilized things until Viola arrived and is a big reason we're still here.

 

[Ratsreign]

I’m going to say someone else and that’s Cliff Viner. He inherited a situation worse than Viola when he bought the team from Alan Cohen in 2009.

People need to remember what a coup it was that Viner hired Tallon in 2010. We had had so many bad GM’s that hiring someone who had just resurrected Chicago from years of mediocrity was huge. Yes, Tallon later made many mistakes, but he was the first GM to actually start a correct rebuild.

If Viner hadn’t bought the team from Cohen, we were ripe for an outside billionaire to buy the team, break the lease, and relocate. He stabilized things until Viola arrived and is a big reason we're still here.

Him hiring Tallon was the first sign of hope that things may start to improve.