Without a deep and dependable pool of defensemen, success is hard to come by in today’s NHL. The Florida Panthers were an absolute nightmare in their own end last season, allowing the fourth-most goals against (273).
Poor goaltending and a weak effort from the team’s blueline were the most significant issues in last year’s disappointing play. I’m not convinced that the organization did enough to address its defensive deficiencies.
The signing of two-time Vezina winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was a win for the Cats and bringing in Anton Stralman looks like a smart move.