Sport-scan daily brief

But Thomas isn't the story today. Why he arrived is. Vincent Viola, the Panthers' new owner-in-waiting, allowed general manager Dale Tallon to spend some minimal money to bring in Thomas and a couple of other free agents.

That doesn't mean Viola, a Wall Street power broker, will be the owner the Panthers need to really bring this franchise back from hockey oblivion. But it offers an opening glimmer of hope. It represents a small change in a good way.

All you want as a Panthers fan is what all the players, coaches and front office types who have kept revolving through the arena in distressing fashion over the years have wanted.

You want a chance to win. You want an owner who hires the right people, spends the necessary money and offers the internal stability to give a franchise that chance. And it's never come.

The prime reason this franchise has failed so miserably doesn't start on the ice, the draft or with any attendance count. It starts in the owner's suite. This is the fifth owner for the team in the past 13 years.

No franchise can overcome that instability at the top, especially when no owner since H. Wayne Huizenga had the deep pockets or necessary conviction to make hockey work here.

The telling point for Cliff Viner, the latest owner heading out the door, came after the Panthers made the playoffs for the first time in a decade in 2012. They lost to New Jersey in seven games that perked up South Florida. There was a window to be relevant again.

So what did the Panthers do that off-season?

Nothing.

That doesn't make Viner a bad person. It just means he didn't have the money or desire to be the owner this invisible team needs.

Does Viola? Who knows?

All we know about Viola is quick-sketch stuff: A native New Yorker, a West Point graduate, a minority owner in the Brooklyn Nets who made his money on Wall Street.

One Internet website put his net worth at $35 million. If true, that's not nearly enough for a sports owner. If true, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman would nix any deal in the making.

A Panthers source said the league is expected to approve the team's sale to Viola before the Oct. 3 season opener. The team won't be moving, either. Put that to rest. Phoenix sat in bankruptcy for three years and the NHL didn't move it.

No one thinks owning the Panthers is a dream set-up or guarantees success. It will bleed money for a while. It demands smarts and the kind of check-writing stamina no one in the seat has wanted lately.

The most important commodity in any team has two opposite examples in South Florida. Heat owner Micky Arison's first move was to hire Pat Riley to make that a first-class team. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria continues to make his franchise a comic disaster.

We'll find out about Viola soon enough. All you know so far is his small loosening of purse strings for a few free agents still available was met with smiles inside the team.

Brad Boyes scored 35 points in 48 games with the Islanders last year. Veteran Tom Gilbert might offer depth to the defense. Thomas brings a veteran presence in goal to pair with youngster Jakob Markstrom.

"Reborn," Thomas said he felt upon arriving.

The Panthers are again in some manner, too. They've been through ownership changes too much in recent years. They need smarts, stability and money at the top. Let's hope they got that in Viola.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 09.19.2013

717277 Florida Panthers

Panthers' Gudbranson hopes to be improve offense this season

Young defenseman hopes to bolster offense on power play; Panthers fall 3-2 to Dallas in shootout

By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

3:17 p.m. EDT, September 18, 2013

CORAL SPRINGS —

It might not be a coincidence that Panthers third-year defenseman Erik Gudbranson has scored three goals in his last two games, including two in Monday afternoon's 6-3 preseason win over the Predators and another in last week's intrasquad scrimmage.

Gudbranson, 21, who took a step backward in his overall development last season after sustaining a shoulder injury in an offseason wakeboarding accident, wasn't happy to see a zero in his goal-scoring column. Of course, Gudbranson is always more concerned with his defensive prowess, so his league-worst minus-22 (tied with teammate Brian Campbell) was far more disturbing.

So this summer he returned home to Ottawa and worked out frequently with an innovative skating and stickhandling aid called the Power Edge Pro Training System. Then Gudbranson spent two separate weeks in the Boston area with Panthers skills coach Paul Vincent to continue reinforcing his overall skating and shooting skills.

"My skating was good but not efficient at all,'' Gudbranson said Wednesday morning after practice at Saveology.com Iceplex. "I was wasting a lot of energy with those eccentric movements. I really just tightened it up with Coach V, bringing back the basics of skating, simplifying my stride, becoming more compact and efficient.''

The multi-positional Power Edge stick creates different angles and smaller spaces for players to practice their toe drags, over and unders, while working on their weak and strong sides. It was invented by Tom Quinn, a longtime Canadian junior hockey coach, and is being marketed by Wayne Gudbranson, a notable junior coach as well as Erik's father.

"It's basically a stick and board with a hole in it,'' Gudbranson said. "You can challenge yourself in drills to go forward, backwards, jump over it, extend it, move stuff to one leg. It's about having that creative mindset while improving your stickhandling and [skating] edge skills.''

Gudbranson owns a blistering slap shot, but it took him to his third season at Kingston in the Ontario (junior) Hockey League before he felt comfortable enough to take chances on the offensive end as he scored 12 goals with 22 assists in 44 games.

This is his third NHL season, and he hopes to make a similar jump into the offensive zone.

"My primary objective as I get more comfortable in my third year is to step up offensively, have the patience with the puck on my stick and not be so worried about getting caught up going deep into the offensive zone,'' said Gudbranson, who has two career goals and 10 assists in 104 games.

"I think the accumulation of working hard this summer, being in shape and trusting my skating, I have more confidence to step up and hold onto the puck in pressure situations.''

Gudbranson, who notched four power-play goals in his third year of junior, is hoping to earn more time on the Panthers' power-play unit that dropped from seventh in power-play goals in 2011-12 to 13th last season.

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen, who still wants Gudbranson to focus on the defensive end, and gave him a chance on the power-play unit in Wedneday night's preseason game against Dallas in which the Panthers fell 3-2 in a shootout.

"He's getting that opportunity, but that's not where my focus is with him and not what I want him rating whether he had a quality game based on his offense,'' Dineen said. "It's based on him doing a lot of good things as a teammate and defenseman.''

After one of his jaunts to Boston this summer, Gudbranson made a pit stop at Dineen's lake house in upstate New York where the two had a heart-to-heart chat.

"We had a good evening, talked a lot of hockey and about his life,'' Dineen said. "He's a determined young man; he's an easy guy to root for and he's also impatient.

"When you're a defenseman that sometimes could work against you, but he's on the right track.''

No rush for Thomas

Although goalie Tim Thomas said he felt no ill effects following his first two days of practice, Dineen said that he wouldn't rush the former Bruin into any game action until next week.

"I won't be judging Tim Thomas on one look at an exhibition game,'' Dineen said. "That certainly won't be a make or break situation. Because of that I'm not going to be in any rush to get him in.'' …

The Panthers are expected to cut about 24 players after Friday's game in San Antonio, to pare the roster to 35.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 09.19.2013

717278 Florida Panthers

New York investor pursuing purchase of Panthers

By Craig Davis South Florida Sun Sentinel

5:11 p.m. EDT, September 18, 2013

An out-of-town investor may be just what the Florida Panthers need to solidify their future in South Florida.

Vincent Viola, a Wall Street power broker and former minority owner of the New Jersey Nets before the NBA franchise moved to Brooklyn, is in negotiations to purchase the team, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed Wednesday.

Panthers officials declined comment on media reports of an impending sale of the hockey team.

The New York Post reported that the ownership change is imminent. The matter is not on the agenda for Monday’s NHL board of governors meeting in New York.

South Florida businessmen Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel took principal ownership of the team in 2009 from Alan Cohen. Viner, of Boca Raton, assumed sole control a year later

The Panthers are locked into a 30-year lease at the BB&T Center in Sunrise through 2028, and the source said Viola has no interest in moving the team.

Broward County Commissioner Lois Wexler, whose district included the arena for years, said she’d heard through “the rumor mill’’ that the team might change hands and has no concerns, “as long as whoever it is has the wherewithal in order to stay the course.’’

The Panthers are often cited as one of the NHL’s most financially downtrodden franchises, but the team benefits from being under the umbrella of parent Sunrise Sports and Entertainment, which also operates the Broward County-owned arena and is profitable despite the red ink generated by the hockey team.

The county auditor’s report on the first decade after the arena opened in 1998 showed that arena operations turned a profit each year. The value of the team increased by $8 million to $170 million, according to Forbes magazine, after the Panthers won the Southeast Division championship in 2011-12.

The arena naming rights deal with BB&T was extended in 2012 for 10 years and $37 million with options that could continue the deal for an additional 10 years.

The SSE also has a partnership with Boyd Gaming to build a casino next to the arena if Las Vegas-style gaming is approved by the state legislature.

All of that enhances the appeal to a potential buyer, but the source said Viola’s primary interest is in the Panthers.

Viola, former chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and now chair of the firm Virtu Financial, is an intriguing figure. He was described in “The Asylum: The Renegades Who Hijacked the World's Oil Market” as a "tough guy from Brooklyn" and credited with managing NYMEX well in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Following the attacks, Viola founded and financed the Counter-Terrorism Center at West Point.

Viola had interest in buying the Nets from Bruce Ratner before Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov swooped in and nabbed the franchise in September 2009.

The son of a truck driver, Viola attended West Point military academy and was an officer in the 101st Airborne Division before leaving the military and getting his start in the hotly competitive commodities-trading realm of NYMEX in the 1980s.

A 2012 profile by CNN Money portrayed him as “a phenomenal businessman, a trailblazer able to identify market trends well in advance and capitalize on them before anyone else,” and said, “Those who know Viola describe him as chameleonic and temperamental, a master of both masquerade and reinvention.”

The Panthers have struggled with attendance since moving to the BB&T Center. The Panthers’ average attendance last season was 16,992 – 88.3 percent of capacity – which ranked 22nd out of 30 teams.

Wexler said the team is on its third owner in her nine years as a commissioner.

“Last year, the worst in the league record was blamed on half a year of lockout because they ended the season rather well the year before. I hope the potential is there for a winning season.’’

Wexler said the county’s point person is SEE President Michael Yormark, anyway. Yormark negotiated the team’s $7.7 million loan for arena improvements last year and the county’s more recent agreement to spend $4.2 million on a new scoreboard.

“Mr. Yormark is really the face of and the energy, literally the energy, behind all things Panthers, she said, “and all things promoting the center.’’

The franchise was rejuvenated by a flurry of free-agent signings and infusion of young talent under General Manager Dale Tallon that led to ending a 10-season playoff absence in 2012.

That prompted sellouts during a closely-contested seven-game playoff-series loss to the New Jersey Devils that saw a renewed fervor for hockey in South Florida that was reminiscent of the Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996.

Last season’s lockout-shortened campaign was a step back with a last-place finish, and it was clear during the recent offseason that the purse strings were tight with the inability to retain veterans such as Stephen Weiss and Peter Mueller.

There have been indications of that changing with the recent signing of several veteran players, including former Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.

Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski, who played for the recenty sold Phoenix Coyotes for three seasons while it was owned by the NHL after the team filed for bankruptcy, understands new owners could mean more money for signing quality free agents.

“Ownership changes are ownership changes,’’ Jovanovski said Wednesday before the team left for Dallas for an exhibition game. “It’s tough at times. But also it could work out well. Until something happens, we’ll see.

“It’s always good [having more money]. Our job is to play hockey. [The Coyotes] were controlled by the league. Our job was to play hockey and worry about that.’’

Indications are that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was instrumental in finding a buyer for the Panthers, as he was for other financially troubled franchises. In the past two years he helped secure ownership change with the Devils, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues and the Coyotes, as well as orchestrating the move of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg where the franchise is thriving as the reborn Jets.

The long-awaited sale of the Coyotes for $170 million closed in early August. Soon after the NHL approved the Devils sale to billionaire Josh Harris for about $300 million, including operating rights to the Prudential Center.

While Panthers coach Kevin Dineen declined comment Wednesday on a possible sale, he did humorously nod his head up and down when it was suggested that recent free-agent signings of veterans such as Thomas, forward Brad Boyes and defenseman Tom Gilbert to professional tryout offers were possible because the fiscal handcuffs might be coming off with anticipated infusion of the new owner’s revenue streams.

Viola is known for his philanthropic efforts. In addition to his support of the Counter-Terrorism Center, a lengthy list of contributions includes giving $2 million to Fordham University to establish the Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Chair in Catholic Theology. He has received numerous awards for charitable endeavors, dating to 1997 when the Eden School for Autistic children gave him its Man of the Year award. He also received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations.

In “The Asylum,” a 2011 book on NYMEX, author Leah McGrath Goodman played up the tough-guy image associated with his Brooklyn roots. In the book, Ben Kaufman, the son of a big oil trader who interned at NYMEX, describes Viola as “the street-smart Italian guy, always with a bunch of Brooklyn and Staten Island kids hanging around him. Vinnie had the influence and the intimidation factor going for him... He dressed and acted like a Mafioso don... We usually didn't see him come down to the pits unless he wanted to intimidate somebody.

Goodman wrote: "He exuded leadership. His personality was amazing. He drew people in. He was a phenomenal speaker. Even if he didn't know what he was talking about, he sounded like he knew what he was saying. He was an astute businessman and an extreme opportunist."

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 09.19.2013

717279 Minnesota Wild

Dumba gets another chance to stick with Wild

Article by: RACHEL BLOUNT , Star Tribune

Updated: September 19, 2013 - 12:17 AM

Patience never has been Matt Dumba’s strong suit. Last winter, when he was sent back to his junior team after starting the season on the Wild roster, he was brokenhearted that his NHL dream would be delayed — even though he was only 18 years old.

The young defenseman soon realized the virtue of slowing down a little, which has put him in position to stick in St. Paul this time around. He remains a swift and nimble skater who can ignite an offense with his passing ability and his booming shot. A third year of seasoning with Red Deer of the Western Hockey League helped teach him when to temper his natural aggressiveness, adding a layer of maturity to his promising game.

In hindsight, Dumba said, he understands his return to Red Deer was a necessary step in his development. As he continues to learn the value of patience, the Wild’s 2012 first-round draft pick also wants to charge full speed ahead into the NHL, which is just the approach the Wild wants to see.

“I’m in a stage of my career where I want to move on,’’ said Dumba, who registered four shots and three hits in 22 minutes, 37 seconds of ice time in Tuesday’s preseason loss to Columbus. “Making it here is definitely where my heart is at.

“It was disappointing last year, to be that close and to see it right in front of you. At the same time, patience is key. I figured that out. And I’m a better player because of it.’’

As much as Wild coach Mike Yeo appreciates that, he does not want to dampen Dumba’s full-throttle personality. A fast, powerful skater who is eager to jump into the offense, Dumba can move the puck, pass and shoot with equal skill. At 6 feet and 181 pounds, Dumba — who turned 19 less than two months ago — also has become known for fearsome open-ice hits.

Last season, Dumba logged 16 goals and 26 assists in 62 games with Red Deer. At a tournament for prospects in Traverse City, Mich., earlier this month, he demonstrated a more conservative game. Yeo’s message to him during camp has been to seek the proper balance between his aggressive instincts and maintaining sound defense, without worrying about making mistakes.

“In Traverse City, he played very safe and very responsible, which is something that has been preached on,’’ Yeo said. “A young kid, sometimes you have to take a little of the high-risk game out of them. But what we talked to him about at camp was, you’re not going to make our team by just playing safe and responsible.

“We need him to get up to the line but not cross it as far as bringing some of the things he has that we could use on this team. What we’re looking for is how close can he get to that line, how much can he contribute on the offensive side of things, but at the same time make sure [he’s] not a liability out there.’’

Last winter, the Wild kept Dumba around for the first eight days of the abbreviated season; though he did not play, the team wanted to give him a preview of both the thrill and the grind of the NHL. If he is to move up this season, it must be with the Wild.

An agreement between the NHL and the Canadian Hockey League prohibits players younger than 20 from playing in the minors, meaning Dumba cannot be assigned to the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa. Even if the Wild chooses to return him to Red Deer, he can play up to nine games with the Wild this season without losing a year of his contract.

A self-described student of the game, Dumba said he learned much last season from former NHL coach Brent Sutter, who took the helm at Red Deer last November. Wild assistant general manager Brent Flahr said Dumba has improved his ability to read the play and position himself properly on defense. Despite his youth, he noted, Dumba has shown the confidence to assert himself and the intelligence to learn from his experiences.

“So far, he’s tested very well,’’ Flahr said. “We’ll see how he handles [preseason games] and if he’s ready to go.’’

In one sense, Dumba feels he is beyond ready. But as someone who now understands the importance of being patient, he has faith that his career will blossom in due time.

“I’m starting to feel more relaxed on the ice, just believing in my instincts,’’ he said. “I have the skill level; I’ve just got to keep working hard, battling and learning something new every day. Basically, I’ve just got to be me and play my game.’’

Star Tribune LOADED: 09.19.2013

717280 Minnesota Wild

Wild's roster for Thursday's preseason game at Winnipeg

Posted by: Michael Russo under Wild training camp Updated: September 18, 2013 - 2:18 PM

The Wild has put out its roster for Thursday’s 7 p.m. exhibition game at Winnipeg.

Goalies Josh Harding and Darcy Kuemper are expected to split the game against the Jets.

Twelve of these 13 forwards will skate: Dany Heatley, Charlie Coyle, Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter (feature on el Nino from today), Kyle Brodziak, Torrey Mitchell, Stephane Veilleux, Zenon Konopka, Justin Fontaine, Carson McMillan, Erik Haula, Zack Phillips and Kris Foucault.

Six of these seven defensemen will skate: Clayon Stoner, Nate Prosser, Matt Dumba, Jonathon Blum, Steve Kampfer, Kyle Medvec and Jon Landry.

The game is not televised. I will offer game updates on my Twitter (@russostrib) account and the game will be called on KFAN by the great Bob Kurtz and Tom Reid.

No update on Jason Zucker today as the Wild has the day off. But he tweaked his groin last night, and with lots of camp left, you can bet the Wild will play it safe.

The Wild will skate here Thursday morning before the group scheduled to travel to Winnipeg departs in the afternoon.

Star Tribune LOADED: 09.19.2013

717281 Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild looked flat against Columbus, Mike Yeo says

By Chad Graff

cgraff@pioneerpress.com

Posted: 09/18/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 09/18/2013 09:40:09 PM CDT

After the opening the preseason with a 3-1 loss to Columbus at the Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday, the Wild face the Jets in Winnipeg on Thursday.

As in Tuesday's game, the Wild's top line of Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and Jason Pominville will sit out, as will defensemen Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin. Josh Harding and Darcy Kuemper likely will split in time in net.

Dany Heatley is expected to play.

Though the results aren't of much significance in the preseason, player evaluations are. Against Columbus, Wild coach Mike Yeo said the team looked flat.

"We were hoping to see some good things, and we saw a few good things," Yeo said. "(We) would've liked to (have) seen some more, but I think it was clear that (Columbus) had played a couple exhibition games already because they were at a different speed, a different battle level than we were. We were still in scrimmage mode, and it took us probably about 58 minutes to really get up to game mode."

Of the Wild's young players vying for positions, only Jason Zucker, who tweaked his groin on his first shift Tuesday, is not making the trip to Winnipeg. Yeo said the team would be cautious with Zucker.

Yeo and his staff are still in the early stages of implementing a new system with more of an emphasis on puck possession and getting defensemen involved on the rush.