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The Panthers' woes this season are a complex series of problems that date back some time. Since the original flaws were never corrected, but merely patched over, the situation has been allowed to deteriorate. Now there are no easy solutions.

The first mistake was the Stu Barnes trade. Yes, it's old history. Yes, it was a bad trade. But it was also the beginning of the end.

Teams are rated on many tangible items, such has height, weight, goals, assists, etc. Other items are not so easily measured, such as leadership, grit, and determination. These intangibles made Barnes a key part of team chemistry. His departure alone was not a death knell for the Panthers, but it was a wound that would fester and end up putting the team in Intensive Care. How serious it was became evident in the 1996-97 playoffs when the Rangers wiped the Cats off the map without much difficulty.

Brian Skrudland by Meredith Martini

That off-season a second death blow was dealt to the Panthers with the departure of team captain Brian Skrudland. Skrudland doesn't score many points, which is an obvious fact. His ability in the face-off circle was declining, again this isn't in dispute. But, while Barnes was a key part of the heart of this team, Skrudland was the entire soul. A team that was known for Heart and Soul lost both. The team was on life support.

Early on in the 1997-98 season, Doug MacLean was axed as coach after just 18 games. He was made the scapegoat by team owner, and general idiot, H. Wayne Huizenga. While Doug's dismissal was bound to happen later that year, his early departure was a sign of 'quick-fix' management. That's something that just won't work in a team sport. And hockey is, last time anyone checked, a team sport.

With Skrudland gone, Scott Mellanby was installed as captain. Most everyone agrees he lacks the qualifications for the job. While he's better on the ice than Skrudland, he's not half the leader Skrudland was. No disrespect meant to Mellanby, I'm sure he's a great guy, but he's not captain material: some people are born to lead -- others are not. The Panthers could fix this with Bill Lindsay who is clearly tailor made for captaincy (as was the departed Tom Fitzgerald).

The Panthers' grief was just getting started. Goals were flying in the net at a rapid pace. The goalie was often blamed, but no netminder can stop an onslaught such as what poor John Vanbiesbrouck faced. The defense simply hung him out to dry. The Beezer was very unhappy and management treated him with the same respect they gave a doormat. His departure came as a surprise to no one, but management's total inability to properly fill the goaltending slot makes one wonder why they didn't keep Johnny. Hockey players are people. If you treat them badly, how can you expect them to do their best?

Rob Niedermayer by Meredith Martini

Then there is the oft-injured Robbie Niedermayer. Nieds is expected to be a force in the NHL one day. That may be, but it won't be on the Panthers. He's got skill, but he doesn't have that internal fire to make him a star. Any of the nights where he just won't try are offered as evidence of this. A star has to compete every night and make things happen. In nine of 10 games, the only thing Robbie makes happen is a big yawn.

Of course, Niedermayer's usually injured, so he doesn't see much ice time. And like Eddie Jovanovski, he's never benched for bad play. It doesn't set a good example for the rest of the team to excuse two of the worst players from punishment. It's not a good policy to bench some guys for performing badly and not others. And it's a worse idea to air your feelings about it all in the press. Does Terry Murray honestly think bad mouthing players by name in the press is the answer?

Speaking of Jovanovski, here's the big hole in the Panthers defense that is partly responsible for the shots on net. Eddie will soon be nicknamed 'turnover' if it keeps up. Jovanovski has hockey smarts. He just doesn't use them on the ice. Maybe he's trying too hard? Whatever the case, he needs to concentrate on playing simple, safe defense. He's not doing anyone a favor by forcing plays into turnovers that lead to odd-man rushes. The mistakes will eventually cost the team.

The Panthers have some deadweight they should get rid of, but to whom? Kirk Muller is expendable, as are Dave Gagner, Mellanby, Niedermayer, and Jovanovski. Any or all of these guys should be traded. Some could even be traded for a bag of pucks. I'm a big Gagner fan, but he's not working well on this team. He'll be a great asset for a club like the Sharks or Lightning.

The Panthers also need to recall Peter Ratchuck, who was sent down instead of Jaroslav Spacek. Ratchuck is incredible and showed the kind of effort the Panthers need every night. On a team where a fan never knows if the Good Cats or Bad Cats are coming to play, a man who gives his all every night is a welcome sight. Ratchuck is our man.

The Panthers have a few sparks, but individual performance is not the hallmark of a successful team. A true team is composed of a multitude of individual efforts, not a few random good players. This is the heart of the Panthers' problems.

Solving them isn't as easy as saying put Ray Whitney and Lindsay together, nor is any other magical line combination the cure. The Panthers have to make a solid effort each and every night. They need to let go of the past by grasping on to their future. They also need to understand that just because a player is young, doesn't mean he's good.

The Panthers can still salvage the season and move on to bigger and better things, and there's not really much to be done. But it all starts with an attitude adjustment.

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