On Sept. 14, the Florida Panthers announced that forward Jamie McGinn underwent
 back surgery and will be out of the lineup indefinitely. McGinn brought
veteran experience to a team whose offseason acquisitions were designed to add
depth. With this plan now taking a step backwards, what does this injury mean
for the Panthers and who could be his possible replacement?McGinn';s Role In
Florida

The 2017-18 season was McGinn';s first with the Panthers. After signing a
three-year, $10 million dollar contract, the Panthers acquired him from the
Arizona Coyotes to add support to the young forward group.  At 30 years old,
the Ontario native brought over 600 games of NHL action and leadership with him
 to the locker room.

At six-foot-one, 205 pounds, McGinn';s large frame added net front presence to
the Cats lineup and in turn, he tallied one of his best seasons in recent
memory. With 13 goals and 16 assists, the new Panther forward upped his point
total by 12 from his previous season and his best most points the 2013-14
season.

Although his production increased, his numbers were still not up to par for a
typical second line player. Furthermore, his stats are most likely a byproduct
of the time he spent with Vincent Trocheck, with almost 400 minutes spent on
the ice together. Playing with an All-Star caliber player such as Trocheck
likely inflated McGinn';s numbers.Jamie McGinn produced 29 points in his first
season with the Panthers. (Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports)

Because of his struggles on the second line last season and the addition of
Mike Hoffman, I expect McGinn to drop down to the third line, as I discussed in
 a recent article, and help the young center, Henrik Borgstrom, transition
into the league. However, with McGinn';s return nowhere in sight, the Panthers
will need to look for a possible replacement for the 10-year veteran.

Whether it';s young talent or seasoned vets, the player that succeeds McGinn
will play a vital role in the team';s strategy throughout the year. The
now-injured forward played just under 14 minutes per game last season and saw
significant action on the power play. With this in mind, the player designated
to fill his absence will be influential in how the Panthers fare this
season.Potential Replacements

In their most controversial move of the offseason, the Panthers signed former
Calgary Flame, Troy Brouwer, to a one-year contract worth $850,000. At the
time, the signing was poorly received by the fanbase and many people questioned
 why general manager Dale Tallon would add a struggling veteran to the roster,
taking an opportunity away from some of the younger talent.

With the report of McGinn';s injury coming just two weeks later, the signing
began to make a little more sense. Brouwer is a large, experienced forward who
uses his size in the middle of the ice, similar to McGinn. Brouwer was also
made aware of the injury when he signed, making it clear that Tallon made the
deal with hopes that he could be a suitable replacement for McGinn.

Troy Brouwer said Dale Tallon told him about Jamie McGinn's back issue before
he signed with #FlaPanthers ... so, appears they were waiting to see if it
needed surgery - which he did have. pic.twitter.com/YfKrFmuoYC

- George Richards (@GeorgeRichards) September 14, 2018

Whether the Panthers decide to go with Brouwer as the replacement or not is yet
 to be seen. With one of the strongest prospect groups in the league, many
talented players should see this as an opportunity to climb up the ranks.

Current roster players such as Denis Malgin, Jared McCann, and Maxim Mamin look
 to this season as a chance to permanently ingrain themselves into the Panthers
 lineup. Malgin and McCann showed great improvement last year but have yet to
earn a consistent role on the team. While Mamin played in 26 games last season,
 he is looking to land a full-time roster spot.

Owen Tippett is only 19, but with a shot like his, sneaking onto the roster
isn';t out of the realm of possibilities. With his smooth skating ability and a
 knack for scoring, being placed on the third line may be the perfect fit.
However, all the stars would have to align to see "the red rocket" break
through this season. Although, with a strong showing at camp, along with
McGinn';s recovery, the Panthers may be forced to usher him in sooner rather
than later.Owen Tippett is a stretch to make the roster this year, but does the
 injury to McGinn help his chances? (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)Youth vs.
Veterans

McGinn is expected to miss months of action, and although it is never enjoyable
 to see a player miss action due to injury, this situation creates opportunity
for others to grow within the Panthers organization. As the league navigates
toward younger, faster skaters, it will be interesting to see if the Panthers
follow suit with the rest of the league and test their youth or will the
33-year-old Brouwer take the reigns?

The post Panthers'; McGinn Out...Who Can Fill His Role? appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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