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This awful season, filled with struggles and injuries, has given the Florida Panthers a bit of an opportunity to look towards the future. They’ve been able to plug some of their top young prospects into the lineup, which they may have not been able to do if they were in contention.
One player in particular that adds some intrigue to the Panthers’ roster has been rookie forward Nick Bjugstad. One of the top prospects in the organization, as far as the forward ranks are concerned, Bjugstad made his debut with the Cats after his season with the University of Minnesota came to an end.
In the long-term, Bjugstad projects as a force in the middle of the top six. He has a massive frame and will be a tremendous asset for the Panthers down in the corners and down around the net. His upside is that of a perennial All Star. So far, though, the Panthers haven’t seen that result in success on the stat sheet.
In 10 games so far, Bjugstad has yet to record a single point, neither goal or assist. Over that span, he has a minus-9 rating, has won just 42 percent of his draws, and has 15 shots. Neither of those numbers give off any sort of indication that he’ll become what the Panthers are hoping for, but it’s an incredibly small sample size.
There’s no indication that Bjugstad is going to be a bust based just off of that sample alone. In fact, he’s actually seen his time on ice increase over those 10 games. He also hasn’t been playing with the best of linemates in that time. When the Panthers are boasting a completely healthy roster next year, he’ll be playing next to higher level talent than the likes of Jack Skille and Quinton Howden.
It would be nice to see Bjugstad end up on the stat sheet before the season is all said and done, though. If he can get on the stat sheet in the last game of the season, he’ll build up a little momentum heading into his first full season in the NHL next year.
