2011–12 Florida Panthers season

Off-season

On June 1, 2011, the Panthers introduced their new head coach, former NHL player Kevin Dineen. Dineen had spent the previous six seasons coaching the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Regular season

:See the game log below for detailed game-by-game season information.

The Panthers had their first quality season in over a decade in 2011–12, having never finished above third place in the Southeast Division since 1999–2000. Despite losing more games than they won, competition for the Panthers within the Division was not fierce, and the team was in third place in the Eastern Conference as the Southeast Division leader throughout much of the season. Although the Panthers amassed more losses than wins, 18 of these losses were in overtime or a shootout (the highest number of any team in the NHL for the 2011–12 season), meaning Florida often gained a point even when they failed to win.

Playoffs

The Panthers clinched a playoff berth on April 5, 2012, securing the return of playoff hockey to South Florida for the first time in 12 years. The third-seeded Panthers had home ice advantage by virtue of winning their division, despite the sixth-seeded New Jersey Devils besting them in regular season point totals (102 to 94). The Devils won the first game of the series, but the Panthers bounced back with a win in Game 2 to even the series as it headed to New Jersey. The Panthers would return the favor by winning Game 3, 4–3, but the Devils recorded a shutout in Game 4, 4–0. The Panthers returned home to play Game 5 and were one win away from winning their first post-season series since 1996 after notching a shutout of their own, 3–0. The series went back to New Jersey for the final time of the series, with the home team tying the series after winning Game 6 in overtime, the first extra period of the series. The seventh and deciding game went even longer than Game 6 after the Panthers managed to score two power-play goals in the third period to force overtime. The game—and series—was still even after the completion of one extra period. Less than four minutes into the second overtime, the first shot on goal by either team was recorded by Devils rookie center Adam Henrique and notched his second goal of the game and deciding goal of the series, eliminating the Panthers from the playoffs, 3–2.

Standings

Schedule and results

Pre-season

Regular season

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Playoffs

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Player statistics

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

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Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime losses; GA = Goals; GAA= Goals against average; SA= Shots against; SV= Saves; Sv% = Save percentage; SO= Shutouts

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†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Panthers. Stats reflect time with Panthers only.

‡Traded mid-season

Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Milestones

Transactions

The Panthers have been involved in the following transactions during the 2011–12 season.

Trades

Free agents acquired

Free agents lost

Claimed via waivers

Lost via waivers

Lost via retirement

Player signings

Draft picks

Florida's picks at the 2011 NHL entry draft in St. Paul, Minnesota.

References

References

1. National Hockey League. (2010). "The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2011". Triumph Books.
2. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=564439 Kevin Dineen Named Head Coach Of The Florida Panthers]
3. (September 19, 2011). "Predators vs. Panthers – 09/19/2011 – Florida Panthers – Recap". Florida Panthers.
4. (September 19, 2011). "Predators vs. Panthers – 09/19/2011 – Florida Panthers – Recap". Florida Panthers.
5. (September 23, 2011). "Panthers vs. Lightning – 09/23/2011 – Florida Panthers – Recap". Florida Panthers.
6. (September 24, 2011). "Lightning vs. Panthers – 09/24/2011 – Florida Panthers – Recap". Florida Panthers.
7. (September 27, 2011). "Stars vs. Panthers – 09/27/2011 – Florida Panthers – Recap". Florida Panthers.
8. (September 29, 2011). "Panthers vs. Stars – 09/29/2011 – Florida Panthers – Recap". Florida Panthers.
9. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567191 Florida Panthers Acquire D Brian Campbell From Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for LW Rostislav Olesz]
10. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567359 Panthers Add Blend To Prospect Cupboards]
11. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567473 Panthers Acquire Negotiating Rights To Tomas Kopecky]
12. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568199 Panthers Acquire RW Kris Versteeg]
13. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568975 Panthers Acquire C Angelo Esposito from Winnipeg]
14. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568976 Panthers Acquire D Keith Seabrook from Calgary]
15. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568974 Panthers Acquire RW Sergei Shirokov from Vancouver]
16. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=587995 Panthers Acquire C Justin Bernhardt from Phoenix Coyotes]
17. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=597065 Florida Acquires RW Mikael Samuelsson And LW Marco Sturm From Vancouver For RW David Booth And C Steven Reinprecht]
18. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=604428 Florida Acquires C Wright And D Vernace From Tampa Bay]
19. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=605191 Panthers Acquire F Krys Barch]
20. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=611658 Panthers Acquire LW Ondrej Roman From Dallas]
21. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=612466 Florida Acquires C Jonathan Matsumoto And RW Mattias Lindstrom From Carolina]
22. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=613812 Panthers Acquire D Sean Sullivan from San Jose]
23. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=618748 Panthers Acquire Jerred Smithson from Nashville]
24. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=618885 Panthers Acquire Wolski From Rangers]
25. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567907 Panthers Sign D Mike Kostka]
26. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568000 Panthers Sign LW Scottie Upshall]
27. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568003 Panthers Sign G Jose Theodore]
28. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568012 Panthers Sign D Ed Jovanovski]
29. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568024 Panthers Sign C Marcel Goc]
30. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568190 Panthers Sign RW Tomas Fleischmann]
31. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568195 Panthers Sign D Nolan Yonkman]
32. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568309 Panthers Sign LW Sean Bergenheim]
33. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568316 Panthers Sign RW Matt Bradley]
34. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568317 Panthers Sign C Greg Rallo]
35. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569188 Panthers Sign D Tyson Strachan]
36. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569403 Panthers Sign C Bracken Kearns]
37. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=607498 Panthers Sign RW Bill Thomas]
38. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=609752 Panthers Agree To Terms With C John Madden]
39. [http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568070 Islanders Agree to Terms with Reasoner]
40. [http://oilers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568091 Oilers agree to terms with Barker and Hordichuk]
41. [http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568301 Flames sign three more players]
42. [http://capitals.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568358 Capitals Sign Goaltender Tomas Vokoun]
43. [http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568396 Preds Sign Free Agent Forward Niclas Bergfors]
44. [http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568812 Canucks sign defenceman Alexander Sulzer]
45. [http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569175 Avalanche Signs Galiardi]
46. [http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569978 Canucks Sign Right Wing Byron Bitz]
47. [http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=594777 Canadiens sign Joe Callahan]
48. [http://www.thealbanydevils.com/albany-devils-sign-steve-bernier/ ALBANY DEVILS SIGN STEVE BERNIER] {{webarchive. link. (October 29, 2011)
49. [http://devils.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=597566 Devils claim F Ryan Carter off waivers]
50. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=588116 Stillman Exchanges Skates For Clipboards]
51. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=564292 Florida Panthers Re-Sign RW Jack Skille]
52. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=564490 Florida Panthers Agree To Entry Level Contract With Garrett Wilson]
53. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=565108 Florida Panthers Re-Sign Mark Cullen]
54. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=566390 Panthers Re-sign Tim Kennedy]
55. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567672 Florida Panthers Agree to Four-Year Contract with C Tomas Kopecky]
56. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568720 Panthers Re-Sign C Mike Santorelli]
57. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568977 Panthers Sign F Ryan Carter]
58. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569457 Panthers Agree to Entry Level Contract With D Erik Gudbranson]
59. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569815 Florida Panthers G Marc Cheverie & G Tyler Plante Agree to One-Year Contracts]
60. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569976 Panthers Agree to One-Year Contract with D Michael Caruso]
61. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=588071 Panthers Sign C Shawn Matthias]
62. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=595307 Panthers Agree To Entry-Level Contract With F Jonathan Huberdeau]
63. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=608849 D Mike Weaver Signs Two-Year Contract Extension]
64. "Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With D Tyson Strachan On One-Year Contract Extension".
65. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=624399 Panthers Sign C Drew Shore to Entry-Level Contract]
66. [http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=629223 Florida Panthers Sign C Vincent Trocheck to Entry-Level Contract]