THURSDAY COMMENTARY: RAISING KANE

(Listen daily for the RP Commentary on Cat Country 98 & LTD Radio)

Things in the NHL appear to be primed for a major shakeup.

If the buzz in the press box at Amerant Bank Arena last night is true – and when isn’t it? – the Florida Panthers are set to welcome 3-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Kane to their dressing room.

Now, I say this tongue in cheek, because it really just remains nothing more than a rumour reported by some of the top NHL insiders that the Panthers are the frontrunners to add Kane’s services. They say Panthers GM Bill Zito has been the most aggressive to sign the 35-year old Chicago Blackhawks great who’s poised to return from off-season hip surgery and is a free agent.

And those press box conversations are just the best. I love them so much. I’m not sure how much stock I put in them, but they’re just the funnest thing to listen to.

Of course the next obvious question would be where and how the Panthers could fit Kane under their salary cap as the team is up against it on a nightly basis. However a football GM told me a few years ago to never worry about that. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” he advised.

I assume the same holds true in hockey.

And isn’t that a parallel of life. If you want something bad enough, you’ll stop at nothing to get it.

If you don’t, you’ll find excuses.

And of course the idea of adding Patrick Kane has touched off a firestorm of conversation among Florida hockey enthusiasts; do they really need him or not? Just in the past couple of seasons this team has won the Eastern Conference title, the President’s Trophy, and currently sit second in the Atlantic Division. They had a 6-game home win streak on the go till last night’s 3-1 loss to Boston, another sellout which had a wonderful Thanksgiving vibe in Amerant Bank Arena.

But I’m always reminded of the words of former Roughriders Assistant GM Bob Vespaziani.

“Better is better,” Bobby V always advised.

Apparently Bill Zito feels the same way.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The RP Show airs daily at 12 pm ET & 5 pm ET on Game+TV, WQEE Radio, Podcast & YouTube Live)