Does the NHL preseason matter? Darren Dreger talks Florida Panthers and the NHL

By: Andrew Benson
RP Show Intern

The NHL regular season is so close you can almost taste it.

But until then, fans and players are watching teams compete in the preseason. For some, the preseason is the most boring time in the season, with very little veteran playing time, and games that don’t affect a team’s record. For others though, the preseason is an amazing time to be a hockey fan, player or analyst.

On Wednesday’s The Rod Pedersen Show, TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger stopped by to talk about the preseason and why he loves this time of year.

“I love the new fits and the development stories of NHL preseason,” said Dreger. “When a young player who is finding his way in the NHL, and gets to that next level, and I like the internal battles for spots that go on, even with established teams.”

While maybe not an internal battle for the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night in Orlando, they were certainly in a war against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

After Sam Bennett ran Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy in the second period, the rest of the game saw brawls and cheap shots, and eventually the Panthers finished off the game with a 3-2 win.  

The penalty box was becoming a home for both teams, with fighting majors, slashing, holding and tripping calls all coming in the third period. 

“I understand why some people maybe don’t like the preseason as much, there’s a lot more mistakes and it can be boring at times, but then you can have games like what went down in Orlando last night with the Panthers and the Lightning,” said Dreger. “That’s the stuff that keeps me engaged and entertained in exhibition play.”

Dreger said as of right now, the NHL’s best and biggest rivalry is between the Panthers and Lightning.

“The proof is in the pudding and what we saw last night was old time hockey,” said Dreger. “The Florida Panthers are envious of the Lightning. Every team in the league that hasn’t won back-to-back Stanley Cups like the Lightning is envious.”

“That division is going to be an interesting one and stuff like pre-season shenanigans like we saw last night just make it all the more interesting”

The preseason allows analysts like Dreger to assess different teams, and look at the young talent team will be developing throughout the season.

“I look at the Florida Panthers and see a very good developing team,” said Dreger. “We saw the strides they made last year and the year before, and they are most definitely on the upswing. They have some intriguing pieces. They have good young developing elements to that team, and a healthy battle in the crease.”