Time For New Memories: Bill Lindsay Previews The Florida Panthers

By: Andrew Benson
RP Show Intern

Bill Lindsay played in 777 regular season games in his time in the NHL scoring 83 goals, and 141 assists. If you look up the right wing online, it will say he is an American hockey player, being born in Bigfork Montana.

However, there are some questions on the true nationality of the current Florida Panthers Analyst.

“I grew up as a Canadian,” Lindsay said from a Panthers charity golf tournament on Monday’s The Rod Pedersen Show. “I was born in Fernie, British Columbia. That’s where I spent most of my time, that’s where I learned to play hockey and as far as hockey goes, I’m Canadian through and through.”

Lindsay said when he went through early hockey days, team USA asked him to play for them because of his dual citizenship. This is where Lindsay told them he was from Bigfork Montana. Now in 2021, Lindsay has been around the American hockey community for a long time.

“I did have the chance to play for the USA in a couple of world championships, world juniors type of stuff but I still consider myself Canadian.”

We had the chance during Monday’s show to ask the ‘”Canadian” his thoughts on the Florida Panthers heading into the upcoming season, and the impact last season’s playoff series versus the Tampa Bay Lightning will have on the season.

“They had a really good team in the playoff series against Tampa Bay last year,” Lindsay told Rod, who ironically is hosting the show from South Florida this month. “Something they can build off and something they can learn from. It was an incredible season. It took 27 years for the Panthers and the Lightning to finally meet in the playoffs and the battle of the sunshine state really took on another level. That’s good for hockey down here in Florida.”

Moving into this season, Lindsay said the goalie situation in Florida will be the number one issue to get sorted out if they hope to make a playoff push, after using three goaltenders in one series against the Lightning.

“They have to find someone who can stop the puck and they need that consistency in net,” said Lindsay. “As far as their forwards are concerned and their defensemen, they are deep. All the pieces are in place. The only question mark is who is going to be the goaltender. If they get that answered, this is one of the deepest clubs in the NHL.”

On the ice performance was not the only thing the Panthers addressed in the offseason. out. Lindsay recalls going to the Stanley Cup in 1996 when he was a member of the Panthers, and the difference off the ice chemistry has on a team.

“We had a really cohesive locker room,” said Lindsay. “We were more committed for the guy beside us than we were for ourselves. We didn’t want to let whoever was beside us down. So that’s what they have got going now in the dressing room and once you have that, you have a chance to really compete for a Stanley cup.”

For many people in Florida, this is the time for a playoff push, after many years of looking back on the 1996 season. Rod Pedersen has only been in Florida three days and he has run into many people still talking about the last time the Panthers were fighting for the Stanley Cup.

“96 has to be a memory,” said Lindsay. “This team has to start creating a new legacy, new success. They are starting to move in the right direction, but this team has to have some playoff success, create some new memories and really generate that vibe down here in south Florida.”

Regardless of the ending to last season, it is a brand-new day for the Florida Panthers. And they have a great opportunity to create some new memories, make a playoff push, and hopefully bring the Stanley Cup home to Florida.