"With our roster, I would say it's a disappointment," said the veteran GM. "We've got a young core, but some of these guys have 2-3 seasons, plus we have vets like Leblanc and Svechnikov now in a leadership role. It's not where we want to be, and we might have to make adjustments."

Could those adjustments come in the form of a trade? We asked the GM and he had this to say. "The trade deadline will be here before we know it, and if we're in 11th place, you might see some names on the trade block. We've had light discussion with some GMs now, but expect that to pick up as the season goes on."

If the Panthers are not in contention for the FNHL playoffs, expect to see some high profile names available. Highly touted center, Louis Leblanc will be the most sought after. He has continually lead the Panthers team, and at 36, still has some playoff magic left in the tank. Veteran defensemen Erik Gudbrandson and David Rundblad will also be on the block come the trade deadline if things do come together quickly. Both defensemen have one year on their contract and are in their mid 30s. 

Time will tell if the Panthers are sellers, or possibly buyers, at the deadline. We'll recap and get the GM's thoughts closer to the deadline. Go Cats!