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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Is This The Year....For Nathan Horton?

Oh Nathan Horton, where have you gone? Rather, where has your production gone?

The 2006-2007 season saw Nathan Horton become a thirty goal scorer, and the player everyone pegged him to be when the Cats drafted him in 2003. Sadly, something happened. No one knows what, or why, but Nathans goal production slipped the next two years, leading to his lowest goal total since his rookie season. Horton only put up twenty two goals in the 2008-2009 campaign, a year the Panthers needed offense more then ever after trading away Olli Jokinen.

Horton did suffer an injury that caused him to miss fifteen games, but still, twenty two goals in sixty seven games is a little weak for one of our highest rated players. Nathan was also put back at center most of the season, a position he played when drafted by the Panthers. I don't see how that is a valid excuse for not putting the puck in the net, especially when he played the center position all the way up until NHL draft day.

There really is no excuse for the way Nathan Horton has played the last two seasons. He looks lazy and bored on the ice and does not seem to have that same fire he did three seasons ago. There are some games where that fire makes an appearance, and you can tell, because he goes back to his old style of play. The real question is, how does DeBoer get Horton to use that fire every night? Maybe the reunited line of Booth-Weiss-Horton can provide Nathan with that spark.

Panthers fans want this Nathan back.

The Panthers are going to be counting on Nathan Horton this year, maybe even more then ever before. If the Panthers were to miss the playoffs again one has to imagine that there would be a fire sale that would see some players shipped out for youth and prospects. I also believe Nathan Horton is sitting on top of that pile of players that could be had if the team slips off the grid again.

Let us not think like that though, let us think that we have a team that can finally get over the hump, because I think we do. The only problem is we need solid production from everyone on the team, especially Nathan Horton.

Tomorrow's article will feature starting goalie Tomas Vokoun. If you all have any questions or comments you can contact me at FloridaFlyer86@hotmail.com or you can post them on our facebook page and I will be sure to respond.

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