From the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

More experienced players have already been cut from training camp. That includes three minor-leaguers who had short stints with the Panthers last season.

Rookie left winger David Booth, however, is still here. Wednesday, Booth skated on the fourth line and also saw ice time on the penalty kill. While this is the first pro camp for the 21-year-old out of Michigan State, there was a feeling after the first practice nearly two weeks ago that he'd hang around for a while.

"He definitely was our best player of rookie camp, and he looked like he didn't miss a beat," Martin said then, and added Wednesday that Booth has continued to have a strong camp.

One of 30 remaining players on the roster, Booth most likely will be assigned to Rochester of the American Hockey League before the start of the season. There's a slim chance he will stay with the Panthers if left-winger Ville Peltonen is placed on injured reserve because of an injured shoulder, though right-winger Anthony Stewart would be the likely candidate to be the 13th forward.

Regardless, "This has been some of the best couple weeks of my life," said Booth, who scored his only goal this preseason at Chicago last Thursday.

Also

Cats' rookie Booth making impression*

From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle:

Rookie defenseman Franklin MacDonald strengthened his chances of staying with the Rochester Americans by scoring once in regulation and then twice in the shootout in a 4-3 win over Syracuse Wednesday night at the ESL Sports Centre.

In regulation, David Brine scored one goal and assisted on the other by Jonathan Lehun.

Goalie David Shantz stopped 35 shots.

MacDonald, Brine, Taylor and Shantz have all been projected to start the season with the ECHL Florida Everblades. Lehun played part of last season with the Blades.

also

Amerks beat Syracuse 4-3 in sudden-death shootout

Jean-Marc Pelletier may be the odd man out in the Panthers goaltending situation. Yesterday, the Miami Herald reported:

General manager and coach Jacques Martin said defenseman Alexei Semenov and goalies Craig Anderson and Jean-Marc Pelletier cleared waivers Tuesday, with Pelletier sent to the team's minor-league affiliate in Rochester, N.Y.

Semenov and Anderson will remain with the team for the time being, although the Panthers can send them to the minors without having to clear waivers again within the next 30 days.

Anderson and Pelletier are competing for the Panthers' No. 3 job, which means starting the season in Rochester. Pelletier, who looks like the odd man out, gave up one goal in two preseason games. Florida could lend either Pelletier or Anderson to another AHL franchise.

"They did what they had to do, so it puts me and them in a strange position," Pelletier said. "There are five goalies for four spots. Something has to give. All I can do is what I do on the ice."

Naples Daily News reporter Andy Kent seems to feel that Pelletier may be coming to Southwest Florida:

Pelletier has never played at the ECHL level, and wasn’t too keen on the idea when it was mentioned as an option if he wanted to remain with the Panthers organization.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, however, it’s not in my contract so I’d have to accept (the assignment),” he said. “I’m an educated man. I’ve got two years of college done (at Cornell) and I always told myself when somebody told me that I wasn’t good enough to play I’d just move on to other things. But I think I’m still good enough to play and we’ll see where that leads me.”

Kent also thought Southwest Florida was in the Frankie Liriano lottery as well, but Liriano made his rehab start earlier this year with Rochester.

And finally:

Hurricanes Night among Blades' many promotions

I am scheduled for surgery on October 26th, and will be stuck in bed for Hurricane night. Oh well...




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