How does that Hives song go? "Hate to say I told you so / I do believe I told you so"?

I don't normally flaunt predictions that come true, but after I nailed our unofficial, intra-office survey for a Colts-Saints Super Bowl, I couldn't help but look back one projection I made last year.

There's been a lot of hubbub as of late about the Calgary Flames' slide, and that has led some pundits to call out the lackluster play of Jay Bouwmeester.

Chances are you heard plenty about the defenseman last season when he was one of the most targeted free agents. Bouwmeester finished out the year with Florida, matched a career high in goals and fell just shy of doing the same in points. The Panthers, realizing he wouldn't re-sign by July 1, traded his rights to Calgary. The Flames inked him to a five-year, $33 million deal.

What has $6.68 million bought Calgary this season? Two goals and 18 points. He leads the Flames in average time on ice (a little more than 26 minutes per game). He ranks second on the Flames in giveaways (41), second in missed shots (48) and fifth in hits (46). For that kind of ice time, you'd expect more production, no?

Which brings me back to that Hives song. Before last year's trade dealine, I pointed out Bouwmeester isn't all he's cracked up to be , and his departure from Florida wouldn't bury the franchise the same way the Roberto Luongo fiasco did.

[F]or the money [Bouwmeester is] seeking, Florida may be better off parting ways. Not because they're cheap, rather he's not the end-all-be-all in Florida. Bouwmeester is having an outstanding season (offensively), but as a friend put it, "does everyone else not see him enough to know his flaws?"

Bouwmeester is not a Dion Phaneuf- or Chris Pronger-like player who can put up offense and be physical in his own end. Actually, there are a lot of times where the defenseman doesn't use his size. He can be a liability in his own end at times, which is part of the reason why he's paired with Karlis Skrastins , who is about as defensive-minded as you can get.

In Florida's 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals a couple weeks back, Bouwmeester displayed his lack of physicality clearly. He was matched up against Alexander Ovechkin. There's no question Bouwmeester could keep up with the star (so few can), but on two occasions, he failed to play the body. On one of those, Ovechkin tallied the game-winner. A check or bump by Bouwmeester would have disrupted the play.

The Panthers' record is one win and three points off of last year's effort at this same point. The balanced attack from Florida's blueline has continued to some degree, with the Panthers' top four registering at least 16 points. Bouwmeester's departure also opened the door for rookie Dmitri Kulikov, a smooth-skating, puck moving defenseman who has not only been able to hang at the NHL level, but play a significant role. About the only thing Florida is missing from Bouwmeester is the 15 goals he contributed last season. For a team missing its top two goal scorers -- David Booth and Nathan Horton -- that is without question.

On the flip side, the Flames aren't any better either. They are four wins and five points off last year's pace. Bouwmeester's presence alone isn't at fault for Calgary's struggles, yet he is not doing the things expected of him -- and his lofty salary -- that would help the Flames pull themselves out of a rut.

And, while it is absolute speculation , one can't help but wonder what kind of impact Bouwmeester has had on Calgary's defensive corps, Phaneuf specifically. Once lauded as a franchise defenseman, future Norris Trophy contender and absolute Pac-Man when it comes to ice time, Phaneuf has been knocked from the spotlight. Rumors of his unhappines refuse to die down despite endless assurance from Flames GM Darryl Sutter. Calgary may host the Stampede, but in this case, there may not be enough room for two workhorses.

Could the Panthers be better off with Bouwmeester? Possibly. Are they surviving without him? Absolutely.

I do believe I told you so.

As someone who follows the Florida Panthers, I've seen plenty of shootout losses at the Cats expense. Since the NHL implemented the tie-breaking format in 2005-06, the Panthers are 10-27.

The team's inability to turn shootouts into an extra point in the standings has factored into the team's lengthy playoff drought. Florida, which lost eight shootouts and converted on a league-low 18.8 percent of its attempts, missed out on the postseason by a single point.

Although the Panthers are 1-0 in the mano a mano competition this season, they should consider borrowing the Tampa Bay's new way of preparing for penalty shots.

The Bolts practiced their moves with a team game of strip shootout . Borrowing from the rules of strip poker, the players kept their equipment on if they scored and took of pieces with each miss. Poor Marty St. Louis lost all but his shirt and shorts before netting a goal.

At best, the Cats learn to nut-up for the shootout and come up with some crucial points. At worst, they end up showing more skin than their fellow BankAtlantic Center tenants, the Miami Caliente .

Hearing a favorite NFL player is slated to be on the cover of latest installment of Madden is enough to leave a fan in a cold sweat.

In video gaming and football circles it is known as the "Madden Curse ," and it usually results in injuries or disasterous seasons for that season's cover boy.

The curse is hit or miss when it comes EA's NHL series. Some cover athletes have suffered devastating injuries or disppointing seasons. Others have experienced career years. The most notable has to be Chris Pronger, who won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1999-2000, the year he was on NHL's cover. Strangely, as Chicago Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane recently discovered, the "curse" of NHL cover boys extend to run-ins with the law.

EA published generic action shots on its NHL series covers until 1997 when Florida Panthers goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck became the first to have the cover to himself.

Below is a breakdown of EA's NHL cover athletes and their highs and lows from that season:


NHL '97 - John Vanbiesbrouck
Season: 1996-97
A year after guiding his team to the Stanley Cup Finals,  Vanbiesbrouck backstopped the Florida Panthers to their best start in franchise history. The Cats opened the season 8-0-4 and boasted a 15-3-6 record through the first two months of the season. Down the stretch, Florida collapsed. The Panthers won just one of 10 games in late February and were defeated by the New York Rangers, 4-1, in the first round of the playoffs. Florida has not won a playoff game since.

NHL '98 - Peter Forsberg
Season: 1997-98
Forsberg had an outstanding season, earning first-team all-star honors and finishing second only to Jaromir Jagr in the scoring race. His 91 points were the fourth highest total of his career. The following season, Forsberg suffered a shoulder injury which limited him to just 49 games.

NHL '99 - Eric Lindros
Season: 1998-99
Like Forsberg, Lindros had an exceptional season the year he graced the NHL cover. The Flyers captain registered his fourth 40-goal season and finished with at least 90 points for the third time in his career. Things turned in March, however, when Lindros suffered the first of many concussions which would ultimately end his career. He missed the Flyers' last 18 games and his relationship with then-GM Bobby Clarke began to deteriorate. The following season he suffered a potentially fatal rib injury and openly criticized team doctors. The Flyers stripped Lindros of his 'C.'

NHL '00 - Chris Pronger, Markus Naslund
Season: 1999-2000
For the first time, EA released North American and European versions of the game. The cover athlete for the North American edition, Pronger had a career year with 14 goals, 62 points and a plus-52 rating. He won the Hart and Norris Trophies. Naslund's production dipped from the previous seasons. Both players saw their luck go in opposite directions the following season. Pronger missed 31 games due to injury, while Naslund experienced a breakout year with his first 40-goal season.

NHL '01 - Owen Nolan, Jere Lehtinen
Season: 2000-01
Regarded as one of the league's more durable power fowards, Nolan missed 25 games the year EA selected him for the cover of NHL's North American edition. Nolan dealt with nagging abdominal injuries at the start of the season. In February, he received an 11-game suspension for elbowing Dallas' Grant Marshall in the neck. Lehtinen, meanwhile, rebounded from a disappointing 1999-2000 campaign in which an ankle injury limited him to just 17 games. He recorded his third 20-goal effort in five seasons.

NHL '02 - Mario Lemieux
Season: 2001-02
Lemieux, who came out of retirement the previous season, appeared in just 24 games with the Penguins because of a nagging hip injury. He underwent surgery in November and returned in time for the 2002 Winter Games. Lemieux won a gold medal with Team Canada in Salt Lake City, but received criticism for putting his Olympic ambitions ahead of the Penguins, who finished last in the Atlantic Division that season.

NHL '03 - Jarome Iginla
Season: 2002-03
One season after posting a league- and career-high 52 goals, Iginla's numbers took a dive. The Flames winger suffered a finger injury during a fight early in the season and it hampered his play. Iginla finished with a respectable 35 goals and 67 points, but many considered the effort a disappointment given his breakout season the year before.

NHL '04 - Dany Heatley, Joe Sakic
Season: 2003-04
EA originally chose Joe Thornton for the cover, but decided to forego the decision after the center was accused of assaulting two police officers. EA opted for Heatley as his replacement. Shortly after the game shipped, Heatley was involved in a car crash which resulted in the death of teammate Dan Snyder. Midway through the season, EA changed its cover athlete yet again, this time selecting Joe Sakic. The Avalanche captain finished third in league scoring with 87 points and earned a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2004 World Championship.



NHL '05 - Markus Naslund, Olli Jokinen
Season: 2004-05
Despite a lockout, EA continued with the NHL series, again with North American and European versions of the game. Both players experienced strong seasons in Europe. Naslund, who appeared with MoDo (Sweden) that year, posted 17 points in 13 games. Jokinen split time among EHC Kloten (Switzerland), Sodertalje (Sweden) and HIFK (Finland) and finished with 46 points in 45 games.

NHL '06 - Vincent Lecavalier, Tuomo Ruutu
Season: 2005-06
Lecavalier experienced his best season to date, posting 35 goals. His numbers were on par with previous seasons, but Tampa Bay, the defending Stanley Cup champion, failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs. On the international front, Lecavalier made his Olympic debut at the 2006 Winter Games in Torino. He returned without a medal. Ruutu, who graced the cover of the European edition, saw his season decimated by back and ankle injuries. He appeared in just 15 games.

NHL '07 - Alex Ovechkin, Teemu Selanne, Henrik Lundqvist
Season: 2006-07
All three players had outstanding seasons. Ovechkin, the North American cover athlete, and Teemu Selanne, the player on NHL's Finnish edition, each recorded at least 40 goals and 90 points. Lundqvist, the cover athlete for the Swedish edition, appeared in 70 games and won 37. Selanne won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Anaheim Ducks this season. It is worth noting this is, so far, the only season in which Ovechkin has failed to score at least 50 goals.

NHL '08 - Eric Staal, Jaromir Jagr, Henrik Zetterberg, Teemu Selanne, Mark Streit
Season: 2007-08
Staal rebounded from a disppointing 2006-07 campaign, but found himself in the headlines prior to the season when he and 12 others were arrested during a rowdy bachelor party. Jaromir Jagr saw his relationship with the New York Rangers deteriorate over contract issues. Despite a respectable 71-point season, the Rangers declined to pick up his option for the following season. On the flip side, Selanne (Finland), Zetterberg (Sweden) and Streit (Switzerland) each had good years. Selanne re-signed with the Ducks in mid-season and finished with 23 goals in 26 games. Zetterberg won his first Stanley Cup with the Red Wings. Streit experienced a breakout season in Montreal and too advantage of his success by signing a five-year, $20.5 million contract with the New York Islanders as a free agent.

NHL '09 - Dion Phaneuf
Season: 2008-09
One year after posting a career-high 60 points and finishing as the runner-up for the Norris Trophy, Phaneuf posted a career-low 47 points. Phaneuf, who never posted a minus rating in his first three seasons, finished minus-11.

NHL '10 - Patrick Kane, Mikko Koivu, Mikkel Boedker, Mark Streit, Nicklas Backstrom
Season: 2009-10
Kane, EA's North American cover athlete, is the first of this group to make headlines. He was arrested in Buffalo on August 9 for allegedly punching a cab driver over 20 cents change. The Blackhawks winger faces felony robbery charges and two misdemeanor counts. EA has slated Koivu to be on the Finnish version of the game, Boedker on the Danish version, Streit on the Swiss version and Backstrom on the Swedish version.

Randy Sexton can add another bulletpoint to his resume as he auditions for the Florida Panthers GM vacancy.

• Signed defenseman Jordan Leopold; salvaged Jay Bouwmeester deal from becoming a disaster.

Not shabby, especially since the thought of signing Leopold seemed distant a mere 24 hours ago.

"I did think [our chances] were remote yesterday," Sexton said.

The Panthers inked the former Olympian to a one-year deal Tuesday. TSN reports the contract is worth $1.75 million.

Florida presented Leopold with several offers of varying of terms and money. None suited the defenseman. When Sexton noticed Leopold had not signed elsewhere by this afternoon, he reached out again with a one-year offer. Negotiations moved quickly from there.

The last time the Panthers witnessed such a dramatic turnaround, defenseman Keith Ballard flipped Evgeni Malkin onto his head.

"That's the interesting thing about free agency, and the dynamics of the market we're in now," Sexton said. "Jordan turned down more money and longer terms with other teams to play here.

"I am not glad to get it done, I am pumped to get it done. We are ecstatic to have Jordan here in Florida."

For Leopold, part of the delay involved experiencing the free agency process for the first time and consulting his family on the best move.

"I've never been through FA, and this year has been different than past year," he said. "Randy called back. There were other teams interested, but I had prior conversations with Randy before, and things were always positive with Florida."

It probably didn't hurt to have Ballard, a fellow University of Minnesota alum, talking up the advantages of playing hockey in South Florida. Leopold said the two talked Monday night and the conversation was "positive."

"I never officially ruled it out," Leopold said. "I just wanted to test the market and see what was out there. Florida was always in the back of my mind."

It appears Leopold was always in the back of Sexton's, too.

This just in... the Panthers have signed Jordan Leopold to a one-year contract.

Pretty surprising news given interim GM Randy Sexton did not seem convinced a deal would get done this time yesterday.

More to come...

Got off the phone with Panthers (interim) GM Randy Sexton a while ago and he shared some insight about Florida's busy start to the free agency period...


- It appears Jordan Leopold, who was acquired in the deal which sent Jay Bouwmeester to Calgary, will be testing the free agent market.  Sexton said Leopold may sign with Florida, but after a long pause, called that chance "remote."

"We tried to do a few different things," Sexton said about contract negotiations with Leopold. "For whatever reason, it couldn't quite come together."


- Although there are still a few scorers available on the market, don't expect to see the Panthers to upgrade its top two lines. Sexton said Florida is comfortable with its top six and bluntly stated it is not likely the team will spend on offense.


- A good part of today's agenda involved re-signing players. In trying to keep David Booth and Radek Dvorak -- two players cited as models for the Panthers' makeup -- he found success. With backup netminder Craig Anderson, not so much.

On Booth: "We're just delighted. David embodies everything that's an ideal Panther. Speed, skill ... great work ethic and attitude."

On Dvorak: "We're really happy to have D-vo back. He helped us create the identity last year as an up-tempo team. ... He wanted to come back, and we wanted him back."


- When the Panthers lost out on Anderson, they turned their focus to finding a backup for Tomas Vokoun. Sexton indicated the Cats focused on two netminders, but found themselves leaning toward Clemmensen because of the assets he could bring to the team. Clemmensen's contract demands were in line with Florida's plan, so they went ahead with a deal.

Florida has $14.2 million committed to its goaltenders over the next two seasons, with most of that going to Vokoun. The Panthers seem comfortable, though, with the idea Clemmensen overtaking the Czech netminder for the No. 1 job.

"We would envision an open competition," Sexton said. "I don't think Tomas is a shrinking violet, and Scott is an extremely competitive guy. We expect a competitive situation for that starting position."


- No word on the Panthers' GM search, but Sexton says he's thankful for getting a hands-on opportunity to make his case for the job.

"[Panthers President Bill Torrey] and I talk every day and Bill is clear there are other good candidates," Sexton said. "I'm fortunate I got the chance to audition for the job."

Go ahead, heap criticism on the Florida Panthers. They deserve it. The Cats, seeking their first playoff berth since 2000, have lost seven of their last eight games. They've blown a two-goal lead in four of those.

The list of excuses Florida can lean on has diminished to one glaring, bold-faced bullet point: the inability to close out games. The Panthers cannot blame the loss of Nathan Horton or Bryan McCabe to injury; both players are back. They cannot suggest waiting for the trade deadline have caused frayed nerves; March 4 has come and gone, with the team left intact. Their only flaw is mental.

Ask around in the Panthers locker room as to what's the cause behind the slide. Nobody has an answer. Some will speak out about unacceptable efforts as McCabe did after the team's 3-0 loss to Washington. Others, such as Tomas Vokoun, question what has caused the season to go so wrong, so quickly. Coach Pete DeBoer focuses on the positives of his team working hard and playing disciplined hockey, even though the result on the scoresheet suggests otherwise.

Yet nobody seems to realize the solution to Florida's problem has always been in their presence: Craig Anderson. He's seen the collapse up close and personal from his rinkside seat on the Panthers bench. He's got a clear view of every teammate's body language off the ice as he sits at the head of the locker room. He's seen it all before and for whatever reason, over the past two seasons, Anderson has been clutch when the Panthers are in their most dire straits:

- March 2008: With the playoffs seemingly out of reach, Anderson kickstarts a franchise-best seven-game winning streak with three straight wins. He begins with a 1-0 victory over the New York Islanders and follows that with a 1-0 overtime victory over the Boston Bruins. In the process, he sets NHL records for most saves in a shutout (53 vs. New York) and most saves in consecutive shutouts (93).

- November 2008: Anderson posts a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 9, snapping the team's six-game losing streak. Three nights later, he posts a 4-0 win over Tampa Bay. By the end of the month, Anderson takes over as Florida's No. 1, starting in six straight games. In that stretch, he records five wins and two shutouts.

- January 2009: In the midst of a four-game losing streak, Anderson rights the ship with a 6-1 win over Pittsburgh. The Panthers begin a streak in which they earn a point in eight straight games.

- March 2009: One night after suffering a 7-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, Anderson backstops the Panthers to a 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals.

Anderson has not seen any action since his victory over Washington. Since then, Florida has gone 3-5-3.

There's no explanation as to why Florida plays well in front of Anderson, who is 24-12-6 in his two full seasons with the Panthers. Now is not the time for DeBoer and the Cats to question why that is.

Florida has eight games left to salvage one of the best seasons they've had in years. There's no shame in leaning on numbers or intangibles to do so. The Panthers just need to get back in the win column.

Anderson has shown he can do that.

The trade deadline is a little less than 24 hours away and I can't help but feel I'm at ground zero, geographically, of what could be the biggest news in the NHL on Wednesday.

For all the rumors that have been thrown out about Jay Bouwmeester's future, those invloved with the situation have remained quiet. GM Jacques Martin isn't talking. Neither is Bouwmeester or his agent, Byron Baltimore. And we all know what happens when there is silence from the inner circle; it just makes those on the outside squawk louder.

The silence has struck me, but for a different reason: it is the antithesis of what Panthers fans experienced a couple summers ago when Florida worked on contract negotiations with Roberto Luongo.

Anyone who followed the team then (there weren't many of us) remember the fiasco played out in the papers. It didn't matter what the Panthers offered Luongo. He didn't want it. Florida owner Alan Cohen publicly stated he would give the goaltender anything he wanted contract-wise. Luongo could have demanded a 10-year, $100 million contract and he would have received it.

But the all-star responded with demands, some which constituted tampering, that could never be honored by Florida. Luongo insisted then-GM Mike Keenan publicly announce Luongo would never be traded; he asked backup Jamie McLennan be re-signed; and finally, he told the Panthers he wanted them to hire Anaheim's goaltending coach Francois Allaire, who was still under contract with the Ducks at the time.

Much credit goes to Martin for keeping the Bouwmeester situation under wraps. It's a classy move to not drag the situation into the open, and for all we know, it could be what gives the Panthers a chance at trying to convince the defenseman to stay.

But if the chatter is true, that Bouwmeester doesn't want to stay in Florida, why pretend?  If he didn't have at least some inner conflict about remaining in Florida, why didn't he seek an offer sheet last summer? Why didn't he demand a trade?

The Panthers are far from the no-win situation many pundits are putting them in. If Florida doesn't trade him before Wednesday, they've still got an all-star defenseman on their blueline. And assuming they make the playoffs or have a surprising run, who is to say it doesn't convince Bouwmeester to stay? Time is one thing that does not hurt Florida.

If they lose him for nothing? The Panthers still save a massive chunk of change for free agents. And for the money he's seeking, Florida may be better off parting ways. Not because they're cheap, rather he's not the end-all-be-all in Florida. Bouwmeester is having an outstanding season (offensively), but as a friend put it, "does everyone else not see him enough to know his flaws?"

Bouwmeester is not a Dion Phaneuf- or Chris Pronger-like player who can put up offense and be physical in his own end. Actually, there are a lot of times where the defenseman doesn't use his size. He can be a liability in his own end at times, which is part of the reason why he's paired with Karlis Skrastins, who is about as defensive-minded as you can get.

In Florida's 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals a couple weeks back, Bouwmeester displayed his lack of physicality clearly. He was matched up against Alexander Ovechkin. There's no question Bouwmeester could keep up with the star (so few can), but on two occasions, he failed to play the body. On one of those, Ovechkin tallied the game-winner. A check or bump by Bouwmeester would have disrupted the play.

If they trade him? Someone is bound to over pay for his services. Florida could fill its need for offense and possibly pick up some talented youngsters for the future. Martin may not have done well behind the Panthers bench, but he's done a solid job in the front office.

Remember, he traded oft-injured underachiever Mike Van Ryan for Bryan McCabe and a draft pick. He swapped a Olli Jokinen for two defenseman -- Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton -- who have put up as many points as the former 40-goal scorer this season. He's put together a goaltending tandem that has combined for eight shutouts and ranks among the top 10 in the league. He hired a coach, Pete DeBoer, who is frequently mentioned as a Jack Adams Award candidate.

Given the way the Panthers have adopted a scoring-by-committee strategy -- 12 players have at least 20 points -- I'm convinced players can step up and fill the void.  The Panthers, who were supposed to flounder without Jokinen, have already shown they're capable of the shared responsibility.

I can't say what will unfold over the next day, but one thing is certain: I don't envy Martin's situation.