Jay Bouwmeester, D
1 year, financial terms undisclosed
2007-08 Season (With Florida)
GP G A Pts PIM
82 15 22 37 72
The Panthers and Bouwmeester have come to terms on a one year deal, avoiding an arbitration hearing that was set for tomorrow. It’s not the long term deal the Panthers were hoping for, but they still have all of this coming season to negotiate with Bouwmeester before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. Bouwmeester is one of the best skating defenceman you will ever see and with his size is capable of being a shutdown blueliner. He isn’t extremely physical, but he’s a very sound positional defenceman who rarely makes mistakes. He isn’t quite a Norris Trophy level defenceman yet, but he seems to be just on the cusp of taking the next step. If he doesn’t sign a long term deal with the Panthers this season, he could be in for a huge raise next summer.
