The Florida Panthers' season ended in heartbreak when the Cats fell painfully short of making the playoffs for the first time since 2008. It was particularly tough to watch, because this team is filled with young, likable, budding stars. But that's actually good news when you think about it. The Panthers, largely considered the bottom of the South Florida sports barrel, are so very close to being the talk of the town thanks to young, talented players on the brink of being hockey badasses. And one of those young studs is center Nick Bjugstad. The 19th overall pick of the 2010 draft had himself a whale of a season, leading the Panthers in goals with 24 and points with 43. At 22, Bjugstad is the prototype for future NHL stars. He's huge, standing at six-foot-six. He's quick. And he has amazing goal-scoring instincts. But Bjugstad also has some old-school in him. For most of the season, the dude played with an injured back. He's big, he's fast, and he plays with pain — that's everything you want in your starting center. And that is what the future of the Florida Panthers looks like.
Readers' Choice: Roberto Luongo