An unlikely rookie is making the strongest impression on the Panthers this preseason
It came almost out of nowhere on the first day of the Florida Panthers’ training camp in Sunrise — a digression in the middle of an answer to an innocuous question about what Joel Quenneville wanted to see in the days leading up to the start of the preseason. The coach had been so impressed by Serron Noel, though, that he eventually landed on talking about the rookie.
Quenneville watched him at the Prospect Showcase Tournament in Wesley Chapel and — even with all the high-profile rookies on the ice for the Panthers earlier this month — Noel managed stand out.
“He had one of those camps where all of a sudden he gets your attention,” Quenneville said last Thursday at FLA Live Arena. “We’ll see how he translates that.”
Through two games, Noel has more than delivered. He continues to enhance his position within the organization after leading Florida to a 4-3, shootout win against the Dallas Stars in the preseason Wednesday.
With 42.2 seconds left in regulation, Noel beat Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger with a backhand goal as he fell to his knees on a rebound to force overtime in Dallas. After a scoreless extra period and five straight misses from both teams to start the shootout, the right wing finally gave the Panthers a win at the American Airlines Center by beating Oettinger again with a wrist shot through his five-hole.
“I think I definitely have more to prove,” Noel said Wednesday, “but I think I’m pretty happy with my game.”
Noel has played in two of the Panthers’ three games so far this preseason. In both, he has been a game-changer.
On Sunday, Noel drew a penalty and got in a fight, which winger Frank Vatrano credited for his goal on the next shift. On Wednesday, he played in a lineup with barely any veteran support — wingers Mason Marchment, Owen Tippett and Ryan Lomberg, and defenseman Markus Nutivaara were the only active players who suited up in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs — and delivered the two biggest goals to spring a come-from-behind win against a veteran-laden Stars lineup.
“Serron’s had two outstanding games for me, and I thought that when I saw him play in Tampa there — in the rookie games — he was the most noticeable in those games, too, so it’s been a really good camp for him,” Quenneville said. “I like how he prepared himself, and put himself in position to improve his positioning organization- and depth-wise, but he’s a really positive story so far.”
It’s not a surprise to see Noel take this leap. He was a second-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and scored 41 points in 42 games in his final season in the Ontario Hockey League. Last year was supposed to be his first in the American Hockey League, but he only played in eight games because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
His physical gifts have always been undeniable — he’s 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds — and Quenneville said he has seen improved conditioning and speed from the forward in the last few weeks.
“We’ve got some big forwards in our league and he’s got some high-end skill that is tough to come by,” Quenneville said. “It really puts us in a different position where you consider his importance as you go along. I’m not saying that he’s going to be starting on our team, but certainly you’re thinking as an organization you’ve got a real nice player.”
