Potentially one of the most exciting teams on tap for the 2018-19 season is the Florida Panthers. With new young talent coming to fruition in South Florida, the Panthers have bumped their fan engagement to the next level with an official team podcast: Territory Talk.
What is Territory Talk?
Territory Talk is a weekly podcast hosted by Panthers play-by-play radio correspondent Doug Plagens and Panthers web reporter Jameson Olive. The duo has been the face of the show since its inception in March 2018. Each week the podcast features a guest from within the Panthers Organization ranging from on ice players like Nick Bjugstad and Keith Yandle to front office personnel such as Shawn Thornton (yes that still does sound weird to say) and even head equipment manager Teddy Richards.
Though relatively new on the scene, Territory Talk has already become a popular go-to for Panthers fans who crave deeper insight and analysis from players and experts in and around the organization. In a market that is by no means saturated with hockey talk, it is exciting to see such a seemingly overt move from the Panthers to provide fans with more ways of interacting with the franchise.
Florida, becoming a hockey state
While the Lightning have had success in their market on the western coast of the state, the Panthers now appear to have potentially the best roster in the franchise’s near-25-year history. With young star Aleksander Barkov emerging as a scoring leader for a club already bolstered on the back-end by veteran Yandle and defensive-phenom Aaron Ekblad, there is just too much to like about this roster. This all goes without mentioning goaltender Roberto Luongo, who just recently participated in his 1,000th career game and still maintains a strong desire to win a Stanley Cup.
Going behind the scenes
All that being said, Doug and Jameson have plenty on their plate to discuss as far as on-ice play is concerned. Beyond hockey conversations, Territory Talk goes one step further to give fans an idea of what day-to-day operations are like for the club. This could be chats with Teddy Richards, the team’s head equipment manager as I previously mentioned, or with someone like Stiles Burr who handles travel arrangements as the Panthers’ Team Services Manager.
Not to diminish the actual hockey conversation, I must say that these interviews with Richards and Burr allowed me insight into a part of the hockey world that I knew very little about. Equipment managers and travel planners are similar in the way that if they do their job right then they will often remain invisible. These valuable men will fall in line as just another moving cog in the great machine that is a professional sports franchise. Allowing these two a platform where the average fan can learn more about what their role is in the organization, and how vitally important they are to the team in day to day affairs, has been a nice bit of bonus material to supplement the hockey talk.
Territory Talk: Your go-to for Panthers Coverage
Overall, Territory Talk is a podcast Florida Panthers fans should never want to live without. It seems only fitting that I, a lifelong resident of the Northeast, was able to listen into the show’s inaugural episode while basking in the Miami Beach sun while away on spring break.
This was where I was for the inaugural episode of the @FlaPanthers podcast.
I’m back listening to Ep. 2 in the cold of the Northeast now, doesn’t quite have the same feel of the Florida sun.
Great listen for Panthers fans. I highly suggest checking it out @JamesonCoop pic.twitter.com/6KgMVP91uk
— Jeremy Perrigo (@jeremyperrigo) March 16, 2018
Even if you only casually follow hockey in Florida, or you might root for another team, give this podcast a shot. The Panthers are sure to turn some heads this coming season, and getting tuned into the team now will allow you to one-up your buddies at the water cooler when the conversation shifts to the NHL.
The podcast can be found on the official website of the Florida Panthers here.
You can follow Doug Plagens on twitter @DougPlagens and you can follow Jameson Olive on twitter @JamesonCoop.
