"While the Panthers underwent a radical makeover this offseason to address their immediate shortcomings, their future will be on display over the next five days during a three-team rookie tournament at Saveology.com Iceplex.

Twenty-seven of the Panthers' top rookies and prospects will take physicals Friday, then compete against their young counterparts on the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning for spots on next week's 60-player training camp roster.

"If a young kid earns a spot, he earns a spot, where in the past these kids were given a spot because we weren't so deep,'' said Panthers assistant GM Mike Santos. "But we all know when you look around the league it's very difficult for 18- and 19-year-olds to earn spots on NHL rosters, at least those with depth, and with the players we added this summer we certainly have depth.''

While Santos and GM Dale Tallon have repeatedly said they will not rush teenagers into the NHL, that won't stop 19-year-old defensemen Erik Gudbranson and Alexander Petrovic, as well as Colby Robak, 21, from knocking down Predators and Lightning forwards in an effort to elbow their way into the top seven blueliners."