The Florida Panthers have a tough week ahead of them this Thanksgiving week with 3 games against tough competition. If the tough games staring them in the face weren’t enough, roster shuffles continue due to injury and peculiar circumstances.

Jassen Cullimore, who missed Friday’s loss at Boston due to a right knee injury, practiced on Sunday and is expected to be in the lineup tonight when the Panthers face off with the Carolina Hurricanes. Cory Stillman on the other hand won’t be so lucky. Stillman has played once since sustaining a concussion on November 2nd at Atlanta and is not expected to return anytime this week. Cullimore’s return offsets the loss on defense of Nick Boynton is likely to be out tonight against Carolina with a concussion. It is believed he sustained the concussion during a fight Friday night against Boston.

Now for the news of the weird, on Sunday the Panthers put Wade Belak on waivers in a strange move that unsettled many players in the lockerroom. Many players reacted with disgust when they learned of Belak’s fate, while head coach Peter DeBoer had the following to say regarding the move, “”Listen, we’re not sitting where we’re at because of Wade Belak or what Wade Belak hasn’t done. But we’re not happy where we’re at, and there are consequences here. Everyone here should be on notice. . . . Status quo isn’t good enough.”

Thats right coach, there are consequences and everyone should be on notice, including YOU. DeBoer hit it on the head when he said status quo isn’t good enough, I wonder if he realized he was lighting a fire under his own ass when he said that as he certainly has not improved the Panthers’ fortunes this season.

Belak, by the way, cleared waivers on Monday after having not been claimed by any of the other 29 NHL teams. He is now free to return to the Panthers and has expressed his joy at the opportunity to return to Florida and play out the remainder of his contract for the Panthers.