Strachan excited to be back in NHL with Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Tyson Strachan made one thing perfectly clear after his first morning skate with the Florida Panthers. The team's recent call-up is not an offensive threat with a big slap shot like new teammate Jason Garrison.

"I saw that guy shooting out there today," Strachan said with a smile. "It's pretty impressive.

"I'm a defenseman, I am a defensive defenseman, I would say. I've got a big, physical body. I like to bring a little bit of jam to the game and play with a little bit of an edge, and on top of it I can jump up a little bit and try to shoot when I can. But don't count on me for 20 this year, that's for sure."

Strachan returned to the NHL on Monday when he was called up from San Antonio after defenseman Dmitry Kulikov underwent knee surgery.

The 27-year-old Strachan will make his Panthers debut Tuesday night when the Philadelphia Flyers come to the BankAtlantic Center. A fifth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003, Strachan bounced back and forth between Peoria and St. Louis the last three years, but he's been in the AHL throughout this season.

"It's been a lot longer down there than I was hoping, but at the same time the opportunity is here," Strachan said. "That's hockey and that's life, when the opportunities come, you've got to be ready to take care of them and hopefully this is a nice opportunity and I seize it."

Strachan became the eighth player the Panthers have called up from San Antonio this season, but the first defenseman. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Strachan had 3 goals and 7 assists in 30 games for San Antonio this season, but he has no goals in 67 NHL games.

"Tyson is a veteran guy that's played NHL games before," Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said. "What was really nice about giving Tyson the call is that it wasn't an easy decision. We have some options to use at the American League level. We've been through a large chunk of the San Antonio roster on the forward side of things, but for our defense it's the first time we've reached out to them and Tyson is a guy who, according to his coach, was the right fit for us right now."

Dineen said after the optional morning skate he hadn't decided who he would pair up Strachan with, but one possibility would be Mike Weaver. The two were teammates in St. Louis in 2008-09 and 2009-10 during Strachan's stints with the Blues.

"He's an easy guy to play with," Strachan said of Weaver. "I know just from my St. Louis days playing with him, he talks a lot. Just to get settled in is a big thing right now after not being in the League for a little bit. Playing with anybody right now ... the whole D corps is great. Whoever I'm paired up with, I'm excited for."