"It was a lot of fun," McGinn said after April's locker cleanout at BB&T Center. "I enjoyed being here. I was really happy about getting the opportunity to play in Florida. I thought we were a really good team in the second half… We came up short, but 96 points is an amazing year."
After notching only nine goals and eight assists in 72 games with Arizona last season, McGinn was able to play to his strengths after joining the Panthers. At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, the 29-year-old forward was asked to provide a strong net presence and succeed in the dirty areas.
Of his 13 goals, five came off of hard-fought rebounds in the crease.
"I was just trying to be consistent," McGinn said. "It didn't matter who I played with this year, I just tried to keep my game the same, keep my feet moving and do what makes me successful. This year I wanted to be a leader in the room and help out guys in anyway I could. It was more showing by example, working hard on the ice and being physical."
A veteran of nearly 600 NHL games, McGinn's experience was also key for the Panthers down the stretch, as the grizzled veteran played major minutes during a string of must-win games in April, posting two assists while averaging 16:17 a night over the final five games of the season.
"I was happy about it," McGinn said. "I've been in those situations before. I've played a while in the league now, so those situations don't make me nervous. I like having those situations. It's fun to be out there when you're relied on to close out a game. That's fun. That's what it's all about. When you dream about playing in the NHL, you dream about those moments."
With a few improvements this offseason, McGinn says, even bigger moments are likely ahead.
"You can always get stronger," he said. "I think the biggest thing is to get faster. The league gets faster every year. If I can gain a half a step, then I did my job this summer. Just work hard, stay lean and be ready to go."
