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It was barely 15 minutes after the Florida Panthers had seen their playoff run come to an abrupt and bitter end, and Stephen Weiss already was looking forward to preparing for next season.

For Weiss and his Panthers, the 3-2 double-overtime loss to New Jersey in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals may have marked the end of their season, but what they did to get themselves in that Game 7 in the first place signified the start of something big in Florida.

"This is not where the hockey people predicted us to be at the start of the year," said Weiss, who had endured eight seasons of playoff-less hockey before this year. "We've done some good things. We're obviously disappointed not being able to move on. It's been a fun year, it's been a fun...

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Related Topics: NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012, Florida Panthers