A quick glance at many of the young Panthers defensemen taking part in this week's development camp at the team's training facility, and one would think that General Manager Dale Tallon is building an NBA team instead of an NHL squad.

Of the 10 defensemen in camp, eight are 6-foot-2 or taller, including recent overall No. 1 draft pick, Aaron Ekblad and Michael Matheson, the Panthers top pick in the 2012 draft. Both are 6-3 and built like NFL linebackers.

Josh Brown, a sixth-round pick last year, is a man-mountain at 6-6, as is his broad-shouldered, 6-3 draftmate Michael Dowling. Matheson's Boston College teammate, Ian McCoshen, a second-round pick last year, is a beefy 6-3, 205-pounder.

"It's the NHL; you need to be big, you need to be strong, fast,'' said Matheson, 20, the captain of the B.C. Eagles in his upcoming junior season. "It's exciting for the organization.''

Already a staple on the Panthers blue line are 6-4 defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who Tallon tabbed with his third overall pick in 2010. Also, 6-4 defensemen Alexander Petrovic, a second-rounder that year, and Colby Robak, 24, hope to vie for top-six berths this season.

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