Last season, the Florida Panthers surprised everyone when they upset the record-setting Boston Bruins in the first round and advanced to the Cup Final. It was such a surprise because the Panthers only qualified for the playoffs because of a Pittsburgh Penguins loss late in the year to the Chicago Blackhawks.
This season, they trailed in the division race almost all year until the final day of the regular season, when they took over first place from the Boston Bruins. With much of last year’s team returning, they are a team on a mission to finish what they fell short on last year. Will they be able to navigate a tough Eastern Conference again to get to the final round?
Can The Florida Panthers Win The Stanley Cup
The Florida Panthers’ identity completely changed when they sent Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar to the Calgary Flames in return for Matthew Tkachuk before last season. This season, Tkachuk is second on the team in points only behind Sam Reinhart, who scored 55 goals this season. Aside from Tkachuk and Reinhart, Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe join the 70-plus-point club for the team this season for the Panthers.
This team has the offensive potency to get through the playoffs and solid enough goaltending, anchored by Sergei Bobrovsky. Even though he has had an overall tumultuous tenure between the pipes since signing his massive 7-year contract for $ 70 million with the Panthers, over the past two post-seasons, Bobrovsky has found his game and played some of the best playoff hockey of his career.
Who Can Win The Conn Smythe
Based on last season’s playoff performances, Matthew Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky would be front runners for the Florida Panthers should they make it to the finals again this season. After a 57-goal and 94-point campaign, Sam Reinhart will look to keep his level of play elevated throughout the postseason and could give them a run for the extra trophy. Acquired at the trade deadline, forward Vladimir Tarasenko will provide a scoring touch further down the lineup and could get enough favorable matchups that he could put his name in contention as well.
Florida Panthers Path To Stanley Cup
When the Boston Bruins lost to the Ottawa Senators on the final day of the regular season, the Florida Panthers became Atlantic Division champions. This victory set the Panthers up for a matchup with their inner-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. In what will be one of the more physical series in the first round, the Panthers are deep enough to compete with anyone.
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Follow Chris on X (Twitter) @cnosek6342, where he also covers the NHL and Boston Bruins. His podcasts, “Puck Off” and “What’s Bruin,” can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or anywhere else you listen to your favorite podcast shows.
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