The Florida Panthers have entered November sitting atop the Atlantic Division with a document of 9-3-1 and 19 factors. They path the Winnipeg Jets for tops within the league by 5 factors, and they’re driving a five-game successful streak and eight wins of their final ten video games.
This begs the query: are the 2024-25 Panthers higher than the crew that gained the Stanley Cup 5 months in the past? Given the adversity they’ve confronted to start out the season, it’s attainable.
Sam Reinhart Continues to Be Deadly
Final season, ahead Sam Reinhart completed second within the NHL with 57 objectives, first in power-play objectives with 27, and tied for second in short-handed objectives with 5. Moreover, he was second on the crew in postseason objectives with ten, together with the game-winning purpose in Sport 7 of the Stanley Cup Remaining. Because of his unbelievable efforts, he was signed to an eight-year, $69 million extension price $8.625 million per season.
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This season, Reinhart is tied for the league lead in objectives with ten, tied for fourth in factors with 21, and leads the league in short-handed objectives with three. He’s presently on a five-game level streak with 4 objectives and 4 assists in that span. He’s proven no indicators of a championship hangover.
Spencer Knight Would possibly Be Bouncing Again
Backup goaltender Spencer Knight was with the Panthers throughout the common season in 2023-24 however did spend time within the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Charlotte Checkers. This got here after he entered the NHL Gamers Help program in Feb. 2023 to assist handle his obsessive-compulsive dysfunction (OCD). He was named the Panthers’ backup this season, however administration additionally signed Chris Driedger to a one-year deal throughout the offseason in case Knight’s growth stagnates.
He did battle in his first sport towards the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 12, permitting 4 objectives with a .846 save share (SV%). However since then, he’s been higher. He’s gained his final three begins and now sits at a goals-against common of two.79 and an SV% of .902. It could be an excellent comeback story if he can return to the shape that bought him drafted within the first spherical again in 2019.
Panthers Discovered Methods to Win Regardless of Lacking Their Starters
Final month, the crew had some key losses. Middle Tomas Nosek suffered a concussion throughout a preseason sport and didn’t play his first sport till Nov. 1 towards the Dallas Stars. On Oct. 10, of their second sport of the season towards the Ottawa Senators, captain Aleksander Barkov left with a lower-body harm. He didn’t return to motion till Oct. 28 towards the Sabres. Lastly, ahead Matthew Tkachuk missed 4 video games as a result of an sickness.
However to the Panthers, it barely mattered. Regardless of filling the infirmary, the crew completed October with a document of 7-3-1, together with a three-game successful streak that carried into November. They’re discovering methods to win with their depth, think about what the roster can do when totally wholesome.
Panthers May Be Headed for One other Deep Run
The Panthers’ core, head coach, and entrance workplace from the previous two seasons are nonetheless with the group. The system that head coach Paul Maurice has put in place in South Florida is a big purpose why they’ve been profitable.
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The crew’s proficient roster executes Maurice’s technique effectively on any given night time. If the crew can discover methods to win with new depth items, starters lacking, and a younger goalie discovering his sport once more, a deep playoff run ought to be within the playing cards for the Panthers. If that’s the case, might turn out to be the primary crew to win back-to-back championships because the Tampa Bay Lightning did in 2020 and 2021.
