The Florida Panthers enter the 2024-25 season as defending Stanley Cup Champions for the primary time in franchise historical past. They appear to finish this season the identical approach they completed their final by lifting Lord Stanley’s holy grail once more. The final crew to win back-to-back championships was the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
A ton of adjustments occurred to the roster because the Cup was topped. At first look, it looks as if the crew goes to take a step again this season. However it could be too quickly to leap the gun on that assumption. Regardless of a totally completely different look, the crew has not declined.
A Lot of the Panthers’ Profitable Core Is Nonetheless Right here
A ton of huge names signed their approach out of South Florida throughout the summer season. This consists of defenseman Brandon Montour, who inked a brand new deal with the Seattle Kraken. Nonetheless, many of the core that has introduced the Panthers success over the previous couple of seasons continues to be round.
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Captain Aleksander Barkov has six years left on his eight-year, $80 million deal that averages $10 million yearly. Matthew Tkachuk is on yr three of an eight-year contract for $76 million, with an annual common of $9.5 million. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky continues to be beneath contract for the following two seasons at $10 million per season. Defenseman Gustav Forsling only recently signed an extension and is beneath contract for the following eight seasons at an inexpensive $5.75 million cap hit. And this previous offseason, Florida rewarded the person who scored the Cup-winning purpose, Sam Reinhart, with an eight-year contract value $8.625 million per yr.
The Panthers have most of their high items locked up for a good period of time. It will maintain the crew in a aggressive state for the instant future.
The Newly Acquired Panthers Are Simply as Robust as These Who Left
Florida had an excellent chunk of their backside six and bottom-pairing defensemen depart in free company. However their new acquisitions for reasonable are nonetheless sturdy sufficient to maintain them aggressive.
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Ahead Tomas Nosek is with the Panthers on a one-year deal. He’s a menace on the faceoff dot with a profession faceoff win proportion of 54.4 and a 57.2 p.c win fee in postseason play. Moreover, defenseman Nate Schmidt joins his previous head coach Paul Maurice after signing a deal. All through his NHL profession, he’s been nice at piling factors and offering offense with 220 profession factors (47 objectives, 173 assists) and a ranking of plus-102. This consists of seven playoff objectives and 21 playoff assists with a plus-5 ranking.
The Boqvist brothers, Adam and Jesper, reunite in Broward County as they each signed one-year contracts. Adam, a first-round choose in 2018 by the Chicago Blackhawks, has 85 profession factors (23 objectives, 62 assists) and familiarity with basic supervisor Invoice Zito from his days with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jesper has 34 objectives and 35 assists, together with one playoff help in 14 appearances, all through his NHL profession.
The newcomers to this crew can present the identical expertise that have been misplaced in free company. And the perfect half? They didn’t price as a lot as the previous gamers. Zito as soon as once more grabbed nice expertise whereas not breaking the financial institution.
Can the Panthers Go Again-to-Again?
The purpose for the upcoming season is simpler mentioned than achieved, and that’s to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. Attending to the Stanley Cup Last is tough. Getting again is even tougher. Going 3 times in a row can be a loopy feat. Nonetheless, it has occurred just lately with the Lighting entering into 2020, 2021, and 2022. Regardless of the issue, the style of repeating continues to be within the Panthers’ mouths.
“I’ve all the time mentioned, ‘I’ve simply acquired to win one, after which, you’ll be set,’” Tkachuk mentioned. “I’ve talked about it with guys that win early of their profession, like, ‘Oh, you gained one. You’re good, you’ve acquired it for the remainder of your profession.’ I couldn’t have been so flawed with saying that. I’m nearly greedier. I would like it extra. I would like this sense once more.”
Matthew Tkachuk on desirous to repeat.
The Panthers have proven they’ll deal with the hardest of adversity and are available out victorious. This consists of accidents piling up and almost being reverse-swept by the Edmonton Oilers within the Last. The tradition has modified considerably over time in Dawn, and the crew roster goes to point out the way it interprets to successful.
