The Detroit Red Wings have the unfortunate distinction of once again playing in the same divison as not only the Eastern Conference Champions, but the Stanley Cup Champions. That said, the Florida Panthers, after winning two straight Cups, are weaker these days right, with players going elsewhere for a higher pay day?
While I'll keep saying the Atlantic Divison's devoid of bad teams, the Panthers are easily the best, because, well, their entire core's coming back. Yeah, fate has a funny way of working out, even in the salary cap era, but it's what the Red Wings are up against.
Since they're a division rival bringing elite play, let's break down the Panthers and find out what makes them the NHL's hottest team once again.
Forwards
Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
Carter Verhaeghe | Aleksander Barkov | Sam Reinhart |
Evan Rodrigues | Sam Bennett | Mackie Samoskevich |
Eetu Luostarinen | Anton Lundell | Brad Marchand |
Jesper Boqvist | Tomas Nosek | Luke Kunin |
Matthew Tkachuk | A.J. Greer |
Even without Matthew Tkachuk in the main lineup, can this team get any more dangerous as far as the forwards go? When you have Brad Marchand, who can still produce, by the way, on the third line and Tkuchuk out of the lineup for the time being, it requires no explanation.
The Panthers are an outstanding hockey team with a points-producing first line and a projected second line per Daily Faceoff that's more than capable of putting up points and landing body checks.
While the projected third line only has Marchand as a high-end points producer, it doesn't mean you can underestimate Anton Lundell - who had 45 points last season - or Eetu Luostarinen, who landed 183 hits. That line's got a lethal combo of production and grit, and teams like the Red Wings must account for both every time they're on the ice.
Neither Tomas Nosek, Luke Kunin, nor Jesper Boqvist are prolific points producers, but they're a high-energy fourth line that'll lay the smackdown on any opponent. They're gonna be fun to watch except when they're playing the Wings.
So, there's just one burning question left to answer with this lineup: What kind of damage are they gonna do when Matthew Tkachuk's in there?
Defense/Goaltenders
Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|
Gustav Forsling | Aaron Ekblad |
Niko Mikkola | Seth Jones |
Dmitry Kulikov | Jeff Petry |
Uvis Balinskis | |
G: Sergei Bobrovsky | G: Baniil Tarasov |
Bringing back Aaron Ekblad was huge, and he showed last season that he's always a presence on the ice, even when he's relegated to just 56 games. Ekblad's a pure playmaker, and never count out Gustav Forsling, who's shown playmaking tendencies of his own, and he can be a nightmare for opposing forwards who try to take him on one-on-one.
Ditto for Niko Mikkola, yet another member of this Panthers team who loves delivering body check after body check. But Seth Jones impressed me more than anyone else. Jones wanted out of the bleak situation in Chicago and he wasn't shy about it.
Players like that must deliver for their new team, and Jones came through. If he builds on his play from last season, then, just like their forwards, the Panthers are once again heading into the new season as one of the NHL's deepest teams.
And you know what? Dmitry Kulikov and Jeff Petry may be older journeymen, but, much like Florida's fourth line of forwards, they're gonna hit opponents every chance they get. So, again like the forwards, it's hard to pinpoint a weak spot in the defensive rotation.
Then, there's Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov. Bobrovsky's aging, yet still one of the league's best netminders. And Tarasov, though young and inconsistent so far, should have an easier time down in Sunrise than he did in Columbus. If he shows goaltender of the future vibes here, it won't surprise me.
What's the prime takeaway? The Panthers are gonna be hot again this year, and I wouldn't be shocked if they took the Presidents' Trophy with them to the postseason.