Fresh off a Stanley Cup final appearance, can the Florida Panthers get back to the final round, or are they still in the playoff bubble? Ryan Kennedy and Mike Stephens discuss.
The Florida Panthers had one of the craziest turnarounds in the NHL's recent history.
Barely squeezing into the Stanley Cup playoffs as the second Eastern Conference wild card, the Panthers knocked out the best regular-season team in history and upset the second and third-ranked teams in the league en route to the final.
However, none of their playoff success would have happened had they not qualified following the Pittsburgh Penguins whiffing on their final game. That begs the question: Will the Florida Panthers have an easier time making the playoffs this season, or are they still in jeopardy of missing out?
Ryan Kennedy and Mike Stephens analyzed the Panthers in The Hockey News Podcast's Atlantic Division preview episode.
Florida Panthers
2022-23 Result: 42-32-8, 92 PTS, 4th in Atlantic, 17th in NHL, Lost in Stanley Cup final to Vegas
Key Additions: Evan Rodrigues (LW), Steven Lorentz (C), Kevin Stenlund (RW), Rasmus Asplund (RW), Niko Mikkola (D), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D), Dmitry Kulikov (D), Mike Reilly (D), Anthony Stolarz (G)
Key Departures: Anthony Duclair (LW), Eric Staal (C), Colin White (C), Patric Hornqvist (RW), Radko Gudas (D), Marc Staal (D), Alex Lyon (G)
Further Reading
NHL Prospect Overview: Tony Ferrari examines the strengths and weaknesses of the Florida Panthers' prospect pool. The prospect expert also analyzes the 2023 NHL draft class, other notable players, and the skater he thinks is most likely to graduate to the top team, Mackie Samoskevich.
NHL Hot Seat Radar: Adam Proteau has Sergei Bobrovsky front and center on the hot seat for the Panthers this season after proving how good he can be in the biggest moments last playoffs. Who else is on the radar?
NHL Off-Season Outlook: Earlier this summer, Adam Proteau examined the biggest needs and positives for the Panthers heading into the off-season. Did they check off everything on the to-do list?
The Hockey News Yearbook: Check out the in-depth preview for all 32 NHL teams, as well as their projected finish in the standings and much more. Subscribe to The Hockey News magazine and get a free issue at THN.com/Free.
The Hockey News’ Florida Panthers Team Site: Check out the latest news, rumors, analysis and more all about the Bruins at THN.com/Florida.