Florida enters training camp looking to start season strongly and avoid playing catch-up in standings
The way the Florida Panthers were playing hockey when their 2022-23 season ended was a glorious thing to behold.
First-year head coach Paul Maurice had spent the past nine months patiently and prudently installing his systems, and while the end result was an amazing accomplishment, it sure took a while for the team to get there.
The Panthers started the season by stumbling out of the gate and failing to catch their collective footing for several months, meandering around .500 for the first half of the season.
Florida actually hit a season-worst two games below .500 on Jan. 1 after dropping back-to-back games against the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers.
It was those two games, however, that Maurice points to as the turning point of the season. It was during those losses, Maurice says, that his players began to understand and execute not only the x's and o's of his systems, but how much effort and dedication it took on every single shift to make them work.
It's a sentiment his players have agreed with in the time since.
"I wouldn't say it was more of an adjustment last year, but I think just it was a lot of new for everybody – players, coaches, trainers – it was all pretty new, especially to me," said Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk. "I felt very comfortable last year and feel more comfortable this year, coming in and knowing what needs to be done to not have to chase at the end."
Indeed, now the Panthers are entering year two with Maurice and his style of play.
The hope among the players and staff is that the team will get off to a much cleaner start than they did a season ago, and not leave themselves with a large mountain to climb just to reach the postseason.
"Usually when you change systems, you have new coaches and new players on the team and it takes a little while, and some teams, it takes longer," said Panthers captain Sasha Barkov. "For us, it took a little longer, but I think right now everyone pretty much knows what to do and how to play."
It sure sounds like there is a quiet confidence among the Panthers heading into training camp, and for good reason.
The team has a roster full of talented 20-somethings who have a pretty good idea of just how much they can accomplish if they do what they now know is required.
Not that the team didn't have belief in itself at this time a year ago, but clearly, some things have changed.
As Panthers General Manager Bill Zito explained on Wednesday, while the confidence level may be higher following Florida's amazing run to the Stanley Cup Final, there really isn't a difference, at least from his perspective, in expectations from one year to the next.
"I felt pretty good going into last year, mindful that - and perhaps I wasn't as mindful as I should have been – how difficult change is, collectively for the group," said Zito. "And that would have been their third coach effectively in three seasons. But as far as my feelings as to what this team can accomplish, and what the expectations are, I feel very confident and feel very good about it."
And rightfully so.
Zito has handcrafted the Panthers roster during his three-plus running the ship, so if anyone should be fully aware of what this squad is capable of, it's him.
It does certainly help, though, that the majority of Florida's players will be entering the new season with a full understanding of exactly what is expected of them when they're on the ice.
Not only regarding their positioning and tactical plan of attack, but also the necessary effort level, as one does not work without the other.
"Obviously systems are important, but at the same time, we realize that no system is good if you don't work hard," said Barkov. "If you don't play hard and if you don't try to do your best every night, no system is good. That's probably the main thing we learned last year."
Now the plan is for those valuable lessons to be put to good use right off the starting block.
That's because the Panthers, particularly the team's leadership, is fully aware that they will probably not survive another slow start to the season.
"I think we were lucky that we started playing some great hockey at the right time and were able to get into the playoffs, but we don't need to put ourselves in that position to chase for the last two or three months this year," said Tkachuk. "We can just stay right in the mix all year. That'd be nice."
The Panthers will take the ice on Thursday morning for the first on-ice sessions of training camp.
Florida's full camp roster and schedule can be found by clicking here.
For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, Panthers training camp will be open to the public. While admission is free, space will be limited.
Florida's first preseason game will be on Monday when they host a doubleheader against the Nashville Predators.
Opening Night for the Panthers is on Thursday, Oct. 12 in Minnesota.
