Panthers face Seattle and lineup challenges on their western swing. Key players sidelined as the team navigates injuries and a tight playoff/draft race.
Don’t look now, but the Florida Panthers are back on the road again.
On Saturday, the Panthers departed South Florida for a four-game roadie that takes them across the continent for their final trip outside of the Eastern Time Zone.
The fun begins on Sunday night when Florida will play just their fifth game ever in the city of Seattle, and the first of two meetings this season between the Cats and the Kraken.
Florida has won two of their four previous visits to Seattle, including last season when they came away with a 2-1 victory at Climate Pledge Arena.
While the Panthers will begin their trip having won each of their past three games, things won’t be getting any easier for Paul Maurice and Co.
As he explained on Saturday before they left, Florida will be without leading scorer Sam Reinhart for the entirety of the trip as he battles what Maurice called a “mid-body malaise.”
“We’ll assess where he is when we get back,” Maurice said of Reinhart. “I’m not concerned or optimistic. It’s right in the middle. I don’t know how long this one is going to be.”
Florida’s other Sam, Sam Bennett, is considered day-to-day, and while he may not be in Sunday’s lineup, he should be on the ice at some point while the Panthers are traveling.
“We expect him to play on this trip,” Maurice said of Bennett.
The same can be said for a defenseman Seth Jones, who broke his collarbone during the Winter Classic back on Jan. 2 and has not played since, and fellow blueliner Uvis Balinskis will “hopefully be available on this trip,” Maurice said.
Entering play Sunday, Florida has 17 games remaining on their schedule. They currently sit 11 points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second Wild Card spot with two games in hand.
On the other side, the Panthers are in a tight race for a top-ten designation in the NHL Draft Lottery. Florida is tied with Seattle and the Los Angeles Kings for the tenth-worst point totals in the league, each with 69 points. There are nine teams with lower point totals, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils, who both have 68 points, and the Nashville Predators with 67.
So whichever way you’re leaning in terms how you want this Panthers season to finish, there are several things to keep track of.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Sunday’s kerfuffle with the Kraken:
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Matthew Tkachuk
Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Mackie Samoskevich
Cole Reinhardt – Tomas Nosek – A.J. Greer
Jesper Boqvist – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Mike Benning
Donovan Sebrango – Dmitry Kulikov
Extras: Sam Bennett, Uvis Balinskis, Sam Reinhart (not on trip)
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Photo caption: Dec 10, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defends the goal against the Seattle Kraken during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena. (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images)