The Florida Panthers have only six home games remaining on their 2025-26 schedule. They’ll play the first of those six – which all come bunched up in three separate two-game homestands – on Tuesday night when the Seattle Kraken come to town. It’s been a disappointing season for both the Panthers and the Kraken. We’re all well aware of why Florida has had a down year, and that’s due to the seemingly never ending list of injuries suffered by Panthers players over the past six months. Entering play Tuesday, the Panthers basically need binoculars when looking at the playoff race. Florida trails the New York Islanders, who hold the second Wild Card spot, by 14 points, with two games in hand. The focus when looking at the standings has shifted to Florida’s spot in the NHL’s lottery order. That’s because the Panthers’ 2026 first-round pick is lottery protected. So while yes, Florida did trade that same draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the deal that brought Seth Jones to the Panthers, it turns out that the selection is top-10 protected. That means when the dust settles on the season and the NHL Draft Lottery, which usually comes the same night the Stanley Cup Playoffs begins, if the Panthers’ pick as among the top 10, they will keep it and instead send their 2027 first-round pick to Chicago. Currently, the Panthers are among the 10 worst teams in the league, tied with Seattle and the Toronto Maple Leafs with 71 points apiece for the eighth-worst point totals. Toronto has played two more games than Florida and Seattle, for what its worth. When the Panthers and Kraken locked horns last week in Seattle, it was Florida who stumbled, losing 6-2 and picking up a crucial two-point edge on the Kraken in the lottery race. Florida will also enter this game without a whole bunch of key players. Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis, Mackie Samoskevich and A.J. Greer, who is suspended for three games [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-aj-greer-suspended-3-games-for-hit-on-connor-zary-during-panthers-loss-in-calgary], will all be out on Tuesday. Lundell could be back sometime this week, and Samoskevich possibly next week [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-mackie-samoskevich-to-be-out-at-least-a-week-anton-lundell-not-skating-listed-as-day-to-day#google_vignette], but everyone else (minus the suspended Greer) is likely done for the season. Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s matchup with Seattle: Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Evan Rodrigues Jesper Boqvist – Tomas Nosek – Cole Reinhardt Nolan Foote – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad Dmitry Kulikov – Seth Jones Donovan Sebrango – Mike Benning LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart To Remain Out Of Panthers Lineup As Injuries Pile Up [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/brad-marchand-sam-reinhart-to-remain-out-of-panthers-lineup-as-injuries-pile-up] Panthers' Mackie Samoskevich To Be Out At Least A Week; Anton Lundell Not Skating, Listed As Day-To-Day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-mackie-samoskevich-to-be-out-at-least-a-week-anton-lundell-not-skating-listed-as-day-to-day] Panthers' Defensemen Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis To Miss Rest Of Regular Season With Injuries [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-defensemen-niko-mikkola-uvis-balinskis-to-miss-rest-of-season-with-injuries] AJ Greer Suspended 3 Games For Hit On Connor Zary During Panthers Loss In Calgary [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-aj-greer-suspended-3-games-for-hit-on-connor-zary-during-panthers-loss-in-calgary] Panthers' A.J. Greer Will Have A Hearing For His Hit On Flames' Connor Zary [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/panthers-a-j-greer-will-have-a-hearing-for-his-hit-on-flames-connor-zary] Photo caption: Mar 15, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) plays the puck against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images)
