FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Paul Maurice might inform his workforce was completely different.
The Florida Panthers’ head coach joked — at first — that gamers this season in comparison with final did not discover him so humorous. They’d misplaced a former urge for food for schtick with a facet of hockey speak. Florida had tasted greatness on a Cinderella run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Ultimate. Falling brief there was no laughing matter.
The Panthers’ tone had shifted. Maurice noticed it in coaching camp. The Panthers regrouped, anticipating to be Cup contenders. One participant particularly embodied the angle adjustment.
“That is the worth of [Aleksander] Barkov,” Maurice mentioned. “He won’t cease, and he will not give up; how does anyone else? As a result of he’s the face, the motive force and the captain, he does set a bar for work. Your fourth-line guys are going to return out and work as laborious as they will as a result of they must make the workforce. However how laborious [Barkov] drives the workforce is the expectation of all people else. He isn’t an aloof captain. He is a part of the group. So he units that tone.”
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
If the Panthers have been a home, then Barkov is the muse. He is the franchise’s longest-tenured participant after Florida drafted him second general in 2013 to be a cornerstone playmaker. Barkov is a rarity in additional methods than one. The highest-line heart is one in every of simply 4 gamers on the Panthers’ present roster that the workforce drafted themselves — and one in every of solely three who’ve by no means dressed for an additional NHL membership.
Evaluate that to Florida’s opponent within the Jap Convention finals. The New York Rangers have 9 draftees of their postseason lineup — plus Adam Fox. He wasn’t technically drafted by New York, however the Rangers acquired his signing rights from the Carolina Hurricanes (who had beforehand acquired them from the Calgary Flames) earlier than he had performed within the NHL. So the Rangers mainly have 10 gamers from the within who’ve helped make them so potent.
Florida’s roster was principally constructed after — and round — Barkov. There have been strategic trades. Deliberate signings. Calculated dangers. And loads of persistence.
These are the patchwork Panthers. Virtually every bit was uniquely sourced, and the development over time was difficult. However when Florida was lastly sewn collectively, the consequence was a superbly balanced closing product.
How the Panthers have been constructed is as compelling an off-ice story because the one Florida continues to write down on it. It started with Barkov. Then the true work acquired began.
The draftees
Florida was the NHL’s worst workforce when the lockout-shortened 2012-13 marketing campaign ended. However as a result of Colorado Avalanche profitable the draft lottery, that earned the Panthers the second general decide. Florida used it on Barkov.
The Finnish-born professional was the No.1 ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting, a 6-foot-3 heart who might simply outline a franchise. Barkov has performed precisely that in Florida.
The 28-year-old stands because the Panthers’ all-time chief in each essential class, from video games performed (737) to objectives (266), assists (445), factors (711), power-play objectives (75), game-winning objectives (48) and … nicely, you see the sample. His postseason stats have been equally sturdy, with 17 objectives and 54 factors by way of 62 video games.
Florida named Barkov its tenth captain in workforce historical past on September 17, 2018. He was their youngest participant to carry that designation. Now, six years in, Barkov has additionally held it for the longest time. Given his present contract runs by way of 2030 — and he might nicely hold taking part in from there — it is unlikely any future Panther will surpass his captaincy size.
Barkov hasn’t simply been sensible in comparison with his personal workforce. He is earned league-wide recognition as a two-time Selke Trophy winner (together with this yr) and has one Woman Byng on his resume.
Barkov has been higher than ever this postseason, gathering six objectives and 17 factors whereas shutting down the opponent’s high skaters (particularly the Rangers’). He performs on each particular groups whereas dominating at even power.
Florida did, suffice it to say, flip their ache into energy going from the NHL’s basement to choosing Barkov. It is unlikely they anticipated doing that once more so rapidly. As in, the next season.
The Panthers completed marginally higher within the 2013-14 standings, second-to-last, and this time captured a draft lottery win to open the door for choosing Aaron Ekblad first general.
(Picked second general that yr? Sam Reinhart, by the Buffalo Sabres. However we’ll get to him later.)
NHL Draft Protection on ESPN
The 2024 NHL draft will happen June 28-29 in Las Vegas. Get caught up on the whole lot you should know concerning the high prospects with draft preview content material from Rachel Doerrie:
• Newest mock draft• Draft prospect rankings• Draft order• Extra NHL protection
Ekblad was that season’s high prospect for good cause. He’d been the primary defenseman ever granted distinctive standing within the CHL, and he gained a slew of awards to place him atop any NHL workforce’s want record. The Panthers grabbed Ekblad to be the current — and future — of their blue line, and he has delivered over the course of his 676-game profession (full with 115 objectives and 347 factors).
Regardless of Ekblad’s damage troubles over time, he is been the jewel of Florida’s again finish. All through these playoffs he is averaged over 22 minutes of ice time per sport, and tossed in 4 assists whereas taking over the hardest matchups.
When Florida’s subsequent excessive draft decide got here alongside they have been again on the offensive — choosing ahead Anton Lundell twelfth general in 2020. Like Barkov, Lundell was an enormous (6-foot-1), Finnish, left-shot heart with glorious two-way potential. Lundell has grown completely over his first two NHL seasons (placing up career-best totals this season, with 13 objectives and 35 factors), and it is paid off within the playoffs.
Lundell has been paired with completely different teammates and stored bettering. His game-winning aim in Recreation 5 of the convention finals (his third marker of the postseason) on Friday strengthened why that “Child Barkov” nickname has been well-earned.
“He is his personal kind. However there’s similarities in our video games,” Barkov mentioned. “Each gamers wish to play a two-way sport and he is elite at that. He is actually good on each facet of the sport. So that is the similarity. However he is strolling on this personal path and studying from completely different guys every single day … and changing into higher. I am actually joyful to see that.”
The commerce additions
Lately, Vincent Trocheck is main the Rangers in playoff objectives (eight) and factors (15).
However for six and a half seasons — from 2013-20 — he was in Florida, proper up till the February 2020 commerce deadline when the Panthers shipped Trocheck to Carolina in trade for a bundle that included Eetu Luostarinen. Their new arrival began with the Panthers’ American Hockey League affiliate, however Luostarinen finally discovered his NHL groove and has been a staple in Florida’s backside six by way of the playoffs, potting one aim and 4 factors whereas skating over quarter-hour per sport.
The Panthers’ subsequent commerce addition was, nicely, considerably extra newsworthy.
Florida despatched shockwaves by way of the 2022 offseason once they acquired Matthew Tkachuk from Calgary that July in trade for the workforce’s then-leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar.
Tkachuk has been value each penny of his eight-year, $76 million contract extension. The matured winger can toe the road of sass and ability with ease, and that is already manifested on the Panthers’ historical past ebook. After two seasons, Tkachuk holds the franchise file in assists per sport (0.82) and factors per sport (1.24).
The 26-year-old was credited by teammates for single-handedly serving to to will Florida into the playoff image final season (and Tkachuk rightly earned a Hart Trophy nomination in that course of). He performed Recreation 4 of the Cup Ultimate towards Vegas with a damaged sternum, rehabbed all summer time and nonetheless began this season on time (ending second on the membership in factors with 88 in 80 video games). Tkachuk has carried that success to the playoffs once more, the place he is pacing the Panthers in factors (19) and has two game-winning objectives.
Florida went massive bringing on Tkachuk (and increasing others), which put the Panthers in some wage cap troubles. That pressured Florida into buying and selling Anthony Duclair to San Jose in July 2023, for ahead Steven Lorentz. The latter has been a high quality depth piece for the Panthers, and a staple on their fourth line all through the playoffs, with two objectives and three factors.
Like most good groups, the Panthers establish high quality position gamers once they’re accessible. Florida felt on the cusp of one other lengthy playoff run this spring, and secured some complementary items earlier than the March commerce deadline to make it a actuality.
First, the Panthers netted Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa. He is been like a rover within the lineup, able to slotting in in all places, and has had a strong postseason with two objectives and 5 factors. He is one of many solely Panthers with a Cup on his resume — from the St. Louis Blues’ run in 2019 — and isn’t shy about sharing his ideas. Maurice credited Tarasenko for partaking with linemate Lundell on the bench throughout Recreation 5 and giving the younger skater some high quality consideration — proper earlier than Lundell scored the game-winning aim. These intangibles are invaluable.
Whereas Tarasenko has his title etched on hockey’s holy grail, Kyle Okposo got here to Florida hoping to do the identical. The then-Sabres captain knew this workforce would supply him an opportunity to chase a title, and Okposo is sport to do no matter he can to make sure Florida reaches its aim. Okposo has accepted being a wholesome scratch when required, however has embraced the alternatives he does get, like getting into halfway into Florida’s second-round sequence towards Boston and leaving an impression on teammates.
“I believe with us, [the key is] it is only a good group of depth,” Ekblad mentioned. “Large items like [Okposo] that are available and have an on the spot influence like he did in [Boston]. And I simply suppose it is it is only a tight-knit group of men; it is type of laborious to say [exactly] why it really works.”
The 2021 group
Florida made three strikes in 2021 that warranted a second trade-related class of their very own.
It was a late-starting season amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic so the deadline had been shuffled alongside to April. The change in time did not have an effect on Florida’s urgency to focus on gamers who could be integral elements of the Panthers’ present make-up.
First, Florida acquired defenseman Brandon Montour from Anaheim for a third-round decide within the 2021 draft. It was a traditional buy-low-and-be-amazed situation. The Panthers signed Montour to a three-year extension, and he responded with a breakout season in 2022-23. Montour completed because the league’s fifth-highest scoring defenseman by doubling his personal career-best numbers (at 16 objectives and 73 factors).
Montour was a distinction maker for Florida throughout their Cup Ultimate run final yr, and he is been glorious once more in these playoffs with three objectives and 9 factors whereas averaging a team-high 23:46 of ice time per sport.
Stanley Cup playoffs 2024
There are simply 4 groups left vying for the Stanley Cup. Try our protection, with TV occasions, the newest information, outcomes and extra.• Playoff Central• Subscribe to ESPN+ • Stream the NHL on ESPN
That very same April, the Panthers additionally acquired punchier once they landed Sam Bennett from Calgary for a second-round decide in 2022 and the rights to prospect Emil Heineman. Bennett, like Montour, instantly signed a contract extension with the Panthers — and, like Montour, adopted that with a personal-best season the next season, gathering 28 objectives and 49 factors.
No matter is within the Panthers’ water continues to work it is allure on Bennett, with one other sturdy common season and playoff stretch together with 4 objectives and 7 factors in 10 video games. The feisty ahead hasn’t made associates alongside the way in which — significantly in Boston — however he’s, as Maurice has famous, the “prototypical” Panther. Not a foul moniker to put on.
There are a complete host of superlatives for the season Sam Reinhart simply had. The second general decide in 2014, Reinhart was swapped to Florida for a 2022 first-round decide and Devon Levi in July 2021. It was a steep price that Reinhart has repaid in full. Since Reinhart arrived in South Florida, he is scored 121 objectives and 243 factors by way of 242 video games.
Reinhart’s greatest work got here this season, when he wowed the league with a 57-goal, 94-point displaying (together with 27 objectives on the facility play). Reinhart has needed to reply questions all season about his impending free company, however he is appeared unbothered by that within the playoffs, producing eight objectives and 12 factors.
It is not simply what Reinhart does individually, both. He elevated linemates all season, together with Barkov, who did not overlook to thank Reinhart after being named the 2023-24 Selke winner.
“The gamers I am taking part in with, with out them nothing could be potential,” Barkov mentioned. “I’ve acquired to present credit score to [Reinhart]. I performed with him the entire yr. He helped me lots.”
2:34
Gustav Forsling on third interval success: ‘We have performed all of it yr’
Gustav Forsling joins Scott Van Pelt and breaks down the key behind the Panthers’ success within the third interval this season following their 3-2 Recreation 5 victory over the New York Rangers.
The “castoffs”
Typically, issues do not work out for a hockey participant and a selected NHL workforce.
Fortunate for the Panthers.
Carter Verhaeghe technically began his NHL tenure as a Toronto Maple Leaf. However earlier than Verhaeghe ever performed for the Leafs, they traded him to the New York Islanders in a multi-player deal centered on Michael Grabner. Verhaeghe by no means dressed for the Islanders both earlier than they traded him to Tampa Bay in 2017.
It could take one other two years for Verhaeghe to lastly debut with the Lightning in 2019-20, the yr Tampa gained its first of two consecutive championships. Verhaeghe would not be part of that second title although, as a result of the Lightning did not supply the then-restricted free agent a qualifying supply and he was subsequently a UFA. The Panthers pounced with a contract supply, Verhaeghe accepted and — cease should you’ve heard this one earlier than — he broke out the next season, with a 55-point marketing campaign. Verhaeghe has been on a tear ever since, producing 72 factors in 76 video games this season, and pacing the Panthers in postseason objectives (9) in addition.
Gustav Forsling additionally is aware of about being a diamond within the tough. The defenseman was positioned on waivers by Carolina in January 2021, the last word gut-punch for any younger participant. The Panthers have been there to say Forsling from the wire and supply him a recent begin.
Forsling responded by blossoming beneath the Florida solar. He is now the Panthers’ top-pairing defender who inked an eight-year, $46 million extension this March. Forsling now leads Florida in factors by a defenseman within the postseason (10) and will probably be patrolling its blue line by way of the prime of his profession. Forsling’s influence in these playoffs — 4 objectives and 11 factors, whereas averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per sport — has garnered him severe accolades.
“In his type, he is the very best defenseman on the earth,” Maurice mentioned after Recreation 5 on Friday.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson did not must expertise the waiver course of. However being purchased out by Vancouver in June 2023 probably wasn’t a significantly better feeling. He was accessible on the open market as a UFA when the Panthers as soon as once more discovered what they believed to be an undervalued participant.
The veteran has been revitalized on Florida’s third pairing, and because the quarterback of Florida’s second power-play unit. The chance to be within the hunt for an elusive championship is barely additional gas for Ekman-Larsson’s strong playoffs, and has proven the league he is not performed but.
“That he might come again and re-establish himself as a defenseman, that was the chance that we had for him,” Maurice mentioned of Ekman-Larsson. “And he definitely made probably the most of it.”
The “choosers”
Gamers will wait their complete careers to personally decide a touchdown spot.
Sergei Bobrovsky’s alternative to do it got here in July 2019. He took his abilities to South Seashore.
Florida invested of their new No. 1 netminder with a seven-year, $70 million contract meant to solidify the Panthers’ goaltending for the foreseeable future. It hasn’t at all times been clean crusing, although. Bobrovsky — who was a two-time Vezina Trophy winner with Columbus — struggled to constantly set up that award-winning type for Florida.
In 2022-23, Bobrovsky started so poorly there have been questions round whether or not he’d lose the web fully to prospect Spencer Knight. That did not come to fruition, however Bobrovsky was changed by Alex Lyon late within the season whereas he was sidelined with an sickness. Lyon performed so nicely he was the Panthers’ playoff starter — however Bobrovsky was their hero. When Lyon stumbled, Bobrovsky stepped in to assist Florida attain the Cup Ultimate. And that momentum carried into this season, the place he allowed the second-fewest objectives by an NHL common (behind Connor Hellebuyck) and was nominated for his third Vezina. Bobrovsky has given the Panthers confidence once more in these playoffs, with a 10-5 file, .904 SV% and a couple of.29 GAA.
Perception is a vital issue not simply in main signings however smaller ones, too. The Panthers have stuffed within the gaps with fourth-line forwards Ryan Lomberg — who inked his first cope with Florida in October 2020 — and Nick Cousins, who got here on board in July 2022. They have been textbook energy-drivers within the common season, and have offered hard-working minutes when referred to as upon within the postseason as Maurice shuffled the decks right here and there to maximise the Panthers’ matchups.
Prime tales of the week from 
Get unique entry to hundreds of premium articles a yr from high writers.• Mock draft: Who goes No. 1 to Guardians? »• Why Bronny stayed in NBA draft, what’s subsequent? »• NFL: Contract offers and who will receives a commission » Extra ESPN+ content material »
One skater not drawing out has been defenseman Niko Mikkola — particularly not towards his former workforce. Mikkola was acquired by the Rangers (together with Tarasenko) forward of final yr’s deadline to help of their postseason quest, which ended abruptly with a first-round ousting. The blueliner did not stick round with the Blueshirts and signed in Florida as a free agent in July. Mikkola skated in all 82 regular-season video games for the Panthers, and has been on a powerful pairing with Forsling all through the playoffs, averaging practically 20 minutes of ice time per sport.
Anthony Stolarz was one other July addition for Florida. Lyon had moved on to a bigger position in Detroit, and Stolarz was a great journeyman to fill within the hole behind Bobrovsky. The veteran was terrific at that, posting a 16-7-2 file with .925 SV% and a couple of.03 GAA within the common season.
Florida’s final man in through the July signing season was Evan Rodrigues. The versatile ahead has been a fixture within the Panthers’ high 9, and might seemingly discover chemistry with any linemate. That is how Rodrigues has enhanced his worth within the playoffs, significantly when Florida misplaced Bennett to an damage early. Rodrigues’ performances in Recreation 3 and Recreation 4 towards Boston — when he tallied two objectives and two assists — helped carry Florida by way of.
“I believe that these are his two greatest video games of the yr for us,” Maurice mentioned after Recreation 4 vs. the Bruins. “I believe Evan is the type of man that may elevate his play within the playoffs. He is a extremely good skater and he seems to be like he is stepping into plenty of holes and getting fairly good offense off.”
The bonus pair
Let’s name this the re-return.
We have gone by way of the three Florida draft picks nonetheless of their lineup — however talked about there was a fourth draftee to be named later. That is Dmitry Kulikov.
Florida chosen him 14th general in 2009, and Kulikov performed seven seasons for the Panthers (from 2009-2016) earlier than he was traded to Buffalo. The blueliner bounced round between six different groups from there earlier than accepting a one-year free agent contract from the Panthers in July.
Kulikov was house once more. And whereas the years had handed, his capability to contribute had not. He is been a relentless on their third pairing, and places up dependable minutes at even power and on the penalty kill. Like no time handed in any respect.
And that brings us to the ultimate piece of Florida’s puzzle.
Let’s name this: The (sudden) substitute.
The Panthers did not look to be available in the market for a brand new coach after Andrew Brunette — as interim bench boss following Joel Quenneville stepping down — guided Florida to a Presidents’ Trophy profitable season in 2021-22.
Seems, the Panthers had another person in thoughts for the full-time position: Maurice. Florida made it official with the 25-year teaching veteran in June 2022, months after Maurice had excused himself from the pinnacle position in Winnipeg after a gradual begin to the Jets’ season.
It was Maurice’s “expertise” and “mind” that drew GM Billy Zito in. Maurice has confirmed his value by bringing out the very best in Florida.
“He is the right coach for our workforce,” Tkachuk mentioned in September.
THE PANTHERS’ 2024 STORY is not completed but.
They lead the Jap Convention finals 3-2, with Recreation 6 on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+). Florida has home-ice benefit with a chance to achieve a consecutive Cup Ultimate. The top of this chapter continues to be being written.
Florida’s origin story is on the coronary heart of it. The Panthers went from literal bottom-dwellers to gathering expertise that is formed them right into a powerhouse. Not each workforce will get there. Not all of them can. There’s one thing innate concerning the Panthers’ tradition although that makes gamers — no matter background or the place they have been earlier than — place confidence in their very own potential.
And you’ll’t placed on a value on that.
“They acquired me proper into the group,” Forsling mentioned. “And I really feel like I’ve performed right here my complete profession. Everybody may be very welcoming and pleasant, you understand? Once I acquired right here, everybody was simply [making you feel good] that manner.”
