Strengths
Forward Depth
The Florida Panthers are going to have plenty of options as far as forwards. And that’s a really valuable thing. It’ll be curious to see how their top two lines pan out. Hoffman and Bjugstad could swap lines from time to time, especially if the Panthers need more offense.
Their third forward line, no matter who it consists of, will be a fascinating one to watch. McCann impressed last season and showed he could carry a third line. Given how strong the Panthers top two lines are, they can afford to shelter their third line a bit, which might benefit Vatrano.
MacKenzie is their lone big issue, but if your fourth line center is your biggest issue, that means you’re in pretty darn good shape.
Penalty Kill
The Panthers had a strong penalty kill last season, killing a shade over 80 percent of their penalties. Their defense bled shot attempts and scoring chances against, but it’s worth noting they improved as the season went along. The Panthers were a middle of the pack shorthanded team as far as scoring chances against after Jan. 1.
It appears they cleaned up the issues that plagued them early on. Barkov is arguably the best penalty killer in the NHL. The Panthers will need their penalty kill to remain a strength. Hopefully, they can continue to build on their improvement over the new year.
Center Depth
You need to be strong down the middle to contend for a Stanley Cup. The Panthers are strong down the middle with Barkov, Trocheck, and McCann. Borgstrom could join the trio eventually and Letestu could prove to be an option there as well.