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NHL: Top 3 disappointing teams who can still make playoffs

By Dave Stevenson

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 16: Kyle Turris #8 of the Nashville Predators is congratulated by teammates Matt Duchene #95, Filip Forsberg #9 and Mattias Ekholm #14 after scoring the go-ahead goal against the St. Louis Blues during the final two minutes of the third period at Bridgestone Arena on February 16, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 16: Kyle Turris #8 of the Nashville Predators is congratulated by teammates Matt Duchene #95, Filip Forsberg #9 and Mattias Ekholm #14 after scoring the go-ahead goal against the St. Louis Blues during the final two minutes of the third period at Bridgestone Arena on February 16, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images /

Florida Panthers

At the start of the season, many had the Florida Panthers pushing for a playoff spot. It’s easy to see why. They addressed their goaltending issues by signing Sergei Bobrovsky and also added Brett Connolly, Noel Acciari, and Anton Stralman. Furthermore, the Panthers paid a hefty price to hire Joel Quenneville to be their head coach.

With the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators all struggling (plus the Toronto Maple Leafs struggling early on), things were open for the Panthers to grab one of the top three spots in the Atlantic Division. However, this has not been the case.

They’ve lost seven of their past 10 games, with six of those losses coming in regulation. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs have found their second wind, going 6-4-0 during the same span. This has given the Leafs a nice five-point cushion over the Panthers for third place in the Atlantic Division.

The Panthers are also five points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, so it’s anyone’s guess which spot would be easier for them to get.

Next. Grading Each Team's Trade Deadline. dark

A big reason why the Panthers have struggled has, ironically, been their goaltending. Bobrovsky has performed very poorly in his first season in the Sunshine State. He has the second-worst 5v5 GSAA in the NHL among goalies with at least 1,200 5v5 minutes played. Furthermore, the Panthers have actually been worse this season defensively. Last season, they ranked 28th in goals against. As of March 2, the Panthers rank 29th in goals against.

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